Augsburg Honors Review

Volume 12 Article 3

2019 Considerations in Historical Research: NWP Strategies – A Case Study Demery Little Augsburg University

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Recommended Citation Little, Demery (2019) "Considerations in Historical Research: NWP Strategies – A Case Study," Augsburg Honors Review: Vol. 12 , Article 3. Available at: https://idun.augsburg.edu/honors_review/vol12/iss1/3

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Undergraduate at Idun. It has been accepted for inclusion in Augsburg Honors Review by an authorized editor of Idun. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Demery Little

Considerations in Historical Research: NWP Strategies – A Case Study Deey Lite, Augbug Univesty

Abstract Te American women’s sufrage istorical research is most often movement is marked by many focused on deconstructing complicated systems all working H stories from the past in order together to fght for and against the to better understand our current enfranchisement of women in the United situation. In this way, proper historical States. Groups such as the National research is vital to the continuing Women’s Party (NWP) and the National improvement of any part of society; American Woman Sufrage Association whether that is through understanding (NAWSA), among other smaller groups, systems of government or religion, took diferent approaches to achieve or through understanding cultural the enfranchisement of women. While and societal norms in the context in NAWSA focused on state-by-state which they came to be. Because of legislation, the NWP focused their the impact historical research can eforts on the creation of a federal bill have on our society, it is important to for sufrage. Because of this diference consider biases in both sources and in focus, the two groups also had a in the researcher themselves when diference in strategies; NAWSA focused evaluating historical research. Te on legislation and lobbying individual American women’s sufrage movement, state congressmen while the NWP used and more specifcally, the National larger-scale approaches such as large Women’s Party, provide a perfect case parades through Washington D.C. on study for examining the way in which Inauguration Day or picketing in front researcher and source bias can afect of the White House using signs featuring the presentation and understanding of direct quotes from the president about historical events. Tis paper seeks to the importance of full democracy. answer the question of just how much Because of the stark diferences bias plays into our understanding of in approaches, there are interesting historical events using the lens of a comparisons to be made between the women’s history movement. diferent ways in which the strategies of the more large-scale NWP are analyzed and described in diferent types of sources. Tere are many diferent mediums used to tell history, and each medium has its own specifc goals and 19 Augsburg Honors Review limitations. Many popular newspapers made of the various interpretations from the time talked about the NWP’s seen in diferent kinds of historical strategies in a negative light, sometimes sources of the strategies of the NWP, a comparing their tactics to the more brief overview of the American women’s militant sufragettes in Britain. Primary sufrage movement must frst be put source newspaper articles seek to forth. It is important to understand inform the general population at the the basics of the movement and the time, but often refect the personal main diferences between the two main biases of the reporters and editors who groups fghting for sufrage: the NWP write the articles and the audience and NAWSA. As stated previously, they are writing for. Audience bias is NAWSA focused their eforts for an important factor to consider when sufrage on securing legislation on a approaching any type of source. For state-by-state basis, believing that the example, museums and archives are only way a federal sufrage amendment also seeking to inform the general could be passed was if the minimum population, but their audience is a more number of states required to ratify such modern one, and their approach will a bill already had sufrage amendments often put more modern values onto in their own state constitutions. the historical events and will also often Tis approach focused on lobbying provide shorter bits of information in individual state legislators and on a order to better engage their modern nationwide movement of small-scale audience. Professional historians are parades, speeches, fundraisers, and often seeking to add something to the committees. Te NWP, on the other academic debate, which is both their hand, focused their time on the passing goal and their limitation as they often of a federal amendment, believing end up writing for a small audience. that a federal amendment would be Films seek to entertain a larger audience a more immediate solution and that and often sacrifce historical accuracy the state-by-state approach taken on for the storyline. Each of these types of by NAWSA would only prolong the sources approach the NWP diferently. passage of a sufrage bill and further Tis paper will seek to better understand delay the enfranchisement of women. the limitations associated with writing Teir approach focused on large-scale in history and some of the important strategies such as parades involving considerations that must be made when thousands of women, major public analyzing any source on a historical event speeches, picketing in front of the by analyzing the way in which diferent White House, mass meetings, civil sources discuss the strategies of the NWP, disobedience, nonviolent confrontation, specifcally their 1913 parade through hunger strikes, and relentless lobbying Washington D.C. and their White House of federal legislators.1 Tese approaches picketing campaign. were often derived from the British sufragettes’ militant tactics in England, Te Sufrage Movement in Whole which the leader of the NWP, Alice Paul, experienced during her time supporting Before any analysis can be the sufrage movement in England. It 20 Demery Little was because of these more militant- Te 1913 Sufrage Parade esque tactics that the NWP was sometimes referred to as “sufragettes,” Many historical publications a term used to describe militants focus on specifc events or tactics as a rather than the more politically focused means of securing the constitutional “sufragists.” amendment. Examples include Te NWP started in 1912 as a the parades that the NWP held in smaller organization within NAWSA, cities across the nation including in the Congressional Committee, formed Washington, D.C. Te frst parade that by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns in an Alice Paul held as the leader of NAWSA’s efort to get NAWSA to focus more on Congressional Committee occurred a federal amendment. In 1913, Paul and on March 3, 1913, in Washington, D.C., Burns along with the Congressional the day before Woodrow Wilson’s Committee organized the 1913 sufrage inauguration.3 Te march consisted of parade in Washington D.C. In February more than 5,000 marchers, nine bands, of 1914, Paul and Burns separated from three heralds, four mounted brigades, NAWSA completely to become an and twenty-four foats.4 Te march was independent organization fghting for organized by Alice Paul, and it drew large women’s sufrage. In June of 1916 they crowds of spectators who were in town became the National Woman’s Party. for Wilson’s inauguration. Te parade Te combined efort of the NWP and started as planned but, as the march NAWSA led to the eventual passing wore on, the crowds began to push and ratifcation of the Nineteenth onto the street and block the marchers Amendment to the Constitution, which from proceeding. Some marchers were states that “the right of citizens of pushed, grabbed, tripped, and jeered at the United States to vote shall not be by the crowds. Tis march was the frst denied or abridged by the United States event organized by Alice Paul in the or by any State on account of sex.”2 United States, and it reinvigorated the Te amendment passed Congress in movement on a national level. 1918 and was ratifed by the minimum Newspaper coverage of the three-fourths of the states and 1913 parade in mainstream newspapers ofcially became an amendment to the was minimal compared to later parades Constitution in 1919. organized by Alice Paul. Many of the

