Why speak out in the face of insurmountable challenges?

“ “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ”

BY: JACQUELINE QIU, WINTER 2021 COLLABORATOR AT POWER AND PLACE

Speaking out against the injustices of the world is an example of high moral integrity in a human being. For these women who advocated for the suffragette cause, in the 19th & 20th centuries, their status, credibility, and words would be questioned in their contemporary society. However, the potential of being ostracized by societal institutions did not stop them from speaking our from structural inequities. These women did not let their voices be silenced in the welfare of female generations in the past, present, and future.

““As much as white women need the ballot, colored women need it more.”
(Closing remarks at the 1873 Convention of the American Woman Suffrage Association in New York) ”

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

- Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911), an African American writer, poet, and suffragette who popularized gender and racial equality through her poetry, short stories, and widely circulated writings.

““Peaceful revolutions are slow but sure. It takes time to leaven a great unwieldy mass like this nation with the leavening ideas of justice and liberty, but evolution is all the more certain in its results because it is so slow.” ”

Susette La Flesche Tibbles (“Bright Eyes”) circa 1880s. Courtesy of the Nebraska State Historical Society.

- Susette La Flesche Tibbles (“Bright Eyes”) (1854-1903), a Native American activist and suffragette who represented Native American rights against U.S. Federal Policy and viewed women’s suffrage as a conjoint end.

““When the ballot is put into the hands of the American woman, the world is going to get a correct estimate of the Negro woman. It will find her a tower of strength of which poets have never sung, orators have never spoken, and scholars have never written.””

Nannie Helen Burroughs.

- Nannie Helen Burroughs (1879-1961), an African American suffragette who established the Women’s Convention, as a church branch of the National Baptists Convention, that was the largest body of African American women in the U.S. and opened the National Training School of Women and Girls for poor, working class African American women.

““Educate a woman and you educate a family.””

Jovita Idár (middle) in the print shop of El Progreso, 1914.

- Jovita Idár (1885-1946), a Latina journalist, suffragist, and activist who advocated for the plight of Mexican Americans in Texas as well as the socio-political equality of Mexican American women in obtaining the right to vote.

““We are justified in believing that the success of this movement for equality of the sexes means more progress toward equality of the races.””

Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin

- Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin (1842-1924) a prominent African American journalist and suffragette who formed the Massachusetts Suffrage Association in 1875 and urged black women to participate in politics through her writings in her own newsletter, The Women’s Era.

“If white American women, with all their natural and acquired advantages, need the ballot, that right protective of all other rights; if Anglo Saxons have been helped by it … how much more do Black Americans, male and female, need the strong defense of a vote to help secure them their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?” ”

Adella Hunt Logan, 1902.

- Adella Hunt Logan (1863-1915), a professor at Tuskegee Institute, which was headed by Booker T. Washington, and major contributor to the philosophy of the black women’s suffrage movement by combining white suffrage rationale with the necessity of obtaining the right to vote for black women.

References: 

1. Wicker, Jewel. “16 Best Quotes About Women of Color Deserving the Right to Vote.” Teen Vogue. 2020. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/best-quotes-women-right-to-vote 

2. Gomez, Skylar. “12 African American Suffragists who shouldn’t be overlooked.” Literary Ladies Guide. 2019. https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/other-rad-voices/12-african-american-suffragists/  

Jacqueline Qiu is a junior at Middlebury College, double majoring in French and Political Science. She is passionate about humanitarianism, women in politics, mental health awareness and advocacy, and French language and literature. On campus, she is the Co-President of the French club and Active Minds Middlebury.

The First Woman's Rights Convention

Advertisement for the Woman’s Rights Convention of 1848 (courtesy of the National Parks Service)

BY: CECELIA KAUFMANN, WINTER 2021 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

“We are assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed – to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love; laws test against such unjust laws as these that we are assembled today, and to have them, if possible, forever erased from our statute-books, deeming them as a shame and a disgrace to a Christian republic in the nineteenth century...”

- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Seneca Falls, 1848

---

On a balmy day in July, July 19th to be exact, the First Woman's Rights Convention kicked off in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. This event, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott, attracted 300 people, mostly women to a convention that would go down in history as the catalyst for the woman’s suffrage movement. Stanton’s call to action was titled the Declaration of Sentiments derived heavily from the Declaration of Independence. She said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.” 

Lesser-known is the details of the conception of this conference. In 1840, both Stanton and Mott were barred from the convention floor at the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. Though they were both well-known abolitionist of their time, the men of the convention did not see it fitting for women to be on the floor and involved in discussions. Angered by this, they both decided that they would create a convention, for women, by women on their own. This led to the conception of the First Woman’s Right Convention and the subsequent framework for the woman’s rights movement for decades. 

The first day of the convention, only women were allowed to attend and the few men who were allowed in were asked to be quiet while the events unfolded. Stanton began reading the Declaration of Sentiments and one by one, each paragraph was edited and the women in attendance decided they would vote the following day with men in attendance. Most of the resolutions passed unanimously, including men not withholding women’s rights, or taking her property, but a numbered few dissented on the idea of women being allowed to vote, including Lucretia Mott. In the end, the Declaration of Sentiments was adopted unanimously on July 20th. 

Although a momentous event in the history of women’s suffrage, there are some notable groups and issues not discussed. For one, there is no mention of enslaved women (or men) as well as indigenous women (or men). Furthermore, many of the sentiments come from an extremely elitist perspective, which wasn’t uncommon for many woman’s suffrage texts at this time. Many press and religious groups spoke out against the convention because many of the sentiments criticize the church and even the notion of giving women the right to vote in the 1840s seemed unreasonable and unlikely. This notion challenged the perceptions of women and the framework of American society at this time.

