By Shravani Venkatesh 2025/2026 Power in Place Research Collaborator, 2025/2026 Power in Place Research Collaborator
Beatrice Sumner Thompson, born on May 4th, 1874, in Boston, Massachusetts, was an American suffragist and activist. Thompson was born to James Beverly Beauregard Thompson and Medora Dora Gertrude Reed Thompson, marrying Samuel William Thompson in August of 1900 and settling in Chicago right after. Thompson was a civil rights activist of mixed-race descent, predominantly known for her leadership in the Los Angeles branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). As the executive secretary of the NAACP's Los Angeles chapter from 1917 onward, she conducted investigations into racial violence and injustices, including events dispatched by the organization to document discrimination against African Americans. Her activism extended to women's suffrage rights, aligning her with broader campaigns for voting rights among Black women. Thompson's activism sets a strong example for the advocacy work that the youth can continue today. Not only did Thompson actively fight for women's rights, but she also was a part of multiple protests and demonstrated her passion for women's suffrage in several ways. She serves as an empowering role model, teaching women and individuals of all ages that they should fight for the causes that they believe in. By honing her work on a specific subject area, Thompson emphasizes the importance of creating a plan of action and joining leadership organizations that solidify one's interest in supporting a global issue in order to have a strong anchoring while working towards a resolution or movement.
References
“Beatrice Sumner Thompson | Alexander Street Documents,” n.d. https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1007600800. in. 2025. “Talking about Women’s History: Three Questions and an Answer with Jennifer Tuttle – History in the Margins.” Historyinthemargins.com. March 19, 2025. https://www.historyinthemargins.com/2025/03/19/talking-about-womens-history-three-questions-and-an-answer-with-jennifer-tuttle/. “African Americans-Suffrage Archives - Theodore Roosevelt Center.” 2025. Theodore Roosevelt Center. 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/subject/african-americans-suffrage/.\
Shravani Venkatesh is a sophomore majoring in political science and global studies and minoring in music. She is passionate about international and family law as well as advocacy, spending her time as a JusticeCorps legal intern and as the Membership Chair of the United Nations Association at UCLA. Outside of academics, she is a part of an a capella group and loves to binge watch shows.