1 “Tactics and Techniques of the National Woman’s Party Sufrage Campaign.” Library of Congress-American Memory Collection, Accessed 8 Dec. 2018. https://www.loc.gov/collec- tions/static/women-of-protest/images/tactics.pdf. 2 Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Const. amend. XIX. 3 Matthew Costello, “Picketing the White House: Te Sufragist Movement During the Great War,” Te White House Historical Association, Accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.whitehouse- history.org/picketing-the-white-house. 4 Sheridan Harvey, “Marching for the Vote: Remembering the Woman Sufrage Parade of 1913,” Library of Congress: American Memory, Accessed 1 Dec. 2017, memory.loc.gov/ammem/awh- html/aw01e/aw01e.html. 21 Augsburg Honors Review articles written about the day focus Carrie Chapman Catt as organizers and on Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration important fgures in the parade and while treating the parade as a footnote the movement. Tis article also focuses despite the fact that it was a major event on the fashion and decorative aspect that took place during the inauguration of the parade, traditional feminine festivities. For example, an article ideals, and therefore doesn’t give the written for the New York Times on parade the weight that it deserved in Wilson’s inauguration mentioned the the movement.6 Te Evening Star, a women’s march very briefy. Te article newspaper out of Washington, D.C., did compare the large crowds at the published a few articles about the march to the lack of crowds at Wilson’s march as well, mostly focusing on the arrival, and it mentioned how the parade beauty of such a parade and the crowds was in the part of Washington, D.C., that cheered the sufragists on along that was decorated for Wilson’s arrival their route. One such article states that so that Wilson had to drive through “the beauty and dignity of [the] great residential neighborhoods that were parade impresses throngs.”7 Another not decorated and largely deserted. Te article published in Washington, D.C., article mentioned the women’s march this one by Te Washington Times, only to show what an inconvenience it stated that the sufragists who marched was to Wilson’s arrival. Te article made were cheered by the spectators. Tis no mention of the reasoning behind the article stated that 10,000 women sufrage parade and barely discussed marched in the parade, a number that the actual events of the parade.5 Other is double what almost every other articles written around the same time newspaper cites, and that the police for the New York Times do focus on were supportive of the marchers.8 the parade and describe in detail the Both of these articles also give a lot of number of women, bands, and foats attention to the fashion and decoration participating on that day. One such put into the parade, choosing again article gives information about the to focus on the traditionally feminine various sufrage leaders who came aspects of the parade instead of the to Washington, D.C., to participate political signifcance of the event. Tis is in the march as well as information representative of the way that journalists on the contents of the various foats. of the time treated the sufragists. By However, this article makes no mention using language such as “sufragette” of Alice Paul and only talks about and “militant” and by focusing their NAWSA, Anna Howard Shaw, and articles on the traditionally feminine