On the other hand, Frederick Douglass, world-renowned abolitionists and supporter of woman’s suffrage was in attendance and spoke at the convention. In his newspaper, The North Star, "[T]here can be no reason in the world for denying to woman the exercise of the elective franchise...." The notion of woman’s equality and suffrage was almost unheard of at this point in history but the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 sparked the fire for decades of a never-ending fight for women’s equality and laid the groundwork for feminist movements to come. 

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

References:

1 Kelly, Martin. “Seneca Falls Convention.” Thought Co., 2020. https://www.thoughtco.com/seneca-falls-convention-105508

2 History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, Women in Congress, 1917–2006. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2007. “The Women’s Rights Movement, 1848–1917,” https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Continued-Challenges/

Chinese suffragette women: A personal return to my Chinese identity

Photo of Mabel Ping Hua-Lee, courtesy of the New York Tribune.

BY: JACQUELINE QIU, WINTER 2021 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

Power in Place, through its digital Time capsule, is highlighting women of color who have played a prominent role in the American suffragist movement. My research highlights the important work of suffragette women of color, who have often been overlooked in history. Furthermore, their racial identity connects with my own personal identity as a Chinese-American female. Suffragette women of color, some with the same Chinese heritage as I, fought for socio-political equality in American society. In distinct stages, I reflect on the potency of this research in uncovering certain areas of history, as well as my personal impact of learning that these important suffragettes, especially those of Chinese descent, were prominent women of color.

12/14/2020: 

Today I am starting my research on women of color who have contributed to the suffrage movement in the United States. It is interesting that in the last month of the centennial of the year where women actualized their right to vote, I have started this project. Especially as America itself is battling COVID-19 and trying to heal from structural racism. Yet, I am beginning my research with the genuine intention of connecting my personal identity with this project that Power in Place has begun with the digital Time Capsule. 

I have two Chinese immigrant parents, who have tried their utmost to instill in myself a sense of pride of my cultural heritage. My mother speaks to me in Chinese, and I have spent many summers deep in the rice terraces of southern China. Yet, I have vehemently tried to deny this part of myself, as it seemed my New Jersey roots have taken precedence over this part of personal identity. I fail to speak Chinese on a regular basis, and have replaced my passion for my cultural heritage with my academic pursuit of French. However, this part of myself has not disappeared, but rather remains in an embedded complex personal identity that I embody. Sometimes, I take pride in my Chinese heritage, but more often than not, I feel shame and embarrassment as I stumble in my Chinese vocabulary or stay silent as I hear microaggressions directed at me. Each day, I try to reconcile the two distinct cultural identities I have within myself in a society that deems whiteness as the standard. Even as I write, I feel a weight in my heart as I ponder my racial and cultural identity. As a result, I am intrigued at what personal connections I will find in my quest to highlight suffragettes of color There seems to be a natural connection between me, a woman of color interested in politics, and the work done by these women in the past. I am very hopeful and grateful for the opportunity to connect my personal heritage with women that have never been mentioned in my experiences, academic or personal.  

History, as it is known, has its hidden voices and the undertones of the women’s suffrage movement is not any different. I am looking forward to a sort of “decolonization” and de-centering of the white perspective in the American suffrage movement. It is not fair to “whitewash” this critical achievement in electoral politics and feminist history, as many figures, especially women of color, have contributed to this incredible movement. To do so perpetuates white cultural hegemony and systemic racism, which in turns manifests itself in heart-breaking moments such as the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Let’s celebrate all women, in the context of the transformative, and eye-opening, year of 2020. Women, especially women of color, have hope; as young girls with skin like mine see the potential for them to become Vice President (like Kamala Harris), engineers, lawyers, or epidemiologists, an optimistic future for them remains. As a result, I see a present where deconstructing the hidden inequities of history is pertinent to the next generations of innovators and activists. I hope to discover women who inspire me, and others, with their past creativity, innovation, and change. 

12/16/2020:

Jovita Idár with colleagues in 1914 in the newsroom of El Progreso in Laredo, TX. Her journalistic efforts advocated for women’s suffrage, especially that of Mexican American women.

After researching women of color who contributed to the suffrage movement during 1910-1920, I am so glad that I took on this project. Perhaps it is due to a lack of education about the general suffrage movement as a whole, or the prevalence of being only taught about white women within the suffrage movement, but I have learned so much in the past 2 days in my research. It was astounding to see the amount of women of color involved in this movement for suffrage; however, it was additionally extraordinary that those women were also pioneers in their own respective pursuits. For example, Verina Morton Jones, as a black woman, was the first woman to pass the Mississippi medical board exam and practice in the state while the journalistic work of Jovita Idár inspired the advocacy of suffrage for Mexican American women and the general future of Mexican Americans in America. These women, were simultaneously lawyers, journalists, church leaders, and doctors as well as active suffragists. Their efforts exemplify the concrete testament of the power of women and their incredible capacity for accomplishments that are historically (and presently) only allocated to men. Each woman was able to combine their hope for suffrage with ends that were interconnected to political equality, either racial justice, social justice, or education.

