American Experience (1988–…): Season 7, Episode 7 - One Woman, One Vote - full transcript

X

Narrator:
1913... WASHINGTON HAD NEVER
SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT...

8,000 WOMEN,
FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

FLOODING
DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

DEMANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

"IT IS ABSURD,"
SAID ONE DELEGATE

"HALF THE CITIZENS IN AMERICA
KEEPING THE OTHER HALF

FROM THE BALLOT."

Women's chorus:
♪ WE SHALL STRIVE
AND WE SHALL CONQUER ♪

♪ HARD THOUGH THE FIGHT MAY BE ♪

♪ AND WITH HEARTS
NE'ER WEAK OR WEARY ♪



Sarandon:
LEADING THE PARADE,
A LAWYER NAMED INEZ MILHOLLAND. ♪

THREE YEARS LATER,
SHE'D DIE OF EXHAUSTION

CAMPAIGNING FOR THE CAUSE.

ONE DELEGATION,
DRESSED AS PILGRIMS

HAD MARCHED 400 MILES
FROM NEW YORK CITY

LED BY GENERAL ROSALIE JONES.

♪ WE ARE MARCHING ON
TO VICTORY ♪

♪ COMING IN OUR MIGHT,
FOR OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT ♪

♪ WE ARE MARCHING FOR... ♪

Sarandon:
THE REACTION
FROM THE CROWD WAS MIXED.

SOME MEN JEERED.

ONE YELLED,
"GO HOME TO YOUR MOTHER."

THE MARCHER YELLED BACK,
"MY MOTHER IS HERE."

Woman:
MARCH ON!



Sarandon:
WOMEN NEW TO THE BATTLE...
SOME WHO HAD FOUGHT FOR DECADES.

♪ ...ON TO VICTORY ♪

Sarandon:
BY 1913, THE MOVEMENT
HAD MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS

BUT ON THAT BLUSTERY DAY

THERE WERE FEW WHO COULD
REMEMBER HOW IT ALL BEGAN

65 YEARS BEFORE,
IN SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK.

IN 1848, THIS WAS
A PROGRESSIVE TOWN

IN THE HEART
OF THE ANTISLAVERY MOVEMENT.

BUT THE WOMEN OF SENECA FALLS
WERE AS CONFINED

AS ANY IN THE LAND:

SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS
RESTRICTED BY LAW AND CUSTOM.

Woman:
ONCE A WOMAN MARRIED

EVERYTHING THAT SHE OWNED
BECAME HER HUSBAND'S.

THEY CEASED TO EXIST LEGALLY.

WOMEN HAD NO RIGHTS
TO THEIR OWN PROPERTY.

THEY HAD NO RIGHTS
TO THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY HAD NO RIGHTS TO THE SAFETY
OF THEIR OWN BODIES.

ONE OF THE STATES UPHELD
THE RIGHT OF A HUSBAND

TO BEAT HIS WIFE, SAYING
THAT TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE

TO UPSET THE DOMESTIC HARMONY
OF THE HOME.

Sarandon:
THOSE WHO DARED SUGGEST

THAT WOMEN WERE ENTITLED
TO EQUAL RIGHTS

WERE ACCUSED OF BLASPHEMY.

IT WAS IN THIS CLIMATE

THAT THE FIRST WOMAN'S RIGHTS
MEETING WAS CALLED

AT A MODEST CHAPEL
IN SENECA FALLS.

THE LEADER, 32-YEAR-OLD
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON

DID NOT LOOK
LIKE A REVOLUTIONARY

BUT STANTON HAD BEEN
A REBEL SINCE CHILDHOOD.

A JUDGE'S DAUGHTER,
SHE HAD FOUGHT FOR AN EDUCATION

AS GOOD AS HER BROTHERS'.

NOW THE WIFE
OF A RADICAL ABOLITIONIST

STANTON WAS PUSHING THE FIGHT
BEYOND SLAVERY

TO DEMAND JUSTICE
FOR WOMEN AS WELL.

Actress as Stanton:
THE HISTORY OF MANKIND IS
A HISTORY OF REPEATED INJURIES

ON THE PART OF MAN TOWARD WOMAN,
HAVING IN DIRECT OBJECT

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
AN ABSOLUTE TYRANNY OVER HER.

Sarandon:
FOR TWO DAYS,
THE METHODIST CHAPEL RANG

WITH THE VOICES
OF 300 WOMEN AND 40 MEN

MOST OF THEM ABOLITIONISTS

ALREADY CALLING
FOR THE END OF SLAVERY.

NOW THEY RAISED SOME OF THE
MOST TROUBLING ISSUES TO WOMEN...