5 “Wilson Takes Ofce To-Day as 28th President,” New York Times (New York City, NY), Mar. 3, 1913. 6 “Women Await Order to Fall in Line,” New York Times (New York City, NY), Mar. 3, 1913. 7 “Sufrage Crusaders in Trilling Pageant Take City by Storm,” Te Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), Mar. 3, 1913. 8 “Sufragettes in Great Pageant Cheered by Inaugural Trongs,” Te Washington Times (Wash- ington, D.C.), Mar. 3, 1913. 22 Demery Little aspects of the parade, the journalists overcrowding due to the large number were revealing their bias against the of people in town for the inauguration.11 sufragists and the movement itself. Tese articles are the only ones that Tese biases afected the way that the mention Alice Paul and mainly do so in movement was portrayed in the media, a negative light. therefore afecting the way that the Because of the biases held general population understood the by many journalists of the time, it was movement. difcult for sufragists to tell their Several articles were written stories in a way that felt true to them. following the march about the Because of this, many sufragists wrote spectators that crowded the streets memoirs following the passage of the and the aftermath of those actions. Nineteenth Amendment. For example, For example, an article published for Doris Stevens, a sufragist who worked Te New York Times discussed how the with Alice Paul, wrote Jailed for Freedom, crowds tried to push their way past a book about the events of the women’s the police and into the street in order sufrage movement. Her book, unlike to get at the marchers, stating that the the newspaper coverage of the parade, parade had to be halted several times focuses on the ideals and goals behind in order for the crowds to be pushed the march and the overall meaning back. Tis article emphasizes the eforts that the parade had for the movement. put forth by the police in order to keep Stevens discusses how the women the spectators back and to protect the wanted to “dramatize in numbers and marchers, portraying the police ofcers beauty the fact that women wanted to in a much more positive light than other vote.”12 Stevens’ book focuses on how representations of this event do.9 In the parade started bringing attention the following days, a few articles were to the movement. She discusses how published following up on the events of this march, the frst demonstration the day and the investigation into the organized under the leadership of claims made by the sufragists.10 Tese Alice Paul, brought into the national articles are mostly negative towards spotlight the importance of the sufrage the sufragists and often disregard the movement and the vast number of crowding of the marchers as simple women who believed in the movement.

9 5,000 Women March, Beset by Crowds,” New York Times (New York City, NY), Mar. 3, 1913. 10 “Senate Police Inquiry On,” New York Times (New York City, NY), Mar. 5, 1913. 11 “Says Lies About Parade Aroused Entire Country,” New York Times (New York City, NY), Mar. 14, 1913. 12 Doris Stevens, Jailed for Freedom (New York:Boni and Liveright, 1920), 21. 13 One important consideration to make when assessing such a book as Doris Stevens’ is the bias that a member of the movement brings to an interpretation of what is important to focus on in the movement and how successful the various tactics were. In this case, Stevens shows some of her bias by only dedicating a small portion of her book to this frst parade, therefore de-emphasizing its possible importance due to Stevens’ perceiving this particular event as less important than, say, the frst three months of picketing (to which she devotes an entire chapter). 23 Augsburg Honors Review