In my opinion, the conjoint ends of racial and social justice, as well as socio-political equality, with women’s suffrage makes the movement for suffrage a potent force for societal change. When many of the main suffragettes in this movement are women of color, their activism is intersectional with their unique identities. This synthesis of each woman's identity with their activism indicates the importance of highlighting their work, instead of letting history conceal their merited achievements. Highlighting two specific suffragettes of color is especially important to me, due to my personal connection with them. As a Chinese American, I did not expect to find any suffragettes who were also of Asian descent. However, the exemplary efforts of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee (1897-1966) and Tye Leung Schuzle (1887-1972) have impacted the manner I see my Chinese heritage. These women, who resemble myself, did not let their racial identity diminish the potency of their political activism.

Mabel Ping Hua-Lee married her activism for female suffrage with the concurrent advocacy for the rights of Chinese Americans in a society that is openly discriminatory against them, vis-à-vis the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. As the first Chinese woman in the U.S. to earn a Ph.d degree from Columbia University, Hua-Lee sought to bring her Chinese perspective to her assertion that women must have equal rights in the political sphere. In fact, in 1912, she met white suffrage leaders, like Anna Howard Shaw and Harriet Ludlow, in New York City, to speak about the enfranchisement of women (on a provincial) level in China and its application to the state of female voting rights in America. She was asked to participate, and help organize, the women’s suffrage parade in 1913; it is clear that as she marched in that parade, there was a distinct Asian-American voice in the suffragist movement. In reason of her intersectional, Chinese identity, Hua-Lee often wrote to China, with her involvement in Chinese Students Monthly, while providing valuable contributions to asserting women’s rights in the United States.

Tye Leung Schulze, Courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library.

Likewise, Tye Leung Schuzle also had an active role in the suffrage movement as an activist of Chinese descent. In 1910, she became the first Chinese-American woman to work for the federal government as an interpreter for detained Chinese immigrants at the Angel Island Immigration Center in San Francisco, CA. She became a model of what women’s suffrage movement could manifest, on the national level, as she became the first Chinese American Woman to cast a ballot in the U.S. election after women were enfranchised in California in 1912. Additionally, Schuzle’s work in her early career as an interpreter in the Pystebreterian Mission House was directed at helping vulnerable Chinese women against sex trafficking. Her entire life was aimed towards asserting the intersectional rights that are marginalized in terms of gender and race, as she worked to ensure the sociopolitical equality of Chinese American women in the U.S. Her role in the suffrage movement, like Mabel Ping Hua-Lee, demonstrates how the prominence of Chinese suffragists are often overlooked in history.

As a result of researching these suffragettes of color, I have formed a personal connection with these extraordinary women. Especially in reference to Mabel Ping Hua-Lee and Tye Leung Schuzle, I feel more pride in my identity as a Chinese-American woman. It was surprising, but refreshing, to learn about the active roles that Chinese women had in the suffrage movement. It certainly assures me on a deeper level, that I, as a Chinese American woman, unequivocally belong in this country. It is possible for a Chinese American woman to affect political and societal change, which is what I hope to do in my future. These women have inspired me to consider my Chinese, female identity as a force for overarching social change. 

 Furthermore, I have learned that an intersectionality of gender and race is a strength that augments the potency of one’s cause (in this case, female suffrage), instead of a detriment. While this intersectionality indicates the various ways that one’s identity can be oppressed, more distinct methods that one can push back against those instances of marginalization appear. Especially on an institutional level, the recognition and utilization of an intersectional identity can work to eradicate structural issues, like the existence of white cultural hegemony in the stories we tell. Recognizing female voices of color allows for a more comprehensive examination and understanding of history. Such as in the movement of women’s suffrage, especially in the years of 1910-1920, uncovering the achievements of women of color in contributing to the actualization of their right to vote is a valuable addition to society. Now, we do not conceal these previously hidden voices and actions, thus elevating their importance  in the grand narratives of history. In the year 2020, the centennial of realizing a woman’s right to vote, it is essential to give enough the merited credit to these incredible women. 

References: 

1. Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Mabel Ping Hua-Lee.” National Women’s History Museum. 2020. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mabel-ping-hua-lee.

2. “Tye Leung Schulze.” U.S. National Park Service. 2020. https://www.nps.gov/people/tye-leung-schulze.htm 

3. Mayo, Edith. “African American Women Leaders in the Suffrage Movement.” Suffragist Memorial. 2020. https://suffragistmemorial.org/african-american-women-leaders-in-the-suffrage-movement/

4. “Women of Color and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage.” California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. 2020. https://women.ca.gov/women-of-color-and-the-fight-for-womens-suffrage/

Jacqueline Qiu is a junior at Middlebury College, double majoring in French and Political Science. She is passionate about humanitarianism, women in politics, mental health awareness and advocacy, and French language and literature. On campus, she is the Co-President of the French club and Active Minds Middlebury.

1910-1920: A Formative Decade for Women of Color in the American Suffragist Movement

BY: JACQUELINE QIU, WINTER 2021 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

The movement for women’s suffrage, which culminated in the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, has yielded many influential figures. While prominent women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony often take center stage, there are many influential figures that have been relegated to the hidden corners of history. Such is the case of suffragette women of color: in the decade before the realization of women’s suffrage, from 1910-1920, suffragette women of color greatly contributed to this cause without widespread recognition. Fortunately, efforts are now being made to highlight their impact on the success to the suffrage movement.  From 1910-1920, it is evident that women of color have historically dedicated their lives to political egalitarianism within their right to vote. 

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Gallery, 1898.

