In 1920, women in the United States were guaranteed the right to vote by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. This research guide identifies sources in Archives and Special Collections to understand work Mount Holyoke students did towards making woman’s suffrage possible. Questions? Email archives@mtholyoke.edu or call 413-538-3079.
Mount Holyoke College. Student Activities and Customs Collection.
Student Life Subject Files: Political Activity Concerning Suffrage, 1895-
Materials consist of copies of articles from The Mount Holyoke monthly magazine describing suffrage-related activities at the College; copies of newspaper articles about suffrage; a program for a debate at the College about suffrage, and items from “Suffrage Day” at Mount Holyoke in 1915, including a broadside listing “Twelve Reasons Why Women Should Vote.” Most materials date from 1895-1915. Also includes later articles about woman’s suffrage.
Photographs in the Political Activities file include many images reflecting political activities and opinions of Mount Holyoke students from about 1904 to the present.
2 folders (0.17 linear ft.); RG 25.1, LD 7095.2 Archives.
National College Equal Suffrage League (Mount Holyoke College Chapter) Records, 1912-1919.
Consist of the constitution of the organization and copies of articles and other information from various College publications concerning the League.
RG 25.3, LD 7095.2 Archives.
Bridges, Jeannette Bickford. Papers, 1914-1986.
Includes a composition (November 13, 1914) written for an English class as a student at Mount Holyoke concerning “Reasons for the Opposition of the Further Extension of the Suffrage.”
1 box (0.42 linear ft.).
MS 0801, LD 7096.6 1918 Bickford Archives.
Calder, Matilda S. Correspondence, 1892-1896.
Letters by a member of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1896 which include comments about woman’s suffrage.
1 box (0.42 linear ft.); RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 1896 Calder Archives.
Hubbard, Hortense G. Correspondence, 1913-1919.
Letters by a member of the Mount Holyoke College Class of 1917 which contain discussions of her view of woman’s suffrage.
RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 1917 Hubbard Archives.
King. Helen W. Letter, April 18, 1909.
Member of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1909 tells her mother about an informal Debating Society debate about woman’s suffrage.
Autograph letter signed, 7 pp.; RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 1909 King Archives.
Leonard, Anna R. Composition, October 26, 1867.
Composition by a member of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1869 describing an anti-woman’s suffrage lecture in South Hadley.
Manuscript, 5 pp.; RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 1869 Leonard Archives.
Packard, Edith M. Letter, October 27, 1895.
Member of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1897 discusses students’ reactions to “a test vote in Massachusetts as to whether women want the ballot for municipal affairs.”
Autograph letter signed, 11 pp.; RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 x1897 Packard Archives.
Powers, Adra C. Student paper, February 17, 1918.
Discussion of reasons why women should be given suffrage, written by a member of the Mount Holyoke Class of 1921 for an English class. With her bibliography of sources, May 20, 1918.
Manuscripts, 2 items; RG 27.1, LD 7096.6 1921 Powers Archives.
(In addition, two of Powers' sources include The Ladies' Battle and The Unrest of Women that are housed in the Rare Book Collection and are likely the copies used by Powers to write her argument in 1918. Thanks to Kira Arnott, Class of 2016, for this discovery.)
Talcott, Mary Dudley Vaill. The Hartford diaries of Mary Dudley Vaill Talcott, 1896-1919. Avon, Conn.: [s.n.], 1990.
Talcott was actively involved in anti-woman’s suffrage activities.
LD 7096.6 1903 Allen Archives.
The Anti-Suffragist. Albany, NY [1908-1912]
Issued by the New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.
JF 847 A5 v.3 no.4-5, Special Collections.
Blackwell, Alice Stone. A bubble pricked: a reply to “The case against woman suffrage." Boston, MA: The Woman’s Journal, 1916.
JK 1901 B7 1916, Special Collections.
Brown, Henry Billings. Woman suffrage; a paper read by ex-Justice Brown of the Supreme Court of the United States before the Ladies' Congressional Club of Washington D.C., April 1910. Boston, MA: The Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women, [1910].
JF 853 B8 1910, Special Collections.
Bushnell, Horace. Women's suffrage: the reform against nature. New York: C. Scribner, 1869.
JF 853 B9 1869, Special Collections.
Carver, Thomas Nixon. Woman suffrage from a neutral point of view.Boston, MA: A.T. Bliss, [1918].
