The National American Woman Suffrage Association

The women of NAWSA

The National American Woman Suffrage Association, also known as NAWSA, is a combination of two different women's rights organizations that were merged into one group in the year 1890. The two groups that created the National American Woman Suffrage Association were the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. These groups were both independent for about twenty-one years until they decided to combine into one group. The point of the group was to get enough support and show people and Congress that women should have the right to vote. Some of the first leaders of NAWSA included Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucy Stone.

In 1900 until 1904, NAWSA created the society plan which was a plan that allowed the group to recruit college-educated, privileged, and political members and was also created to widen its efforts to expand education for women. From 1886 to 1910 they did not have very much success, but most of the initial work to create the group was finished. In 1910, Alice Paul decides to step away from the group and create her own called the National Woman’s Party. Even though it had been a tough couple of years NAWSA still had hope for what they could do for the women of the country.

After Paul left the group, the members of the group decided to create the “Winning Plan” which they hoped would give people the encouragement they needed to keep fighting for their rights. The organization was led by Carrie Chapman Catt to push for full woman suffrage. In the end, they convinced President Woodrow Wilson to support what would eventually become the Nineteenth Amendment. The amendment was ratified by thirty-six states and Congress in 1919 and 1920. The Nineteenth Amendment was officially added to the United States Constitution on August 26 of 1920. This was the end of a seventy-two year struggle for women in the United States. The National American Woman Suffrage Association played a big part in getting the Nineteenth Amendment added to the Constitution, along with bringing many women together in the process.

Important Women of NAWSA Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15 of 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts. She was an American writer, lecturer and abolitionist who also played a very bid part in the women's voting rights movement. Anthony started out her career as a teacher and later became one of the founders and a well known leader of The National American Woman Suffrage Association. Before starting NAWSA, Anthony became close friends with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was also involved in NAWSA. Susan B. Anthony was a very strong leader that helped a lot of people.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born on November 12 of 1815, in Johnstown, New York. She was an abolitionist and was also a very important person in the woman's rights movement. She was also a writer and her Declaration of Sentiments was a very important part of the women's rights movement in general. Stanton also became the president of the National Woman Suffrage Association for about 20 years and she worked very closely with Susan B. Anthony and they became very good friends.

Lucy Stone

Lucy Stone was born in Massachusetts on August 13 of 1818. She spent her whole life working on the women's right movement and she helped tremendously. Stone was a part of a couple different women's rights groups, including The Women's National Loyal League, American Equal Rights Association, and The National American Suffrage Association. Along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone was a president of NAWSA. Stone died thirty years before women were allowed to vote, but she was a big help in getting the women that far.