Zit Kala-Sa (1876-1938), born of Yankton Sioux ancestry, was a prolific writer and activist that sought to expand opportunities, like suffrage, for Native Americans and promote their cultural equality within the dominance of American federal policy. The Native American culture as a source of pride, instead of devalorisation. In 1916, she became the secretary of the Society of the American Indians and  liaison with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As the first all American Indian organization, it promoted the  political, socioeconomic, and cultural equality of American Indians. With her dedication to women’s suffrage, she joined the General Foundation of Women’s Clubs as a distinct Native American voice. Furthermore, she eventually became the founder, as well as the President, of the National Council of American Indians in 1926 that united many Indian tribes under the cause of achieving full citizenship through suffrage. Her persistence is exemplified in her commitment to social justice, from women’s suffrage to citizenship to equal education and health care. Zit Kala-Sa embodied the value of the Native American perspective for the fight for women’s suffrage and Native American rights.

Verina Morton Jones (1865-1943) is a vanguard for women in racial justice, suffrage, and medical science. She was the first woman to pass the Mississippi medical board exam, becoming the first woman to be licensed to practice medicine in that state. Additionally, after she moved from Mississippi to New York, she was the first black woman to practice medicine in Nassau County, NY. With her eventual move to Brooklyn, NY, she became president of the Equal Suffrage League, championing the importance of a woman having the right to vote as analogous to her belief in the role of women (especially of color) in medical science. These beliefs were subsequently reflected in her role of director of mother’s clubs in the National Association of Colored Women and leader of the Association for the Protection of Colored Women. The establishment of Lincoln Settlement House, which offered childcare and health services, in 1908 reflected her commitment to helping women in all spheres of life. Jones’ appointment to the Board of Directors of NAACP in 1913 provided a powerful opportunity to advance racial and sociopolitical equity of women of color in society. As a suffragette woman of color, Jones used her high status in medicine to wield immense influence for female equality. 

Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Likewise, Nannee Helen Burroughs (1879-1961) advanced the cause of women’s suffrage through her elevated status as a black church leader and educator. As the founder of the Women’s Convention, a branch of the National Baptists Convention, she grew this women’s organization into the largest body of African American women in the United States from 1900-1947. Therefore, she exerted a powerful impact on the future of women’s suffrage, with the structural support of the Women’s Convention helping her use church as a vehical of advocacy. The Women’s Convention worked with the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) to ensure the racial and gender justice, emphasizing the cause of suffrage.  She also promoted the education of poor African American women, with the establishment of the National Training School of Women that was popular in the first  half of the twentieth century. She also wrote in support of women’s suffrage in Crisis Magazine. Burroughs became an important advocate for women’s suffrage with her tremendous accomplishments within the educational and religious spheres for black women. 

Portrait of Ida B. Wells Burnett.

Ida B. Wells Barnett (1862-1931) was a significant figure, as a dual advocate for racial justice and women’s suffrage. While living in Memphis, TN, she led anti-lynching movements in the press as a noteworthy journalist and newspaper editor. This fervor for eradicating racial violence continued as she wrote for the Chicago Conservator and published The Red Record to highlight activism for anti-lynching. While in Chicago, her activism for gender equality and women’s suffrage grew; in fact, in 1913, Barnett established the first suffrage club for black women in Illinois, the Alpha Suffrage Club for African American women. The Alpha Suffrage Club published newsletters advocating for female suffrage, educated black women in civics, and promoting the merited racial and political equality of women. In addition, Barnett marched in the 1913 suffrage parade in Washington, D.C., with white suffragists to emphasize the universality of women’s suffrage. Furthermore, she co-founded the National Association of Colored Women in 1896 and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909. This dedication to eradicate racial prejudice and violence and advance the cause of African American women, elevated Barnett to a very prominent role in American society.

1911 Photo of Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin, from her personnel file.

Marie Louise Battineau Baldwin (1863-1952), as a Northern Dakota Turtle Mountain Chippewa, advocated for Native American rights, as well women’s political equality. Augmented by her educational success, as she became the first woman of color to graduate from Washington’s College of Law in 1914, she was a key spokesperson for Native American women and suffrage. In fact, since 1911, she was a prominent suffragette of color, as she met with women across the country and testified before Congress, who married the ends of the suffrage movement with those of the Society of American Indians. She participated in the 1913 suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. that was organized by Alicia Paul, marching with other female lawyers who believed in suffrage. Furthermore, Baldwin was part of the key suffragettes who met with President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 to advocate for the women’s right to vote. As defender of both Native American and women’s rights, Balwin demonstrated the relevance of the Native American voice in achieving socio-political equality for marginalized groups.

Maria de Guadalupe Evangelina López de Lauther was a prominent suffrage activist in the state of California. Her former experience teaching English as a second language at Los Angeles High School and fluency in Spanish allowed her to become a prominent figure in the CA suffrage movement in 1911. From the 1910s, she traveled around the state, speaking about women’s suffrage in both Spanish and English, organizing rallies, and acting as a translator for Spanish speaking citizens. In fact, it is assumed that she is the first figure in the state of CA to speak about women’s suffrage in Spanish. Her influence in this regional suffrage movement culminated in her appointment to be a representative for California suffragists in the 1913 women’s suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. Lopez de Lauther manifested great impact in helping California affirm the right for women to vote in 1912, before the greater national ratification of female suffrage in 1920. Her role as a Latina woman created real opportunities to appeal to an electorate that often only spoke Spanish, and embodied the powerful impact of suffragette women of color.

Idár in 1905.

