Like me, many of you have undoubtedly received the piece with photographs, “Why Women Should Vote” that is being widely forwarded via email. Just today, I received five forwards with long lists of email addresses. I’m thrilled that there’s so much interest in the extraordinary story of the fight for women’s suffrage. Currently I’m writing about the 19th century fight in Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World. Next I’m writing Shout the Revolution: Women’s Fierce Fight for the Vote, 1910-1920. (“Shout the Revolution” is the title of a song written by suffragist while they were in prison. See below for the words.) Consequently I’ve got books piled high everywhere! Here a few I recommend for those of you eager to learn more: Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women’s Rights Movement by Sally G. McMillen; The Road to Seneca Falls: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the First Woman’s Rights Convention by Judith Wellman; African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920 by Rosalyn Terborg-Penn; Woman Suffrage & Women’s Rights by Ellen Carol Dubois; Jailed for Freedom: American Women Win the Vote by Doris Stevens, edited by Carol O’Hare; Iron-Jawed Angels: The Suffrage Militancy of the National Woman’s Party, 1912-1920 by Linda G. Ford; Failure is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony in Her Own Words by Lynn Sherr; Sisters: The Lives of America’s Suffragists by Jean H. Baker. FYI: Also I’ve posted a number of blog entries re women’s history. “Shout the Revolution” was sung to the then familiar tune of a song, “Charlie is My Darling.”
Shout the Revolution Of Women, of Women, Shout the Revolution Of Liberty Rise, glorious women of the earth, The voiceless and the free, United strength assures the birth Of true democracy. Invincible our army, Forward, forward Strong in faith we,re marching To Victory Shout the Revolution Of Women, of Women, Shout the Revolution Of Liberty Men’s revolutions born in blood But our’s conceived in peace.
We hold a banner for a sword ‘Til all oppression cease, Prison, death defying, Onward, onward, Triumphant daughters marching To Victory