DIVORCE, EDUCATION,
PROPERTY RIGHTS...

PASSING ONE RESOLUTION
AFTER THE NEXT.

THEN, THE ASSEMBLY
WAS THROWN INTO AN UPROAR

BY STANTON'S DEMAND THAT WOMEN
BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Stanton:
FOR WHAT SHALL WE
FIRST PETITION?

FOR THE EXERCISE OF OUR RIGHT
TO THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.

NOTHING SHORT OF THIS,
THE GRANT OF THIS RIGHT

WILL SECURE ALL THE OTHERS.

Woman:
THAT WAS THE ONLY THING

THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL
AMONG THEM.

IT WAS SO RADICAL.

IT WAS SUCH A QUINTESSENTIALLY
MALE ACT, BY 1848, TO VOTE

THAT THEY REALLY HAD
TO ARGUE AMONG THEMSELVES

ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS OKAY
TO PUT THAT IN;

WHETHER THAT WOULD SINK
THE WHOLE THING.

WOMEN COULDN'T, BY LAW, VOTE

BUT BY AND LARGE, WHAT WAS
AT STAKE HERE WASN'T JUST LAW

BUT WAS A WHOLE SET OF CUSTOMS

ABOUT THE WAY THE WORLD
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE

ABOUT WHAT MEN AND WOMEN
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.

IT WAS ONLY MEN, MOSTLY WHITE
MEN, WHO HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Sarandon:
THE DEBATE OVER WOMAN SUFFRAGE
WENT ON FOR HOURS

UNTIL ABOLITIONIST FREDERICK
DOUGLASS ROSE IN SUPPORT.

Actor as Douglass:
THIS CAUSE IS NOT EXCLUSIVELY
WOMAN'S CAUSE.

IT IS THE CAUSE
OF HUMAN BROTHERHOOD

AS WELL AS HUMAN SISTERHOOD.

Sarandon:
THE SENECA FALLS DECLARATION
CALLED FOR THE VOTE

IN A TRUE DEMOCRACY, WHERE MALE
AND FEMALE, BLACK AND WHITE

WOULD STAND TOGETHER
ON EQUAL GROUND.

REACTION TO THE CONVENTION
WAS SWIFT.

ONE PAPER CALLED IT
"AN INSURRECTION"

ANOTHER, "A CONGREGATION
OF AMAZONS

BOLTING WITH A VENGEANCE."

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
WAS DELIGHTED.

Stanton:
"MY DEAR FRIENDS,
I SEE THAT ALL THE JOURNALS

"FROM MAINE TO TEXAS,
STRIVE WITH EACH OTHER

"TO SEE WHICH CAN MAKE OUR
MOVEMENT SEEM MORE RIDICULOUS.

"IMAGINE, ALL THE PUBLICITY
GIVEN TO OUR IDEAS.

"IT WILL START WOMEN THINKING,
AND MEN, TOO

"AND WHEN MEN AND WOMEN THINK

"THE FIRST STEP
IN PROGRESS IS TAKEN.

"GOOD NIGHT.

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON."

Woman:
AND I SAY TO YOU,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

WE CAN WAIT NO LONGER.

Sarandon:
THE SENECA FALLS CONVENTION
SET OFF A WAVE

OF WOMAN'S RIGHTS MEETINGS
THROUGHOUT THE 1850s.

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON WAS TORN
BETWEEN RAISING HER CHILDREN

AND RAISING A REVOLUTION.

UNABLE TO TRAVEL,
SHE MADE HER VOICE HEARD

IN ARTICLES, LETTERS,
AND AT LOCAL MEETINGS.

IT WAS FOLLOWING ONE OF THESE
ASSEMBLIES THAT SHE MET

A RESTLESS SCHOOLTEACHER
FROM ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

SUSAN B. ANTHONY.

THEY BEGAN
A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP.

STANTON SAID WHEN SHE FIRST SAW
THAT STATELY YOUNG QUAKER WOMAN

SHE KNEW THAT TOGETHER
THEY WOULD SHAKE

THE VERY FOUNDATIONS
OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

INSPIRED BY STANTON, ANTHO
DEDICATED HER LIFE TO THE CAUSE

TAKING TO THE ROAD
TO FIGHT FOR WOMAN'S RIGHTS.

Actress as Anthony:
"MY DEAR MRS. STANTON

"I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP
MY LIFE OF FREEDOM

"TO BECOME A MAN'S HOUSEKEEPER.

"IF A GIRL MARRIES POVERTY,
SHE BECOMES A DRUDGE.

"IF SHE MARRIES WEALTH,
SHE BECOMES A DOLL

"AND I WANT NONE OF EITHER.