Stevens also discusses the failure of the perspective that it was Alice Paul’s the police to protect the marchers, in frst demonstration as the leader of contrast to the newspaper accounts NAWSA’s Congressional Committee.14 which either ignore that aspect of Lunardini describes in more detail the the parade or defend the police by events leading up to the parade than blaming the large inauguration crowds. any other source previously discussed, However, even Stevens’ account is emphasizing how the parade was brief; she discusses this frst march for organized and how that afected the only about a page and a half before she event itself. Lunardini also discusses switches focus to other tactics used by how the issue of race afected the the sufragists.13 parade and discusses it as an important Professional historians have issue that went into the planning of been very infuential in shaping the the parade.15 Lunardini also discusses public portrayals of the sufragists. Each the racial biases of Alice Paul herself, historian adds a new layer to the debate, an idea which none of the primary which then afects the next historian sources seem to consider. Like the who decides to focus on the same event. previously discussed sources, Lunardini For example, Christine Lunardini’s book, discusses the issue of police protection From Equal Sufrage to Equal Rights: at the parade and the riot that ensued Alice Paul and the National Woman’s as the parade was underway. Lunardini Party, 1910-1928, discusses the women’s portrays the riot as an extremely sufrage movement of the United States violent and poorly handled situation from the perspective that Alice Paul and that resulted in several minor injuries the NWP were the main driving force and media outcry for months. Tis is behind the success. Tis is very diferent extremely diferent from the previously from previous historical publications discussed sources, as they mention that focus on NAWSA and largely ignore the riot as being mostly verbal and the NWP. Because Lunardini takes this inconvenient. Although the articles position, she discusses the sufrage and book mentioned earlier do also parade of 1913 in great length, analyzing discuss the lack of police intervention, the politics behind NAWSA granting Lunardini’s account uses much more Paul leadership of the Congressional militant language, more so especially Committee and the authorization to than the newspaper accounts or the hold a parade the day before Wilson’s archival exhibits, which causes her inauguration. Lunardini discusses how book to take on a more accusatory tone important the parade was, not just than the others. Also unlike the other from the perspective that it brought previously discussed sources, Lunardini media attention to the movement like spends almost no time discussing Stevens’ book suggests, but also from the design of costumes, banners, and

14 Christine Lunardini, From Equal Sufrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, 1910-1928 (New York: New York University Press, 1986), 21. 15 Ibid. 27. 24 Demery Little foats which efectively eliminates the themselves are. Another government traditionally feminine aspect that the resource that discusses the sufrage newspapers focused on and the possible parade of 1913 is the Smithsonian efect that the design had on the media Museum’s National Woman Sufrage attention that Doris Stevens focuses on. Parade, 1913, exhibit. Tis exhibit was Since the Nineteenth Amendment a brief paragraph in a larger exhibition passed, many museums and archives of women’s sufrage history. It briefy have produced articles and exhibits discussed the importance of the parade about the sufrage movement. Te as the frst demonstration in the capital Library of Congress’ American Memory and the media attention that the parade collection contains one such article. received. Te exhibit does mention the Tis article agrees with many of the riot that occurred during the parade facts laid out in the early newspaper but gives barely any information about accounts and Doris Stevens’ book (with it other than the fact that a riot nearly the exception of the article that cited occurred. Similar to the newspaper 10,000 women participating in the accounts and the article from the parade). Te article makes the same American Memory archive, the exhibit claims as Stevens’ book and discusses takes the time to discuss the costumes, how important it was that this parade decorations, and banners used by brought the sufrage movement to the the sufragists. Unlike the newspaper media’s attention. Similar to Lunardini’s accounts, however, the exhibit suggests book, the article discusses the issue of that the costumes and banners help race in relation to the march, an issue to illustrate the impact of the parade which is not discussed at all in either the instead of just shifting focus from the newspaper accounts or Stevens’ book.16 politics of the parade.17 18 Te article does not go into very much In the flm Iron Jawed Angels, detail regarding the race issue, however, the 1913 parade is depicted as the frst but the fact that it is mentioned at all event that Alice Paul participated in as gives the impression that this is a more part of the American women’s sufrage complete analysis of the sufragist movement. It becomes a pivotal moment parade than the primary sources in the flm as it is because of the idea of