Jovita Idár (1885-1946) was a Latina journalist, activist, and suffragist who promoted the rights of Mexican Americans in Texas, especially Mexican American women. With her family, she organized the First Mexican Congress in 1911, which sought to support the ongoing revolution in Mexico by unifying those across the border in the U.S. with this cause. The First Mexican Congress worked in conjunction with Idár’s mission to eradicate racial prejudice against Mexican Americans in TX, which have previously yielded noteworthy violence, such as lynching. Furthemore, she was the founder and the first president of La Liga Femenil Mexicanista (League of Mexican Women) that was aimed towards asserting the egalitarianism of Mexican women in the socio-political and cultural terms of American society. At the forefront of her advocacy was women’s suffrage; in fact, she wrote in her family’s newspaper, La Crónica, about the necessity of the right to vote for women. The enfranchisement of women was supported and bolstered by Idár, especially after she took over La Crónica in 1914. Idár’s engagement with eradicating racial injustice against Mexican Americans and the political rights of (Mexican American) women allowed her to become an important suffragette of color. 

These women of color did not permit their race to hinder their passion, commitment, and activism for the suffragette cause. In fact, the color of their skin acted as an effective vehicle for social change, as the ends of sociopolitical equality and racial justice were intertwined. Race, as well as gender, amplified the impact that these women made on the future of suffrage. In the centennial of the 19th amendment in 2020, it is more necessary than ever to honor the contributions of these suffragettes of color. 

References:

1. Mayo, Edith. “African American Women Leaders in the Suffrage Movement.” Suffragist Memorial. 2020. https://suffragistmemorial.org/african-american-women-leaders-in-the-suffrage-movement/

2. “Women of Color and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage.” California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. 2020. https://women.ca.gov/women-of-color-and-the-fight-for-womens-suffrage/

3. “Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin” National Park Service. 2020. https://www.nps.gov/people/marie-louise-bottineau-baldwin.htm

4. “Zitkala-Ša (Red Bird / Gertrude Simmons Bonnin).” National Park Service. 2020. https://www.nps.gov/people/zitkala-sa.htm

Jacqueline Qiu is a junior at Middlebury College, double majoring in French and Political Science. She is passionate about humanitarianism, women in politics, mental health awareness and advocacy, and French language and literature. On campus, she is the Co-President of the French club and Active Minds Middlebury.

The Voices of Our Past Influence Our Future

Library of Congress circa 1905

BY: CECELIA KAUFMANN, FALL 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

Through our Time Capsule project, Power in Place has been working to highlight not just women of color in positions of power in the present and future, but also women of color from the past. These are the women who have paved the way for women now, the women who have fought for their seat at the table, for the rights of not just women, but for all, and inspired all of us to continue to press on, no matter what it takes. Instead of using my words to describe these women of color and their profound effects on history, let’s take a look at their words, philosophies, and see what we can learn from their fight as we continue our own. Here I will highlight five of the many women who we featured in our Time Capsule. Their words are important, must be heard, and cannot be forgotten.

Library of Congress, circa 1880

Hallie Quinn Brown (1849-1949):

“It is the cultivation of our own natures that is aimed at and not the imitation of the nature of another. The powers of our own mind are to be drawn out” - Hallie Quinn Brown (n.d).

“Said a Spartan father to his son who complained that his sword was too short — ‘And step to it!’ Women, step forward! Grasp your opportunity, grapple at short range and the victory is yours.” - Hallie Quinn Brown (Our Women: Past, Present, and Future, 1925).

Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin (1863-1952):

Library of Congress, 1914

“The trouble in this Indian question which I meet again and again is that it is not the Indian who needs to be educated so constantly up to the white man, but that the white man needs to be educated to the Indian.” - Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin in “Indian Women the First Suffragists and Used Recall, Chippewa Avers,” (Washington Times, August 3, 1914).

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911):

“One hundred years ago and Africa was the privileged hunting-ground of Europe and America, and the flag of different nations hung a sign of death on the coasts of Congo and Guinea, and for years unbroken silence had hung around the horrors of the African slave-trade.” - France Ellen Watkins Harper An Address Delivered at the Centennial Anniversary of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, Philadelphia (April 14, 1875).

Library of Congress, 1898

“We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members without receiving the curse in its own soul…You white women speak here of rights. I speak of wrongs. I, as a colored woman, have had in this country an education which has made me feel as if I were in the situation of Ishmael, my hand against every man, and every man’s hand against me…While there exists this brutal element in society which tramples upon the feeble and treads down the weak, I tell you that if there is any class of people who need to be lifted out of their airy nothings and selfishness, it is the white women of America.” - Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (from a speech at the National Women’s Rights Convention, 1866).

Mabel Lee (1897-1966):

Library of Congress, n.d.

“[True feminism] is nothing more than the extension of democracy or social justice and equality of opportunities to women” Mabel Lee (1913). 

“The welfare of China and possibly its very existence as an independent nation depend on rendering tardy justice to its womankind. For no nation can ever make real and lasting progress in civilization unless its women are following close to its men if not actually abreast with them” - Mabel Lee (China’s Submerged Half, 1915).

“We believe in the idea of democracy; woman suffrage or the feminist movement is the application of democracy to women. ... The fundamental principle of democracy is equality of opportunity ... It means an equal chance for each man to show what his merits are. ... the feminists want nothing more than the equality of opportunity for women to prove their merits and what they are best suited to do"- Mabel Lee (The Meaning of Woman Suffrage, n.d.)