YOURS, SUSAN B. ANTHONY."

Stanton:
"OH, SUSAN, SUSAN, I SHALL DIE
OF A HUMAN RIGHTS CONVULSION!

"HOW REBELLIOUS IT MAKES ME FEEL

"WHEN I SEE MY HUSBAND GOING
ABOUT WHERE AND HOW HE PLEASES.

"COME HERE,
AND I WILL DO WHAT I CAN

"TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR SPEECH

"IF YOU WILL HOLD THE BABY
AND MAKE THE PUDDINGS.

EVER YOURS, ELIZABETH."

Sarandon:
FOR YEARS, ANTHONY TREKKED
FROM TOWN TO TOWN

TO DELIVER HER MESSAGE.

SHE NEVER KNEW IF PEOPLE
WOULD LISTEN POLITELY

OR PELT HER
WITH ROTTEN TOMATOES.

QUIETLY, FIRMLY, SHE CALLED
FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL PEOPLE.

Anthony:
THERE IS NO TRUE FREEDOM
FOR WOMAN

WITHOUT POSSESSION
OF ALL HER RIGHTS.

WHETHER BLACK, WHITE,
MALE OR FEMALE

EVEN THE SMALLEST HUMAN RIGHT
DENIED IS LARGE.

Woman:
ANTHONY ALWAYS CARRIED

A TREMENDOUS SENSE
OF PERSONAL DIGNITY WITH HER

BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS H SENSE

OF HAVING THE RIGHTS
THAT SHE ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE.

HER MESSAGE WAS NOT COMPLICATED,
AND THAT IS

THAT WOMEN MUST HAVE
FULL RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP

AND FULL EQUALITY...
MOST BASICALLY

BE FULLY TREATED
AS HUMAN BEINGS.

Sarandon:
THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
WOULD BE A MAGNET

FOR A HANDFUL OF EXTRAORDINARILY
INDEPENDENT WOMEN.

A BOSTON ABOLITIONIST,
LUCY STONE, JOINED THE CRUSADE.

STONE HAD DEFIED CONVENTION

BY KEEPING HER OWN NAME
WHEN SHE MARRIED.

NOW A PAID ANTISLAVERY SPEAKER

SHE SPLIT HER TIME
WORKING FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

Actress as Stone:
THE WOMAN WHO DEPARTS FROM
SOCIETY'S RULES MUST SUFFER

BUT I SHALL BRAVE
RIDICULE AND PERSECUTION

FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD
THAT WILL RESULT.

Sarandon:
FOR TEN YEARS,
LEADERS OF THE WOMAN'S MOVEMENT

AND ABOLITIONISTS
ALL WORKED TOGETHER.

IN 1861, WHEN THE ISSUE OF
SLAVERY ERUPTED INTO CIVIL WAR

THESE REFORMERS SAW THE PROMISE
OF INDEPENDENCE

NOT ONLY FOR BLACK AMERICANS,
BUT FOR AMERICAN WOMEN AS WELL.

THE WOMEN WOULD PUT ASIDE
THEIR OWN DEMANDS

AND WORK FOR THE UNION CAUSE.

WITH THE WAR BEHIND THEM,
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON

WOULD RAISE THE ISSUE
OF THE VOTE ONCE AGAIN.

Stanton:
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO
RETRIEVE THE ERRORS OF THE PAST

AND MOLD A NEW DEMOCRACY.

IF OUR RULERS HAVE THE JUSTICE
TO GIVE THE BLACK MAN SUFFRAGE

SHOULD NOT WOMAN WALK IN
BY HIS SIDE?

Man:
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES
THE ESTEEMED SENATOR...

Sarandon:
SINCE THE UNDING
OF THE COUNTRY

ONLY THE STATES HAD POWER
TO DECLARE WHO COULD VOTE.

NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
WOULD MOVE TO PASS

A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
TO ENFRANCHISE BLACK MEN.

STANTON AND ANTHONY
ARGUED PASSIONATELY

FOR WOMEN TO BE INCLUDED.

BUT IN 1869, THE POLITICIANS
WANTED NO PART

OF THE STORMY ISSUE
OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

IT WAS, THEY SAID,
THE NEGRO'S HOUR.

Wagner:
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON

AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY

SAID, "WE WILL NOT PUT
ANYONE'S RIGHTS ABOVE OUR OWN.

"WE HAVE BEEN TOLD
THAT WE SHOULD WAIT

"BUT THERE IS NO TIME TO WAIT.

EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR FREEDOM
AND THEIR RIGHTS NOW."

Anthony:
I WILL CUT OFF
THIS RIGHT ARM OF MINE

BEFORE I WILL ASK FOR
THE BALLOT FOR THE NEGRO

AND NOT FOR THE WOMAN.

