Alice Paul

Alice Paul cph.3a38295

Alice Paul (January 11, 1885 – July 9, 1977) was an American suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist. She was one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits sex discrimination in the right to vote. Paul initiated, and along with Lucy Burns and others, strategized events such as the Woman Suffrage Procession and the Silent Sentinels, which were pivotal in the successful campaign for women's suffrage.

Early Life and Education

Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. She was raised in a Quaker family, which greatly influenced her views on gender equality and social justice. Paul attended Swarthmore College, where she earned a degree in biology in 1905. She later pursued graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a master's degree in sociology in 1907 and a Ph.D. in economics in 1912.

Activism in the United Kingdom

Paul's activism was significantly shaped by her time in the United Kingdom, where she joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. During her time with the WSPU, Paul participated in various militant actions, including demonstrations and hunger strikes, which led to her imprisonment on multiple occasions.

National Woman's Party

Upon returning to the United States, Paul joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) but soon found its tactics too conservative. In 1913, she co-founded the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, which later became the National Woman's Party (NWP). The NWP adopted more radical tactics, including picketing the White House and organizing large-scale demonstrations.

Nineteenth Amendment

Paul's efforts were instrumental in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. The amendment granted women the right to vote, marking a significant victory for the women's suffrage movement in the United States.

Equal Rights Amendment

After the success of the Nineteenth Amendment, Paul continued to fight for women's rights. She authored the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1923, which aimed to eliminate legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. Although the ERA has not been ratified, it remains a significant part of the women's rights movement.

Later Life and Legacy

Paul continued her activism throughout her life, advocating for women's rights on both national and international stages. She played a key role in the inclusion of gender equality language in the United Nations Charter and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Alice Paul died on July 9, 1977, in Moorestown, New Jersey.

See Also

• Women's suffrage in the United States
• Lucy Burns
• Emmeline Pankhurst
• National Woman's Party
• Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
• Equal Rights Amendment