JK 1901 C4 1918, Special Collections.
Catt, Carrie Chapman. Why the federal amendment? New York: National Woman Suffrage Pub. Co. 1917.
JK 1901 C297, 1917.
Crosby, John F. The advisability of inserting the word sex before the word race in the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Washington, DC: Georgetown University, 1910.
JK 1889 C8 1910, Special Collections.
Foxcroft, Frank. The check to woman suffrage in the United States. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Assn. Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women, [1905].
JF 853 F7 1905, Special Collections.
Hazard, Alida Blake. How women can best serve the state : an address before the State Federation of Women's Clubs, Troy, October 30, 1907. New York: New York State Assn. Opposed to Woman Suffrage, [1907].
JF 853 H4 1907, Special Collections.
Hooker, Isabella Beecher. A mother's letters to a daughter on woman suffrage. Hartford, CT: Press of Case, Lockwood & Brainard, 1870.
JK 1901 T7 no.2, Special Collections.
Johnson, Helen Kendrick. Woman's progress versus woman suffrage. New York: New York State Assn. Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women, [1900].
JF 853 J64, Special Collections.
McVickar, Robert, Mrs. What is an anti-suffragist? New York: New York Assn. Opposed to Woman Suffrage, [1910]
JF 853 M38 1910, Special Collections.
National American Woman Suffrage Association. Woman suffrage, arguments and results. New York: The Association, 1911(?).
JK 1896 N36 Miniature, Special Collections.
National American Woman Suffrage Association. Woman suffrage, arguments and results. A collection of eight popular booklets covering together practically the entire field of suffrage claims and evidence.New York: The Association, 1911?
Contents: J. Addams. Why women should vote. -- Objections answered. Why should women vote? -- F.M. Bjorkman. Where women vote. -- C.C. Catt. Do you know? -- J.L. Williams. A common-sense view of woman suffrage. -- F.M. Bjorkman. Why women want to vote. -- G. Creel and B.B. Lindsey. Measuring up equal suffrage. Eminent opinions on women suffrage.
JK 1896 N37 Miniature, Special Collections.
National Woman's Rights Convention (1853: Cleveland, Ohio). Proceedings of the National Woman's Rights Convention: held in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, October 5th, 6th, and 7th, 1853, phonographically reported by T.C. Leland.Cleveland, Ohio: Gray, Beardsley, Spear, 1854
HQ 1403 N39 1853, Special Collections.
Pamphlets and leaflets relating to suffrage for women in the United States. [1884-1911?]
Presents arguments in favor of and opposed to suffrage for women at municipal, state and national level. Most items issued by one of two organizations: The National American Woman Suffrage Association; or, The Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women. Includes inventory of titles.
Contents: Presents arguments in favor of and opposed to suffrage for women at municipal, state and national level. Most items issued by one of two organizations: The National American Woman Suffrage Association; or, The Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women.
JK 1901 P37, Folio Special Collections.
Parkman, Francis, 1823-1893. Some of the reasons against woman suffrage. Boston, Mass.: issued by the Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women, [191-?]
JK 853.P34 1910z, Special Collections.
Political equality leaflets: published monthly / by the National American Woman Suffrage Association. [Ohio], [between 1900 and 1910] (Youngstown, Ohio: Allied Printing)
JK1901 .P6 Miniature, Special Collections.
Political equality series. Warren, Ohio : National American Woman Suffrage Association, [1904-1908]
Note: Each issue has a distinctive title. Issues cover woman's suffrage in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Typewritten index accompanies issues
JK 1880 P7, Special Collections.
Remonstrance against woman suffrage. Boston, Mass : Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women, 1914-1920
Periodical, Special Collections.
Russell, Charles Edward, 1860-1941. Obstructions in the way to justice. Warren, Ohio : National American Woman Suffrage Association,[1908?].
JK1905 .R9, Special Collections.
Stimson, Henry A. Is woman suffrage an enlightened and justifiable policy for the State? [Brooklyn, N.Y.] : Brooklyn Auxiliary, New York State Assn. Opposed to Woman Suffrage, [189-?]
JF 853 S7, Special Collections.
Stone, Lucy. Documents pertaining to the status of women in 1892. 1890-1892.