Sarandon:
ANTHONY AND STANTON
PUBLICLY DENOUNCED

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

THAT WOULD GIVE BLACK MEN
THE VOTE, BUT EXCLUDE WOMEN

HOLDING THEIR GROUND WHEN
LUCY STONE CONDEMNED THEM

AS "FANATICS," EVEN "RACISTS."

DEFIANTLY, THEY FOUNDED
THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION

THE NATIONAL WOMAN
SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.

LUCY STONE REMAINED LOYAL
TO THE FORMER SLAVES

AND, WITH HER
ABOLITIONIST ALLIES

SET UP A RIVAL ASSOCIATION

TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT
FOR THE WOMAN'S VOTE.

FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS

TWO COMPETING GROUPS
WOULD CARRY ON THE CAMPAIGN.

Woman:
♪ WHEN WOMEN CAST THE BALLOT,
HAVE POWERS IN THE HOME ♪

♪ AND HAVE THE RIGHT TO BALLOT,
FOR HOME AND LIBERTY ♪

♪ LET THE SUFFRAGE CAUSE
MARCH ON... ♪

Sarandon:
IN 1872, THE RADICAL WING
OF THE WOMAN'S MOVEMENT

USED THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
TO CHALLENGE THE CONSTITUTION.

Woman:
♪ ...THROUGH EVERY
SOUTHERN STATE... ♪

Sarandon:
IN DEFIANCE OF THE LAW

HUNDREDS OF WOMEN WENT
TO THE POLLS TO VOTE

ARGUING THAT
AS AMERICAN CITIZENS

IT WAS THEIR GIVEN RIGHT.

Woman:
♪ ...TILL THE SUFFRAGE
CAUSE IS WON. ♪

Anthony:
"NOVEMBER 5, 1872.

"DEAR MRS. STANTON, WELL, I HAVE
BEEN AND GONE AND DONE IT!

"POSITIVELY VOTED FOR GRANT
AND THE REPUBLICAN TICKET

"STRAIGHT THIS A.M. AT 7:00

"AND SWORE MY VOTE IN AT THAT.

"I HOPE YOU, TOO, VOTED.

YOURS, SUSAN B. ANTHONY."

Sarandon:
IN ROCHESTER, ANTHONY
HAD LED A DOZEN WOMEN

INCLUDING HER ELDERLY MOTHER
AND THREE SISTERS

TO THE POLLING PLACE
AT A LOCAL BARBERSHOP.

SHE HAD INTIMIDATED
THE YOUNG REGISTRARS

INTO LETTING THEM VOTE.

FOUR HOURS LATER

A U.S. MARSHAL CAME TO THE HOME
ANTHONY SHARED WITH HER SISTER

WITH A WARRANT FOR HER ARREST.

ANTHONY DEMANDED
TO BE HANDCUFFED

BEFORE BEING LED AWAY.

NEWSPAPERS POUNCED ON THE STORY.

"MISS ANTHONY IS A CULPRIT

WHO PRETENDS SHE IS A MARTYR."

Woman:
THE FACT THAT
ANTHONY WAS ARRESTED

WAS, AS THEY SAY, NO ACCIDENT.

SHE WAS NOTORIOUS BY THIS TIME.

AND THE FACT THAT
THIS WAS A FEDERAL CRIME

AND A U.S. MARSHAL ARRESTED HER

INDICATES THAT THERE WAS A HIGH-
LEVEL DECISION TO PROSECUTE HER

I BELIEVE WITH THE IDEA
THAT IF THEY COULD STOP ANTHONY

THEY WOULD STOP
THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT.

Man:
HEAR YE, HEAR YE...

Sarandon:
FOUR MONTHS LATER, THE NOW
INFAMOUS SUSAN B. ANTHONY

WAS TRIED BEFORE A FEDERAL JUDGE
FOR THE CRIME OF VOTING.

Man:
ALL RISE...

Barry:
AND THIS COURTROOM WAS FILLED
WITH VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE.

THIS TRIAL WAS
OF NATIONWIDE SIGNIFICANCE.

THE MEDIA WAS THERE, THE WOMEN
OF THE MOVEMENT WERE THERE

AS WELL AS THE ALL-MALE JURY,
THE JUDGE AND LAWYERS.

Man:
THE DEFENDANT, MISS
SUSAN B. ANTHONY, DID NOT...

Barry:
ANTHONY WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BE
A WITNESS IN HER OWN TRIAL.

SHE WAS,
BECAUSE SHE WAS A WOMAN

DECLARED INCOMPETENT
TO TESTIFY IN HER OWN BEHALF.