Sofia Reyes de Veyra  (1876-1953):

Library of Congress, 1921

“At the Pan Am Conference of Women in Baltimore to which she was a delegate, she emphasized the Filipino wife’s role as equal partner: “No man transacts business in the Philippines without consulting his wife and every day he hands over his earnings to her and she gives him an allowance”- Sophia Reyes de Veyra (Pan Am Conference speaking on the Filipino wife’s role as an equal partner).

““In life, woman is man's partner, sharing with him the joys and sorrows, helping him to solve life's problems. Why can she not also take part in shaping the destiny of the nation?”- Sofia Reyes de Veyra (First Independence Congress, 1930). 

I leave you with this, the words of our past have profound effects on our future. Whether we wish it or not, we are immensely intertwined with our history. We must listen to these words, take note of the struggles of the past, and fight for our future, because our generation, and later generations depend on us. 

A Woman's Voice

Photograph from TradeGecko. Edited by Macey Strause.

BY: AMANDA F. ROBLES LÓPEZ, FALL 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

On March 16 of 2017, I received the incredible opportunity to attend an extraordinary session at the Senate of Puerto Rico and converse with the Senator of my district. This event took place as part of the Girl Scout initiative “Legislator for a Day.” At seventeen years old, my curiosity was at the highest it has ever been. I could not comprehend how my peers discussed subjects such as “what is your favorite sport?” when they had the leaders of our country inches away. The protocol stated that Girl Scouts should sit alongside the Senator’s chair and wait for her or his arrival; however, I could not wait. Whereas the rest of my peers patiently waited for their Senators, I decided to go and speak with as many legislative assistants as I could find. 

I wanted to learn about the parties that represented Puerto Rico; my questions ranged from “what is your party’s position on the ongoing protests?” to “what does your party stand for?” When Senator Dalmau arrived, I had already discussed with a representative of each party in Puerto Rico. Moreover, Senator Dalmau found this amusing and exhorted me to speak with his colleague, Senator Bhatia, about any topic of interest. 

Before this experience, I was uncertain about a career path in politics but after hearing what was being discussed, everything changed. During the session, some members of the majority party at that time expressed statements that completely disregarded the minority social groups of the island. As I heard the remarks, I could not believe how some leaders of Puerto Rico favored one particular population over another. Moreover, I could not simply sit back and not share my opinions on the matter. Therefore, as I heard the statements, I expressed my concerns to Senator Dalmau and Senator Bhatia. Following my remarks, Senator Dalmau did something that changed my life forever; he requested speaking time and upon receiving it, instructed me to “take the floor.”

At seventeen years old, I spoke up in front of a room of Senators about my opinions on the subjects being discussed. I expressed my concerns about their views on criminality, education, and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. At that moment I realized that my voice truly mattered, the voice of women mattered. I decided to pursue a career in politics to ensure that the following generations of leaders formulated policies to represent the interests of all Puerto Ricans, and not just of a particular group. 

I am here today, as a proud Latina, reminding you that a woman’s voice is crucial in the politics of any nation. Before my experience in the Senate, I had never considered the impact that my voice could have on policy. Moreover, although I was aware that those politicians had the power to approve laws, I recognized that I had the power to influence the colleagues and fellow Senators who were present that day. 

I am and will be forever grateful for the opportunity that Senator Dalmau granted me that day; he contributed not only to the choice of study that I am currently pursuing today but to the discovery of what impact my voice could create. 

For this reason, I invite all of you to speak up on any matter that is important to you because you never know the change you will create. 

Your voice matters!

7 Women of Color Running for Office This Year

by Pallavi Goel

There is an unprecedented number of women of color running for state government in this year’s general election. In this article, 7 WOC who won their primaries are highlighted. These women are from all over the country and hold very progressive views and plans for many of the issues raised, including education, healthcare, and environmental policies.

Mauree Turner (D)

Running for: State House OK-88

Race/ Ethnicity: Describes herself as a “Black Muslim-American Queer Womxn”

Platform includes:

• Healthcare: Funding for mental health treatment, drug treatment, fighting for reproductive healthcare, decreasing mortality rates in mothers of color, fixing opioid epidemic

• Education: Higher wages for teachers and teacher aids, greater funding for public schools

• Economy: Raising minimum wage in OK to a living wage

• Justice Reform: end of prison-industrial complex, , criminal justice reform

• Community organizing: building bridges between different communities in OK so that community solidarity can result

Other Facts: If elected, she will be the first Muslim person in OK’s state legislature

Hiral Tipirneni (D)

Running for: AZ-6

Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Indian

Platform includes: 

• Healthcare: Expansion and protection of Medicare, strengthen and expand ACA, investment in Federally Qualified Health Centers, protect right to abortion

• Education: Loan forgiveness programs, increasing of public school teacher salaries, greater Title I funding for public schools.

• Environment: Investment in solar energy

• Economy: Protection of taxpayer dollars from governmental misspending

• Gun Safety: Mandatory background checks and gun safety training for gun purchases,

• Seniors: Protection of Social Security and Medicare

• Housing: Affordable housing,

• Police Reform: Community policing, better police training

• Other: net neutrality, protection of DACA

Other Facts: Doctor in Phoenix, Arizona

Ayanna PreSsley (D)

Running for: MA-7 (D), incumbent

Race/Ethnicity: African-American

Platform Includes:

• Healthcare: Medicare for All

• Education: Support for public school students, affordable higher education, dismantling of school-to-incarceration pipeline

• Environment: Green New Deal

• Economy: Increasing of minimum wage to $15/hr, worker protections

• Women/LGBTQ+/Marginalized Groups: Title IX protections, maternal mortality during childbirth, protect right to abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, dealing with systemic causes of trauma, greater protections for immigrant communities

