Women's Suffrage - Tumblr Posts
Contrary to popular belief, feminists have always had a sharp sense of humor.
Song of the day
(do you want the history of your favorite folk song? dm me or submit an ask, and I'll do a full rundown like here)
"Bread and Roses"
Judy Collins, 1976
since its labor day i thought we could talk about some good ol' IWW labor history
in 1911, Helen Todd gave a speech about women's suffrage and ended it
"Not at once; but woman is the mothering element in the world and her vote will go toward helping forward the time when life's Bread, which is home, shelter and security, and the Roses of life, music, education, nature and books, shall be the heritage of every child that is born in the country, in the government of which she has a voice."
James Oppenheim, inspired by this speech, created the poem "Bread and Roses" in 1911, whose words would later become the lyrics for the judy collins song.
in 1912, 30,000 immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, went on strike due to poor working conditions and poor pay. this strike was led by the International Workers of the World and was comprised mostly of women. the phrase "bread and roses" was all over signs and became the slogan of the strike, with it even being called the "Bread and Roses Strike". like many strikes in the USA it was absolutely brutal for the strikers, and several people died, but they were able to win some of their demands.
in 1970, the James Oppenheim poem was put to music by mimi fariña, and then covered by judy collins. my favorite cover is by Utah Phillips in 1983 , where he explains the history of the textile strike and the meaning of the slogan
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses 🌹
Thought I’d share the link to my first ever published article because I’m over the moon about it ✨ 🤓
“These cuts disproportionately affect women of colour. Of the 32 services for women affected by domestic violence that have been closed since 2010, they were all specialist services which helped LGBQ and BAME women.”
“It’s timely because the cast of the film is entirely white and they are running with this slogan, ‘I’d rather be a rebel than a slave’ which implies passivity or acceptance of being a slave. But it also ignores the fact that women of colour were completely involved in the suffragette struggle. This film isn’t representing them.”
As mentioned on 60 Minutes last night, we are thrilled to announce that the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, will go on permanent display at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
Beginning in March 2026, visitors will have the unique opportunity to see this groundbreaking legislation alongside some of the most important documents in American history—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Emancipation Proclamation.
The 19th Amendment represents a pivotal moment in our nation's history, as it removed voting restrictions for more than half of Americans and was the result of over eight decades of tireless advocacy by the women’s suffrage movement. This addition to the display marks an effort to present a fuller story of America’s journey toward equality and democracy. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the progress we’ve made and the work that continues as we move toward a more perfect union, just in time to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan shared her excitement: "I am thrilled we are adding these documents as we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America. I look forward to welcoming all Americans to experience first-hand this engaging history on display.”
Learn more about this momentous announcement in this National Archives press release: https://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2024/nr24-40
📸: Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, June 4, 1919 (cropped). https://catalog.archives.gov/id/596314