Man:
IF THE SAME ACT HAD
BEEN DONE BY HER BROTHER

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HONORABLE...

Barry:
IN THIS VERY SAME DAY
THAT THE TRIAL BEGAN

THE JUDGE TOOK FROM HIS POCKET
THE DECISION THAT HE HAD WRITTEN

WHICH HE READ TO THE COURT,
FINDING HER GUILTY OF VOTING

AND INSTRUCTED THE JURY...
THIS ALL-MALE JURY, OF COURSE...

TO FIND HER GUILTY OF VOTING.

Actor as Judge:
WAS NOT PROTECTED
IN A RIGHT TO VOTE

AND I THEREFORE DIRECT YOU
TO FIND A VERDICT OF GUILTY.

Barry:
ANTHONY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE

WAS WRITHING WITH ANGER
AND INDIGNATION.

THIS WENT FAR BEYOND
BEING DENIED THE RIGHT TO VOTE

AND BEING ARRESTED FOR VOTING.

SHE WASN'T EVEN GETTING
A FULL TRIAL.

AND THEN THE JUDGE SAYS

"DOES THE PRISONER
HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY

BEFORE SENTENCE IS PASSED?"

AND THAT OPENED THE FLOODGATES.

Anthony:
YES, YOUR HONOR!

IN YOUR ORDERED VERDICT
OF GUILTY

YOU HAVE TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT

EVERY PRINCIPLE
OF OUR GOVERNMENT.

MY NATURAL RIGHTS,
MY CIVIL RIGHTS...

Judge:
THE PRISONER WAS TRIED
ACCORDING TO ESTABLISHED LAW.

Anthony:
I HAVE BEEN TRIED
BY LAW MADE BY MEN

INTERPRETED BY MEN,
ADMINISTERED BY MEN

IN FAVOR OF MEN
AND AGAINST WOMEN.

Judge:
THE SENTENCE OF THE COURT
IS THAT YOU PAY

A FINE OF $100 AND THE COSTS
OF PROSECUTION.

Anthony:
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOR

I SHALL NEVER PAY A DOLLAR
OF YOUR UNJUST PENALTY.

RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY
IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

Sarandon:
ANTHONY WANTED TO APPEAL TO
THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

BUT WAS BLOCKED
ON A TECHNICALITY.

A YEAR LATER, THE HIGH COURT
HEARD A SIMILAR CASE.

THE JUSTICES DECLARED
UNANIMOUSLY

THAT WHILE THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
MADE WOMEN CITIZENS

ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL STATES COULD
GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Anthony:
SO NOW WE ARE FORCED TO BEG

AT THE FEET OF EACH INDIVIDUAL
MALE VOTER IN EVERY STATE.

WELL, WE MUST BUCKLE ON
OUR ARMOR AND ORGANIZE

WHEREVER THE BATTLE
FOR THE BALLOT FOR WOMAN

IS TO BE FOUGHT.

Sarandon:
OVER THE FOLLOWING YEARS

STANTON AND ANTHONY CAMPAIGNED
FROM MAINE TO CALIFORNIA

GIVING THOUSANDS OF WOMEN
THE COURAGE TO ORGANIZE.

BY 1890, THEY WERE REUNITED
WITH LUCY STONE

AND MERGED THEIR ORGANIZATIONS,
BUT AFTER 40 YEARS OF WORK

THE LEADERS COULD ONLY
POINT TO A SINGLE VICTORY.

THE WYOMING TERRITORY
HAD GRANTED ITS FEW WOMEN

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

AND HAD ENTERED THE UNION AS THE
FIRST AND ONLY SUFFRAGE STATE.

IF THERE WAS ANY HOPE AT ALL
FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE

IT SEEMED TO BE IN THE WEST.

HERE, THE IDEA THAT WOMEN
SHOULD BE DEPENDENT ON MEN

HAD GIVEN WAY TO THE REALITIES
OF FRONTIER LIFE.

BUT EVEN IN THIS SOCIETY WHERE
WOMEN HAD GREATER OPPORTUNITY

MOST MEN CONTINUED TO RESIST
GIVING WOMEN THE VOTE.

IN 1893, A PROGRESSIVE
GOVERNOR IN COLORADO

PERSUADED THE STATE LEGISLATURE

TO PUT WOMAN SUFFRAGE
ON THE BALLOT.

SELECTED TO LEAD THE CAMPAIGN
WAS AN INFLUENTIAL REPORTER

FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS,
ELLIS MEREDITH.

THROUGH HER WEEKLY COLUMN

MEREDITH COULD REACH VOTERS
ALL OVER THE STATE.