• Housing/ Infrastructure: increasing mass transit walking and biking infrastructure, affordable housing

Other Facts: First woman of color elected to Boston City Council, has a cat named Sojourner Truth, one of the first women of color elected to Congress in New England

Sharice Davids (D)

Running for: KS-3, Incumbent

Race/ Ethnicity: Native American, Ho-Chunk Nation

Platform includes:

• Healthcare: protection and expansion of ACA, lowering cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, more mental health treatment

• Environment: investment in wind energy in KS

• Education: decreasing cost of student loans

• Economy: creation of economic opportunities for Native people living on reservations, supporting veterans in getting jobs and creating businesses, funding for female run small businesses, raising minimum wage

• Veterans: addressing vet suicide and homelessness crises

• Voting: protection and expansion of voter rights

Other Facts: 1 of 2 Native women elected to Congress EVER, Cornell Law Alum

Elizabeth Hernandez (D)

Running for: TX-8 

Race/ Ethnicity: Latina

Platform includes:

·      Healthcare: expansion and simplification of Medicare, greater insurance coverage for mental health treatment

·      Environment: Green New Deal 

·      Education: more funding and support for public schools, expansion of FMLA

·      Economy: Increasing taxes for the wealthy, tax cuts for middle and working classes 

·      Infrastructure: improving roads and bridges in the district

·      Civil Rights: Strengthen and expand EEOC, Equal Pay Act, Fair Labor Standards Act

Other Facts: Worked in Accounting for 20 years

Pramila Jayapal (D)

Running for: WA-7, Incumbent

Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Indian 

Platform includes:

·      Healthcare: Medicare for All, raising minimum wage, working against voter suppression and disenfranchisement, strengthening Voting Rights Act 

·      Environment: Supports 100 by ’50 Act, ending fracking and deep-water drilling,

·      Education: College for All Act

·      Economy: raising worker wages, more money for Social Security and Medicare through greater taxes on the wealthy

·      Gun Safety: ban on assault weapons and tightening gun purchase regulations

·      Housing/ Infrastructure: improving transportation infrastructure 

·      Women/ LGBTQ+: equal pay for women, strengthening Violence Against Women Act, protection of Planned Parenthood, strengthening protections for LGBTQ+ people against discrimination

·      Veterans: increasing services for veterans

·      Other Reform: immigration reform, education reform, campaign finance transparency and regulation 

Other Facts: BA in English & Economics from Georgetown, MBA from Northwestern

Grace Meng (D)

Running for: NY-6 (Queens), Incumbent

Race/ Ethnicity: Asian-American, Taiwanese

Platform includes:

·      Healthcare: Protection of reproductive and women’s health care, Medicare for All

·      Environment: Green New Deal, protection of EPA and its policies, decreasing hate crimes against Jewish people, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants and POC

·      Education: Greater federal student aid, accessibility of FAFSA applications to non-English speaking families

·      Economy: Increase worker protections and unions, increase minimum wage to $15/hour

·      Gun Safety: Increase government oversight and background checks for gun sales 

·      Housing/ Infrastructure: New Deal for New Americans Act, affordable & safe housing, ending homelessness and housing insecurity

·      Veterans: Veteran housing and education benefits, addressing vet opioid crisis

·      Seniors: Fighting against phone scams that target senior citizens, Medicare and Social Security protection

Other Facts: Did undergrad at UMichigan, JD from Cardozo School of Law

Dr. Susan Buchanan

SUSAN BUCHANAN, VILLAGE TRUSTEE FOR OAK PARK, ILLINOIS

Photo provided by Susan Buchanan

Interviewed by: Molly Conover, Summer Collaborator

Susan Buchanan is a Clinical Associate Professor and a family and occupational medicine physician at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has dedicated her career to caring for vulnerable populations and investigating workplace and environmental hazards. Her research focuses on these hazards and their impacts on women’s reproductive health and the health of minority, low-income, and immigrant workers. She proudly uses her decades of medical experience to guide and inform her work as a village trustee in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, where she is committed to promoting sustainable practices and racial and gender equity in her community. Her place of special meaning is anywhere where she can find a quiet, peaceful moment in the outdoors-- these days, her backyard.

Dr. Buchanan has been a feminist and an activist since her early days. Her first political acts included breaking her school's “no pants for girls” dress code in third grade, and teaching a black co-worker how to swim at the all-white country club where she worked the summer before starting college.

Though Dr. Buchanan has been fighting for a more just world her entire life, the 2016 election served as an awakening, both to the profound and plentiful injustices in this nation, and to her power to do something about them. After listening to two particularly inspiring speeches, she saw no option but to take matters into her own hands and run for office herself.

Unable to bear the thought of letting Obama --and her community, down-- she decided to run for village trustee. Finding campaign help in books, friends, and community groups, she got to work. Dr. Buchanan was one of 13 people running for 3 open seats. After a long, hard, and cold campaign, she came out on top-- and the hard work had only just begun. 

Her trusteeship has been primarily dedicated to addressing two issues: racial equity and the environment. A recent national TV series highlighted in the prevalence of racial discrimination in Oak Park schools, so her community and fellow trustees share this priority. Her desire to promote renewable energy and install solar panels on all flat-roofed government buildings, however, has not been met with the same response. Though she feels that much of the Oak Park community considers this an urgent issue, she is the lone, urgent voice on the village board constantly pushing for their community to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.