16 Sheridan Harvey, “Marching for the Vote: Remembering the Woman Sufrage Parade of 1913,” Library of Congress: American Memory, Accessed 1 Dec. 2017, memory.loc.gov/ammem/ awhhtml/aw01e/aw01e.html. 17 “Te National Woman Sufrage Parade, 1913,” Smithsonian, Accessed 3 Dec, 2017.https:// www.si.edu/Exhibitions/Te-National-Woman-Sufrage-Parade-1913--4953. 18 An important consideration when it comes to using museums and archival documents in historical research is that museum exhibits are often short snippets of information to place archival documents in perspective so that the average viewer can get a glimpse of the impor- tance of such a document. Te information contained within museum exhibits is often a brief overview of an event and usually leaves out information about conficting narratives or inter- pretations in favor of a simplifed explanation in order for the viewer to understand. Because of this, when viewing archival documents in a museum exhibit, it is important to remember that there is often much more to the story than is portrayed within the exhibit. 25 Augsburg Honors Review a parade that Paul is able to become also only devotes a short fve minute leader of NAWSA’s Congressional scene to the issue of race in relation to Committee. Te parade itself is a large the march, and although this is similar afair, with bands, foats, banners, to many of the historical sources that and thousands of women marching do discuss the race issue, it again leads through the streets of Washington, to an oversimplifcation of the actual D.C. Tese facts are all consistent with issue. However, despite the issues that the facts found in the primary sources the oversimplifcation causes when and the professional publications analyzing the events leading up to the written about the event. However, march, the portrayal of the march itself the movie portrays the events leading is fairly accurate. Te flm is able to up to the parade in an oversimplifed emphasize the impact that the parade manner compared to Lunardini’s book. and the riot had on the movement and Where Lunardini devotes almost an the media coverage of the movement in entire chapter to the discussion of the a simple way. In this case, the parade is preparations made for the parade, not oversimplifed, but simplifed just the flm limits these preparations to enough so that the average viewer is able convincing Inez Milholland to be the to get a better sense of the importance herald, discussing whether they have of the march than if they were to read ever organized a parade, recruiting some of the primary sources or go to a working women, and briefy handling museum exhibit.19 20 the issue of African American women marching in the parade. Te flm White House Picketing dramatizes the ways in which women were recruited to the march in order In 1917, the newly minted to entertain. Tis is especially an issue National Woman’s Party (NWP) began when it is considered that Alice Paul a new campaign in which groups meets Inez Milholland in the movie of women representing both states through an entirely fctional character. that had already ratifed sufrage Tis confuses the actual history behind amendments to their own state the recruitment of women to the cause constitutions and states that had no and the sufrage parade of 1913. Te flm amendment would stand as “silent

19 Iron Jawed Angels, directed by Katja von Garnier (2004; HBO Films), DVD. 20 It is important to note that the flm is a work of historical fction and should never be con- sidered to be a reputable source for historical research. I have included it in this paper due to its use as a starting point for the curious researcher and its efectiveness when it comes to en- gaging a wider audience who is mostly likely largely unaware of many of the issues, events, and characters of the women’s sufrage movement. While the flm is often historically inaccurate, it does provide an interpretation of the historical events and could be mistakenly viewed as a reputable historical source. For these reasons I have included it in my discussion of consider- ations to be made when doing historical research. 21 “‘Picket’ White House: Sufragists, After Futile Appeal, Announce Daily Vigil,” Te Washing- ton Post (Washington D.C.) Jan. 10, 1917. 26 Demery Little sentinels” outside the White House the determination and commitment gates.21 Tese sentinels stood outside that these sufragists had to the issue the White House almost every day of a federal amendment on women’s throughout 1917, sometimes in small sufrage. groups of twelve or fewer, sometimes in Because the picketing eforts large organized demonstrations of 1,000 lasted for about a year, there is no participants.22 Even as the United States shortage of newspaper articles written entered World War I in April of 1917, covering the “silent sentinels.” However, the NWP did not stop their campaign depending on the article chosen as a of picketing the White House, much to source, some very diferent pictures of the chagrin of much of the country.23 the “sentinels” will be created. Many of Te “silent sentinels” carried banners the mainstream popular newspapers with slogans such as “Mr. President of the time, such as Te New York Times how long must women wait for or Te Washington Post, provided a liberty”24 and “Kaiser Wilson have you broad overview of the picketing for forgotten your sympathy with the poor their readers; however, the bias of Germans because they were not self- the journalists and the audience they governed? 20,000,000 American women were writing for can be clearly seen are not self-governed. Take the beam in the language choices made in the out of your own eye.”25 Many of these articles. Te vast majority of the articles “sentinels” were arrested, especially written, that are not simply report after the United States entered World numbers and names of the latest mass War I. Eventually these arrests were picketing demonstration or arrest of declared unconstitutional.26 Tis picketers, portray the “sentinels” as a new tactic brought the NWP to the nuisance and do not take the movement public’s attention and also forced the seriously. Case in point, an article that American government to recognize was published on the day of the frst