YEARS BEFORE, SHE HAD BEEN
INSPIRED BY SUSAN B. ANTHONY

DURING ONE
OF HER WESTERN SWINGS.

NOW, WITH ONLY FIVE MONTHS
TO MOUNT A CAMPAIGN

AND ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY

SHE WROTE TO ANTHONY FOR HELP.

Actress as Meredith:
"DEAR MISS ANTHONY

"PRACTICALLY SPEAKING
WE HAVE NEXT TO NO MONEY.

"YOU ASK WHAT WE WANT.

"FIRST, SPEAKERS WHO CAN
ORGANIZE AND RAISE MONEY

"AND NEXT, FLOODS OF LITERATURE.

"A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
FROM YOU WOULD GO A LONG WAY.

YOURS SINCERELY,
ELLIS MEREDITH."

Sarandon:
FOR 2½ MONTHS,
THERE WAS NO RESPONSE.

THEN, SIX WEEKS
BEFORE THE ELECTION

CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT,
A TOUGH 35-YEAR-OLD FROM IOWA

AND THE MOVEMENT'S
BEST ORGANIZER

WAS DISPATCHED TO COLORADO.

Actress as Catt:
"DEAR ELLIS MEREDITH, I WILL BE
IN DENVER SEPTEMBER 5.

"APPOINTMENTS FOR
AT LEAST TWO WEEKS

"SHOULD BE COMPLETELY
ARRANGED FOR.

"I HAVE A VOICE LIKE A FOGHORN

"AND CAN BE HEARD
IN OUT-OF-DOOR MEETINGS.

VERY TRULY,
CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT."

Sarandon:
WHEN CATT ARRIVED IN DENVER,
THE CITY WAS IN AN UPROAR.

THE PRICE OF SILVER HAD DROPPED.

THOUSANDS OF UNEMPLOYED MINERS
ROAMED THE STREETS.

CATT AND MEREDITH CAMPAIGNED
IN THE RELIEF CAMPS

HANDING OUT A SUFFRAGE LEAFLET
WITH EVERY BOWL OF SOUP.

Woman:
WHEN PEOPLE ARE ANGRY,
THEY'RE READY FOR A CHANGE

AND THE WOMEN WERE
SAVVY ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE

THAT IF THEY ORGANIZED
AND DID THEIR WORK

AMONG THE WORKING
PEOPLE ESPECIALLY

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNIONS,
THE LABOR UNIONS

AND THE CHURCH GROUPS

AND THE FARMING ORGANIZATIONS

THIS COULD ALL LEAD
TO A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT

FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE.

Sarandon:
WHILE ELLIS MEREDITH MOBILIZED
WOMEN'S GROUPS FROM DENVER

CATT SET OUT ALONE
TO REACH VOTERS

IN THE MOST REMOTE MINING TOWNS
AND FARMING COMMUNITIES.

Catt:
FINER QUALITIES OF WOMEN
ARE TO BE LOST

BECAUSE THEY STOP
AT A POLLING BOOTH...

TO THE HARD-HEADED MEN OF
COLORADO, I STATE MY PLEA:

MAKE YOUR WOMEN AS FREE AS
YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR SILVER FREE.

NEVER GIVE UP
TILL BOTH ARE FREE!

Sarandon:
ONE DAY, TO GET
TO A MEETING ON TIME

CATT ACCEPTED A RIDE DOWN A
MOUNTAIN ON A RAILROAD HANDCAR.

Catt:
I CLUNG TO THE WOODEN PLATFORM.

MY DRIVER INFORMED ME

THAT THE HANDCAR WAS LIABLE
TO JUMP THE TRACK ANY MINUTE.

SOMEHOW I ARRIVED,
HATLESS AND BREATHLESS

JUST IN TIME TO GIVE MY SPEECH.

MY DRIVER BOWED AND SAID,
"JUST REMEMBER

YOU COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN HERE
IF IT WEREN'T FOR A MAN."

Sarandon:
BY OCTOBER, MEREDITH AND CATT
HAD ORGANIZED 10,000 WOMEN.

AMONG THE MOST ACTIVE
WERE MEMBERS

OF THE WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN
TEMPERANCE UNION, THE W.C.T.U.

HORRIFIED BY THE ABUSE
THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN SUFFERED

AT THE HANDS OF DRUNKEN MEN,
THE W.C.T.U. FOUGHT FOR THE VOTE

IN ORDER TO END
THE SALE OF ALCOHOL.

"IF WOMAN HAD THE BALLOT IN
HER HANDS," ONE MEMBER WARNED

"IT WOULD NOT BE MANY YEARS

BEFORE THE MIGHTY POWER OF THE
LIQUOR INTEREST WOULD TREMBLE."