Contents: Some things the Massachusetts legislature of 1889 and '90 did for men, who have votes, contrasted with that it did for women, who have no votes / Lucy Stone (1890) -- Fair play for women / George William Curtis (1892) -- The woman's journal (Nov. 5, 1892)
Summary Documents pertaining to the status of women in 1892 selected by Lucy Stone and given to Mount Holyoke Seminary and College on the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone for Shattuck Hall. In addition to these publications, the time capsule placed in the cornerstone included a copy of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican for June 24, 1887, and several publications from the College.
HQ 1236.5 U6 D73 1890z x-Folio, Special Collections.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Hearing on House joint resolution 68 ... : before the Committee on the Judiciary, February 15, 1898, House of Representatives. [Washington, D.C.?] : [S.n.], [1898]
Contents: School suffrage and other limited suffragists in the United States / Ellen H.E. Price -- Municipal suffrage in Kansas /J.W. Gleed -- Woman suffrage in Wyoming / Joseph M. Carey -- Woman suffrage in Colorado / Martha A. Bushnell Conine -- Woman suffrage in Utah / Martha Hughes Cannon -- Woman suffrage in Idaho / William Balderston -- Woman suffrage in foreign countries / Helen Blackburn -- The indifference of women /Alice Stone Blackwell.
JK1888 .U6 1898, Special Collections.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Woman Suffrage. Hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Woman Suffrage: held in the marble room of the United States Senate on the 13th day of February, 1900, at 10 o'clock a.m. [Washington, 1900]
45 p. ; 23 cm.
Note: First speaker was Susan B. Anthony.
JK1888 .U7 1900, Special Collections.
Votes for women. New York City: Nat'l Woman Suffrage Publishing Co., [1916?]
Contents: The next president -- True democracy -- Votes for women a success -- Who represents her?
JK1901 .V7 1916 pt.1-4, Special Collections.
Why women do not want the ballot, n.p., 1884-1903
Contents: Preamble and protest, Brooklyn Auxiliary of the New York State Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. -- Woman's protest to United States Senate against woman suffrage [1886] -- The woman movement in America, Caroline F. Corbin [1901] -- Of what benefit to woman, Mary A.J. M'Intire [From Boston Sunday herald, 1894] -- Why I am opposed to woman suffrage, Jeanette L. Gilder [From Harper's bazaar, 1894] -- The new woman and the late president of Williams, Charles C. Nott [1895] -- Arguments for woman suffrage considered, A New York lawyer [1897] -- Woman suffrage in Wyoming, Caroline F. Corbin [1898] -- Noblesse oblige, Mary A. Jordan [1901] -- Objections to license suffrage, Frank Foxcroft [1898] -- Woman as a municipal factor, Priscilla Leonard ]1900] -- Woman's assumption of sex superiority, Annie Nathan Meyer.
JF 853 W32, Special Collections.
Woman suffrage tracts. 1900?-1908?]
Contents: Objections answered / Alice Stone Blackwell -- Ruling at second hand / T.W. Higginson -- The Bible for woman suffrage / J.W. Bashford -- The division of labor / Alice Stone Blackwell -- Do you know? / Carrie Chapman Catt -- Roosevelt for equal rights /Theodore Roosevelt -- Persuasion or responsibility? / Florence Kelley -- Dr. Thomas on woman's ballot / M. Carey Thomas -- Miss Woolley on woman's ballot / Mary E. Woolley -- Mrs. Livermore on suffrage / Mary A. Livermore -- The wooing of theelectors / Henry B. Blackwell -- Woman in the state / George F. Hoar -- Why women should vote / Alice Stone Blackwell -- A reasonable reform / Ralph Waldo Emerson. Progress of equal suffrage / Alice Stone Blackwell --The M.A.O.F.E.S.W. / Alice Stone Blackwell -- Fruits of equal suffrage -- Judge Lindsey on suffrage / Ben B. Lindsey -- Mrs, Decker on equal suffrage / Sarah Platt Decker -- The ballot and the schools / Helen L. Grenfell -- When gamblers "pray" and mothers "demand" -- Kate E. N. Feltham -- More testimony from Colorado / Harry E. Kelly -- Miss McCracken on Colorado / Alice Stone Blackwell -- Woman suffrage and prosperity / Gail Laughlin -- Equal suffrage in Australia / Lady Holder -- Mayors of five states / Catherine Waugh McCulloch.
JK1901 .W6 1900z Miniature, Special Collections.