22 “Detailed Chronology- National Woman’s Party History,” Library of Congress: American Mem- ory, accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.loc.gov/collections/static/women-of-protest/imag- es/detchron.pdf. 23 Matthew Costello, “Picketing the White House: Te Sufragist Movement During the Great War,” Te White House Historical Association, Accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.whitehouse- history.org/picketing-the-white-house. 24 “Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman’s Party,” Library of Congress, accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/connec- tions/women-protest/history3.html. 25 “‘Kaiser Wilson’ Poster: Photograph of Sufragist with ‘Kaiser Wilson’ Poster,” National Ar- chives, accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-sufrage/ kaiser-wilson. 26 Matthew Costello, “Picketing the White House: Te Sufragist Movement During the Great War,” Te White House Historical Association, Accessed 11 Dec. 2018, https://www.whitehouse- history.org/picketing-the-white-house. 27 “‘Picket’ White House: Sufragists, After Futile Appeal, Announce Daily Vigil,” Te Washing- ton Post (Washington, D.C.) Jan. 10, 1917. 27 Augsburg Honors Review pickets describes the sufragists appeal during the cold winter months28 and to President Wilson the day before, the during episodes of mass arrests of failure of which sparked the picketing picketers.29 Tese articles emphasize movement, as “futile” and “pleading.” the generosity of President Wilson in Te author explains the purpose of the ofering the sufragists his assistance picketing by saying that “the purpose is when they could not stand the freezing to make it impossible for the President weather and the strength of character to enter or leave the White House of President Wilson in “[sweeping] by” without encountering a sentinel bearing the picketers and “[taking] no notice” some device pleading for the sufrage of the sufragists.30 Tey also emphasize cause.”27 At frst glance this is a simple the strength of character and will of reporting of the stated purpose of the the administration and the police force tactic; however, the word choice by the in Washington, D.C., by describing author emphasizes his/her perceived the immediacy with which the police hopelessness when it comes to the “broke” the sufrage line during a success of the movement. By using weak large picketing demonstration.31 words such as “pleading” to describe Both these articles, and several the picketing, the author emphasizes others, also emphasize the general the femininity of the sufragists, a negative attitudes that surrounded the common strategy used by the popular picketing by describing the picketing media at the time to de-emphasize the as “attacking” or “assaulting” Wilson,32 importance of the women’s sufrage by claiming that the sufragists were movement. “heckling and annoying the man who Other articles emphasize the bears the responsibility of leader of helplessness of the picketers, especially the forces of civilization fghting for its

28 “Freezing Sufrage ‘Sentinels’ Ignore Invitation by Wilson to Come Inside and Get Warm,” Te Washington Post (Washington, D.C.) Jan. 12, 1917. 29 “Arrest 41 Pickets for Sufrage at the White House,” New York Times (New York City, NY) Nov. 11, 1917. 30 “Freezing Sufrage ‘Sentinels’ Ignore Invitation by Wilson to Come Inside and Get Warm,” Te Washington Post (Washington, D.C.) Jan. 12, 1917. 31 “Arrest 41 Pickets for Sufrage at the White House,” New York Times (New York City, NY) Nov. 11, 1917. 32 Ibid. 33 “No Time for Heckling,” Te Washington Post (Washington, D.C.) Oct. 22, 1917. 34 “Charge Sufragists Menace Wilson’s Life: Antis say Picketing of White House is an Invitation to the Assassin,” New York Times (New York City, NY) Jan. 17, 1917. 35 George Foster, “‘Bad Manners, Mad Banners’ of the White House Pickets,” Te Washington Post (Washington, D.C.) April 23, 1917. 36 “Militants Again at the White House,” New York Times (New York City, NY) Jul. 22, 1917. 37 It is important to note that there were articles published which were written in support of the picketing; usually these articles were written by sufragists and were accompanied by headlines such as “Excuses for White House Picketing” or “Declares Picketing Right.” Tese were usually very brief accounts of statements gathered by the journalists or editorial letters. 28 Demery Little life,”33 by publishing statements from not equate to the same level of violence anti-sufragists who claim that the as the militants in Britain were using. picketing “ranks with the small boy’s In Doris Stevens’ book, Jailed thrusting out his tongue,”34 by referring for Freedom, she devotes an entire to the picketing as “bad manners and chapter to the frst three months of mad banners,”35 and by referring to the picketing alone, unlike the few pages sufragists as “militants.”36 37 which she dedicates to the frst parade. Te use of the term “militants” Stevens places great emphasis on the or “sufragettes” in reference to the importance of the picketing movement NWP in popular news media of the time in “[rousing] the government out of requires some analysis by historians its half-century sleep of indiference,” when assessing the bias of the source saying that the picketing “produced the being read. Te term “militants” or sharply-drawn contest which forced “militancy” refers to confrontational or the surrender of the government in the even violent methods used by people second Administration of President or organizations in pursuit of a political Wilson.”38 In these statements there cause. In the realm of women’s sufrage, are already sharp contrasts between the militant sufragists were referred to as newspaper coverage of the picketing and “sufragettes,” and this descriptor was this account by Stevens; the newspapers mostly used in reference to the British largely portrayed the picketing as a women’s sufrage movement rather than futile attempt to force their agenda onto the American movement. However, in Wilson, but Stevens frmly believed in the case of the NWP, many considered the immediate success of the movement their tactics to be confrontational as the main reason behind the Wilson enough to warrant the use of these administration fnally considering the terms. One big consequence of this issue of women’s sufrage. Stevens’ choice, however, is the association account of the picketing also comes of the tactics of the NWP with the into sharp contrast with other primary bombing and arson campaigns being source accounts when she says that “in undertaken by the British sufragettes. retrospect it [picketing] must seem to Tis led to many negative attitudes the most infexible person a reasonably toward the perceived “sufragettes” in mild and gentle thing to have done.”39 the NWP and their “militant” tactics, Unlike the majority of the popular despite the fact that the picketing, newspaper coverage of the movement, lobbying, and parades which the NWP Stevens emphasizes the “inspiring, employed in their fght for sufrage did gallant, and impressive”40 sight of