IN STATE AFTER STATE,
THE LIQUOR INTERESTS HAD BLOCKED

EVERY ATTEMPT BY THE W.C.T.U.
TO GAIN THE VOTE.

NOW, WHEN DENVER
SALOON OWNERS REALIZED

THAT WOMEN MIGHT ACTUALLY WIN,
THEY HASTILY MOUNTED AN ATTACK.

THE LIQUOR DEALERS PLIED
THE UNEMPLOYED MINERS

WITH FREE DRINKS

AND PLASTERED THE TOWN
WITH ANTISUFFRAGE LEAFLETS.

Man:
YOUNG MAN, IF YOU DON'T WANT
A POLITICIAN FOR A WIFE

BUT WOULD PREFER
A GOOD COMPANION

VOTE AGAINST WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

Sarandon:
ON ELECTION EVE

MEREDITH AND CATT GATHERED
THE SUFFRAGISTS TOGETHER

AND WAITED FOR
THE DENVER RETURNS.

BY MORNING, IT WAS CLEAR

THAT COLORADO HAD VOTED FOR
FREE SILVER AND WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

THE REFERENDUM HAD PASSED
BY 6,000 VOTES.

Anthony:
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S TRUE...
IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

"OH, HOW GLAD I AM

"THAT AT LAST WE HAVE
KNOCKED DOWN OUR FIRST STATE

"BY THE POPULAR VOTE.

"CONGRATULATIONS.

YOURS, SUSAN B. ANTHONY."

Sarandon:
WESTERN STATES CONTINUED
TO LEAD THE WAY.

BY 1896, WOMEN HAD WON THE VOTE

IN COLORADO, WYOMING,
IDAHO AND UTAH.

SUFFRAGISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
DARED TO BELIEVE

THAT THE TIDE
HAD FINALLY TURNED.

Sarandon:
BY THE 1890s

WOMEN IN THE NORTHEAST
HAD WON SOME OF THE RIGHTS

ELIZABETH STANTON HAD CALLED
FOR AT SENECA FALLS...

RIGHTS TO THEIR PROPERTY,
RIGHTS TO THEIR EARNINGS

RIGHTS TO THEIR CHILDREN.

GIRLS COULD NOW ATTEND
HIGH SCHOOL

EVEN COLLEGE, AND THOUSANDS
WERE GOING OUT TO WORK.

DESPITE THESE CHANGES

OPPOSITION TO SUFFRAGE
WAS AS STUBBORN AS EVER.

Woman 1:
THE DUTIES AND LIVES
OF MEN AND WOMEN

ARE DIVINELY ORDERED
TO BE DIFFERENT.

Woman 2:
FAMILY IS A WOMAN'S BUSINESS.

Sarandon:
IN BOSTON, THE MOST VOCAL
OPPONENTS OF SUFFRAGE

WERE THE SOCIETY WOMEN
OF BEACON HILL.

Woman:
NOTHING BUT DEGRADATION
CAN COME FROM PLACING WOMEN

IN THE VOTING PLACES.

Sarandon:
THEY ORGANIZED

THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION
OPPOSED TO SUFFRAGE FOR WOMEN.

Evans:
FOR THEM IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO SHOW THAT THEIR CAPACITY

TO SHAPE THE WORLD

RESTED ON A PARTICULAR
IDENTITY AS WOMEN

THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THE HOME

AND THAT DREW ITS SENSE
OF MORAL PURITY

FROM THOSE DOMESTIC ROLES.

THEY SAW THE PUBLIC WORLD
OF POLITICS

AS CORRUPT AND MALE.

SO IF WOMEN VOTED

ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING

WAS JOINING
THAT CORRUPT MALE WORLD

AND THEY WOULD LOSE
THEIR POWER TO INFLUENCE.

Sarandon:
IN 1895,
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE

BROUGHT THE ISSUE
OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE TO A HEAD.

THE STATE CALLED
FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN

TO VOTE
IN A NONBINDING REFERENDUM...

AN OPINION POLL.

SUFFRAGE LEADER
ALICE STONE BLACKWELL

HAD ABSOLUTE CONVICTION
THAT MOST WOMEN WANTED THE VOTE.

Actress as Blackwell:
AFTER NEXT NOVEMBER, SUFFRAGISTS
WILL HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK

FOR A MAJORITY OF WOMEN

UNLESS THEY ARE "SNOWED UNDER"
BY THE ANTIS

WHICH SEEMS VERY IMPROBABLE.

Sarandon:
BLACKWELL HAD GROWN UP
IN THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

THE DAUGHTER OF PIONEER
LUCY STONE.