Dr. Buchanan knew she wanted to center her trusteeship around race and the environment, two issues she has spent decades thinking about as a physician and a citizen. She is not afraid to admit that there are also many issues that she is not an expert on; and, as she learned in her career in medicine, faking it isn’t an option. When she doesn’t have the information she needs to take a stance or make a decision, rather than pretending, she asks for help. 

One of the barriers Buchanan was most surprised and frustrated by during her first year in office was the complexity of what she considered to be a relatively small town’s government. Oak Park operates under a village manager structure meaning that she and her fellow board members do not have the power to set meeting agendas or discuss specific policy issues unless they are on that agenda. Dr. Buchanan considers one of her biggest successes as a trustee to be the forming of a climate action plan working group, which she initiated and saw through. This, something she was ready to do on her first day in office, was something she was only able to accomplish after learning the ins and outs of the governance structure she must work within.

When asked what message she had to share with young women, Dr. Buchanan remembered some empowering words that her father spoke to her when she was a young woman. She echoed his statement: “you can be anything you want to be,” and hoped that her words would inspire young women to use their power and lead us into a more equitable future.

Marla Farbacher

** Marla is not currently an elected official. She is running for political office. Marla’s current position is Chief Counsel for the Grand Jury Division of Franklin County, OH. **

INTERVIEWED BY HALEY GLOVER

Photographed by Victoria Vongsaphay

MARLA FARBACHER, CANDIDATE FOR MADISON COUNTY (OH) PROSECUTOR

Place of Special Meaning: My children both attended West Jefferson Schools… We have a lot of community involvement and ties to the high school. More specifically, this will be my tenth season as the volunteer West Jefferson High School mock trial legal advisor…. Mock trial is how I’ve most consistently served my community. West Jefferson is a very athletic-minded community, like many rural communities, where football is the “end all be all.” We felt that it was important to have an option for students who weren’t interested in sports and to provide an opportunity to expand their experience while they’re still in high school.

“I think we need to relabel politics and have things be more about getting to the right place and not having it be so divisive ”

How She Defines Herself: I would define myself as a prosecutor. I think it’s unfortunate that in Ohio the prosecuting attorney position for county office, as well as for city prosecutors, is a political position and an elected position… A prosecutor’s job is to seek justice and party politics shouldn’t have anything to do with that. Beyond being a prosecutor, I would define myself as a community member, mother, wife, friend, and neighbor, but prosecuting attorney is probably my most exact title.

“It is rewarding to serve your community in a way that fits your skill set.”

Strength of Underestimation: Last year’s mock trial team was an all girls’ team. One nice thing about having a team of all young women… I felt they were underestimated because they were women. We would go to a competition and some older male judge would say “Oh, we have an all girls’ team!” Okay. But, as a result of that, I found that people really underestimated them…I think young women are underestimated. I had that same experience when I was a young attorney as well… The girls would go in knowing they were being underestimated and then do so incredibly well…I think because people underestimate [women], it gives you a secret weapon.

We Cannot Stand Alone

By Hakima SmithStone

As a black woman who attends a PWI (predominantly white institution) I have found that the smallest things I do, the things I say and the things I wear, can and usually are interpreted as political acts. If I choose to wear my hair naturally in an afro people assume I’m trying to make a statement, if I say anything in a class where I’m the only non-white person it is taken politically no matter what I say, and the kinds of clothes I wear are also assumed to be some kind of statement. As black people traversing white spaces, which are almost everywhere, our bodies are literally taken as sights of political warfare. We are forced into roles we may not want. We are forced into political acts even when we are tired and simply trying to be students or just young people. I have been forced to speak on behalf of all black people, I have had to assume leadership roles even when I didn’t want to and I’ve had to call people out because no one else would.

I have witnessed the exact opposite to be true when it comes to my white counterparts and friends. This fact isn’t new and it is very easy to see, my white friends are taken as individuals who represent themselves, their own aesthetic and personality. They don’t represent the group or a political stance. White people for the most part simply get to be themselves in the way they choose to be. Of course everything black people do is inherently political in this country because everything is racialized and everything works differently for us. But shouldn’t white people assume the role of those charged with dismantling this racialized country? White people need to understand everything they do is political as well, and ask themselves what is it they do that might be racist. White people; this means thinking before you speak, no matter who you are around and especially when only white people are around. This means speaking about race everyday, to friends, family, at school and in the work place. This means thinking about your actions as a white person in every way no matter how minute, especially keeping in mind the people you surround yourself with. White people should always assume what they are doing and saying is political and maybe even racist. For example, only having white friends and never speaking about race unless you’r posting on instagram, or letting a relative say or do something racist without repercussion or even the classes you’re taking. It is time for white people to stop casually causing violence because they assume they aren’t apart of the problem or conversation, when in fact white people are the majority and they are the ones benefiting from this system. White people should always be talking and thinking about being white, because racism is a white problem and a white creation that they need to take part in dismantling. The political climate we are in right now is because of white people and that means all white people. Voting in this upcoming election and posting about black lives matter is not enough, it is time for white people to take charge and to take responsibility for where we are as a country. Being liberal and not “problematic” is not enough. Living as a white person is a political act and some would argue it is a violent act. All white people need to acknowledge this and live by this because no president or political leader is enough. It’s time white people actively push themselves and other white people to live politically so that BIPOC don’t have to do all of the work. We are tired of surviving in this country alone, fighting everyday gets tiring especially when we receive no recognition and no help. I push all white people to understand and embrace living politically, and to do it whole heartedly all of the time no matter where you are.

Art by Hakima SmithStone