38 Doris Stevens, Jailed for Freedom (New York:Boni and Liveright, 1920), 63. 39 Ibid. 63. 40 Ibid. 67. 41 Christine Lunardini, From Equal Sufrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, 1910-1928 (New York: New York University Press, 1986), 104. 42 Christine Lunardini, From Equal Sufrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party, 1910-1928 (New York: New York University Press, 1986), 104. 29 Augsburg Honors Review the picketers standing outside of the has in writing this book are very White House, thus showing her bias diferent from the goals of the average as a member of the campaign toward journalist who might have written one confdence in the eventual success of the newspaper accounts previously of women’s sufrage being a result of discussed. As a professional historian, her own group’s participation in the Lunardini is seeking to provide a new movement. argument or elaborate on a previous In her book, From Equal argument regarding a particular Sufrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and historical event. In the case of this book, the National Woman’s Party, historian Lunardini is seeking to establish the Christine Lunardini discusses the importance of a group of women who picketing in a chapter titled “Te are often overlooked in the discussion Home-Front War: ‘A Poor Business.’”41 of the women’s sufrage movement: Tis chapter, dedicated entirely to the Alice Paul and the NWP. Because of this, picketing movement, focuses mostly and because of the fact that Lunardini on a telling of the facts of the picketing has the advantage of hindsight and campaign while also managing to create the full picture of historical context a “hero-narrative” of Alice Paul as the surrounding the picketing campaign, leader of the campaign. Lundardini’s her account will naturally difer from book, while not explicitly a biography the newspapers of the time whose of Alice Paul, does emphasize Paul’s goal was most likely to simply tell leadership and involvement in the NWP their readership the facts and possibly and, because of this, sometimes falls to push a particular journalist or into the trap of creating a narrative or newspaper’s agenda. In order to achieve a hagiography. It is important for any her goal, Lunardini must present the historian to remember, when writing facts as she understands them and on a historical event or movement must do so in a way that supports her through the eyes of a historical fgure main thesis. Lunardini even goes so far as Lundardini is doing for the women’s as to say that the picketing campaign sufrage movement through the lens “culminated with the evolution of of Alice Paul, to be careful to avoid Woodrow Wilson from a states’ rights making a hero out of the person. In advocate to a federal amendment the case of Lundardini’s chapter on the evangelist.”42 Lunardini argues her point picketing campaign, she emphasizes very well throughout her book, but as the great success that the campaign a source for future historical research, had when it came to forcing the Wilson her book must be vetted carefully for the administration to consider the issue bias that comes from arguing a specifc of a federal amendment on women’s point about a historical event. sufrage. In this way Lunardini’s account Te various museum exhibits of the picketing campaign is similar to specifcally on the picketing campaign Stevens’ but very diferent from the are often focused around a single newspaper accounts discussed earlier. historical item as a way of gathering At this point it is important to note interest about the topic and then only that the specifc goals that Lundardini provide brief background information 30 Demery Little about the campaign. For example, archive with various types of artifacts the Smithsonian National Museum of and documents within. Tis exhibit American History has an online exhibit provides very few details on the on the “silent sentinels” called “A Scrap of picketing as its main purpose is to serve Sufrage History.”43 Tis exhibit focuses as an attention grabber for the general around a scrap of the famous “Kaiser public to look further into the digital Wilson” banner which the author uses to archive provided. Tis exhibit provides frame the information that she provides much of the same information that the on the picketing itself. In the exhibit, previously discussed sources do, stating the author emphasizes the history of that “newspapers across the country the “Kaiser Wilson” banner specifcally, reported on the pickets, arrests, and providing information on the frst use jailed sufragists” and that the sufragists of the banner and providing details continued to picket the White House of the day on which it “was seized by during World War I despite the public’s District of Columbia police. It remained disapproval.46 Tis exhibit serves mostly in their possession for 25 years, until as a gateway into further research for the department gifted it to the National those whose interest may be sparked Woman’s Party Headquarters.”44 Te by the brief background that the exhibit exhibit provides basic background itself provides.47 information that is consistent with Te fnal type of historical the information found in the primary source which I will examine is the flm, sources already discussed. Another Iron Jawed Angels. As stated during my exhibit which focuses on the picketing earlier section on the 1913 sufrage campaign is the “National Women’s parade in Washington D.C., Iron Jawed Party and Militant Methods” online Angels serves to entertain its audience exhibit from the National Women’s and create a narrative rather than History Museum.45 Tis exhibit is not provide accurate historical details. centered around a single historical However, as stated previously, this artifact as the Smithsonian exhibit source does succeed in engaging a wider is, rather it is a brief background of audience in the material which includes the “militant methods” used by the an often overlooked character within NWP which provides a gateway to an the women’s sufrage movement, Alice

