Woman Suffrage

Photographs of members of Woman Suffrage Association activities in Connecticut and elsewhere, at formal and informal meetings, parades, and other events. In most cases, the verso of each image identifies the event and often the participants.

Finding Aid to State Archives Record Group 005, Records of the Office of the Governor

Box 276: Subject Correspondence. Folder 118: Correspondence from representatives of various states, organizations, and individuals to Governor Marcus H. Holcomb trying to convince him to hold or not hold a special session of the legislature in order to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote

Correspondence between Governor Holcomb and Will H. Hayes, Chairman of the Republican National Committee regarding Connecticut holding a special legislative session to ratify the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution giving women the right to vote

Box 53: Bills and resolutions considered, passed and rejected by the General Assembly during two special sessions held in September, 1920 concerning the proposed amendment.

Archives Finding Aid

Bills and resolutions considered, passed and rejected by the General Assembly during two special sessions in September, 1920. The 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote had been ratified by 35 of the 36 states needed when Washington voted in favor March 22, 1920. Connecticut was on the list of "hopeful" states to be the 36th. On August 26, Tennessee voted in favor but with a margin of one vote. Governor Holcomb, concerned for the validity of the 1920 presidential election, called for the September 14 session specifically to set up the legal mechanism for women to register to vote. The General Assembly went beyond the call and the Governor's wishes and passed a bill ratifying the 19th amendment. The Governor feared that because the session on the 14th had not been called specifically for ratification, there could be a court challenge as to the legality of the General Assembly’s vote. Holcomb called for a second Special Session for the purpose of ratification. The legislature met on September 21st and ratified the bill twice more.

Selected items from the organizational records of the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association (CWSA), which was organized at a meeting in Roberts’ Opera House, Hartford, October 28-29, 1869. The Association carried on a spirited and energetic campaign to obtain the vote for women, first in school and local elections and then on a state and national level, working in collaboration with many other equal rights, equal franchise, and constitutional union groups. After achieving its primary aim with the ratification by Connecticut of the 19th Amendment on September 14, 1920, the Association voted to dissolve on June 3, 1921. The collection includes records of meetings, membership and attendance registers, correspondence, reports, publications, photographs, newspaper clippings and political and legislative campaign materials.

Archives Finding Aid

Oversize items, some of which had been matted for exhibition and never returned to their respective locations. Includes a photographs of the interior of the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association headquarters on Pratt Street in Hartford, printed broadsides or fliers explaining why women needed the right to vote and others fighting against the re-election of Frank Brandegee. Of particular interest are a series of editorial cartoons in pen and ink drawn by an artist with the last name Beck in 1920.

Connecticut Digital Archives (CTDA) items. Only a portion is online.

Archives Finding Aid: "The records were arranged into five series which document the organization and activities of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. The series include Minutes, Administrative Records, Correspondence, Press Files, Scrapbooks, and Notebooks."

The Connecticut League of Women Voters (CLWV) was founded at New Haven, Connecticut on January 18, 1921 as the successor to the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association (CWSA) after the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution giving women the right to vote. The non-partisan league was organized to educate newly enfranchised women voters and use the voting power of its members to press for legislative reforms. The league spent its first sixteen years advocating for the rights of women to serve on a jury in Connecticut. The records consist of minutes, administrative records, correspondence, press files, scrapbooks, and notebooks. The records are arranged into five groups which document the organization and activities of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut including minutes, administrative records, correspondence, press files, scrapbooks, and notebooks."

The Hartford Equal Franchise League advertises a presentation at Parson's Theater by the famous British suffragist, Mrs. Pankhurst.