43 Bethanee Bemis, “A Scrap of Sufrage History,” Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 13 Aug. 2016 Accessed 13 Dec. 2018, http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/scrap-suf- frage-history. 44 Ibid. 45 Allison Lange, “National Woman’s Party and Militant Methods,” National Women’s History Museum, Accessed 13 Dec. 2018, http://www.crusadeforthevote.org/nwp-militant/. 46 Ibid. 47 When it comes to museums and archives, the materials contained within usually do not serve any purpose besides to inform a curious general public and to provide a starting point for possible future research. As such the information contained within does not usually carry its own bias besides that which may be associated with the primary sources that the exhibit contains. 31 Augsburg Honors Review

Paul, and because of this, and because historical works are.48 of its use as a starting point for further research, I have included it in this Conclusion discussion. Te flm accurately depicts the shock and confusion of the general Te above paper hoped public at the spectacle of the “silent to provide the beginnings of an sentinels,” a point which Lunardini also understanding of the various discusses in her chapter on the picketing challenges that are faced when trying campaign. Te flm, however, places to understand a movement that still people at the White House gates who directly afects about half of the U.S. were not necessarily always picketing or population. Although the sufrage picketing at the same time such as Alice movement itself occured one hundred Paul, Lucy Burns, and Doris Stevens. years ago, the efects that those women Tis is most likely due to the fact that a had on our democracy are still seen flm such as Iron Jawed Angels’ main goal today in the right of any woman over is to create the best narrative for the the age of 18 to vote. Te charge of the audience, a goal which often leads to the historian is to make sense of the past distortion of historical fact. Te flm also so that we can understand how we accurately depicts President Wilson’s came to the world we currently live in. early disinterest in the campaign, as As the above discourse has made clear, discussed in several of the newspaper there are many considerations to make articles and museum exhibits. However, when doing historical research. Each the flm has Wilson walking by the source presents a unique challenge in “sentinels” in this scene, despite the determining validity and biases before fact that each of the newspaper articles it can reasonably be used to make which discuss Wilson’s early reactions any sort of comment on a historical to the “sentinels” explicitly state that event, movement, group, or person. It he drove past them each day. Again, is also important to consider our own this is most likely a product of the flm’s biases which we bring to the reading goal of narrative-building. Despite of a particular source that may afect the drawbacks of the flm’s historical the way in which we understand the inaccuracy as a product of its quest material as it is presented to us.49 As for entertaining exposition, it is able such it is important that we review to accurately depict the sentiments a wide variety of sources in order to surrounding the campaign in a way that hope to gain a more complete picture is easy to understand as a viewer, and of history. Historians are presented it is often more clear in its depiction the unique challenge of making sense of the emotions of the picketing than of people and events which we cannot the primary sources or professional speak to directly or we have not

48 Iron Jawed Angels, directed by Katja von Garnier (2004; HBO Films), DVD. 49 Admittedly I am not perfect in this sense any more so than a professional historian writing a monograph would be, and I am sure that a future reader analyzing this paper could easily fnd my own bias throughout it. 32 Demery Little experienced for ourselves. In this way to historical events and people, but this we rely on our sources to place us in only creates muddled understandings the minds of the people we are studying and prevents us from being able to and the eras and events through which fully apply historical knowledge to our those people lived. It is an easy mistake current everyday lives. for the historian to make to apply their own opinions or modern sensibilities Bibliography

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