WITH HER MOTHER

SHE HAD BUILT A NETWORK OF WOMEN
ACROSS THE STATE.

NOW, SHE ALERTED HER FOLLOWERS
TO THE COMING REFERENDUM

AND WENT OFF TO MAINE
FOR THE SUMMER.

IT WOULD BE A FATAL ERROR.

Woman:
THE SUFFRAGISTS DIDN'T REALLY,
I THINK, TAKE SERIOUSLY

THE NEED TO ORGANIZE.

ANTISUFFRAGISTS HAD
A VERY STRONG ORGANIZATION.

THEY PLASTERED BOSTON
WITH LEAFLETS.

THE OTHER TACTIC
THAT THE ANTISUFFRAGISTS TOOK

WAS TO URGE WOMEN

NOT TO VOTE AT ALL

BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT
THIS WOULD SEND A MESSAGE

EVEN STRONGER THAN A "NO" VOTE

THAT IF WOMEN SIMPLY
DID NOT TURN OUT

THIS WOULD SIGNIFY HOW REPULSIVE
THEY FOUND WOMAN SUFFRAGE TO BE.

Sarandon:
ON ELECTION DAY

ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE
OF WOMEN TURNED OUT.

IN 44 TOWNS IN MASSACHUSETTS

NOT A SINGLE WOMAN
CAST A BALLOT

AND WOMAN SUFFRAGE WAS
OVERWHELMINGLY DEFEATED.

FOR ANTISUFFRAGE WOMEN

THE REFERENDUM WAS A MORAL
VICTORY THAT SPARKED A MOVEMENT.

SOON, THEY WOULD BE

A WELL-FINANCED
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION.

"IT IS TOO BAD,"
SAID ELIZABETH STANTON

"THAT THESE WOMEN ARE BEGGING
TO BE LEFT IN THEIR CHAINS."

AT THE END OF THE CENTURY

A NEW GROUP
OF SUFFRAGISTS EMERGED.

Woman:
TONIGHT, OUR CLUB MEETS
TO TALK ABOUT WINNING THE VOTE.

BACK IN THE 1850s

THE GREAT SOJOURNER TRUTH
WENT FROM TOWN TO TOWN

LECTURING ABOUT SUFFRAGE.

"IF THE FIRST WOMAN
GOD EVER MADE

WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHOLE
WORLD UPSIDE DOWN," SHE SAID

"THEN ALL THESE WOMEN TOGETHER

OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GET IT
RIGHT SIDE UP AGAIN."

Sarandon:
AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CLUB WOMEN

THERE WAS LITTLE OPPOSITION
TO WOMEN VOTING.

THE BALLOT WAS A CRUCIAL WEAPON
IN THEIR FIGHT FOR EQUALITY.

THEY WERE AN ELITE GROUP,
EDUCATED AND MIDDLE CLASS

WORKING TO HELP ALL BLACK PEOPLE
FIND SAFETY AND OPPORTUNITY

IN A RACIST SOCIETY.

Woman:
BLACK WOMEN NEED THE VOTE
MORE THAN WHITE WOMEN

BECAUSE THEY FEEL,
BY THE END OF THE CENTURY

THAT, IF THEY DON'T GET
SOME POLITICAL CLOUT

THEY'LL BE CONTINUALLY
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

FOR BLACK WOMEN, IT'S A QUESTION
OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Sarandon:
MOST AFRICAN AMERICANS
STILL LIVED IN THE SOUTH.

HERE, ALL BUT A FEW MEN
HAD BEEN ROBBED OF THE VOTE

BY POLL TAXES, LITERACY TESTS
AND INTIMIDATION.

MOST BLACK FAMILIES
LIVED IN POVERTY AND FEAR.

OVER A PERIOD OF 30 YEARS

10,000 NEGROES
HAD BEEN MURDERED.

Woman:
HOW CAN ANYONE
WHO IS ABLE TO USE REASON

WITHHOLD FROM ONE-HALF
THE HUMAN RACE

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES FREELY
ACCORDED TO THE OTHER HALF?

Sarandon:
MARY CHURCH TERRELL
WAS THE OUTSPOKEN LEADER

OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CLUB MOVEMENT.

RAISED IN MEMPHIS, THE DAUGHTER
OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN

TERRELL HAD GONE NORTH
TO OBERLIN COLLEGE

AND ON TO A CAREER
AS AN EDUCATOR AND REFORMER.

WIDELY ADMIRED AS A SUFFRAGIST

TERRELL WAS ONE
OF THE FEW BLACK WOMEN

SUSAN B. ANTHONY INVITED TO
SPEAK AT NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.

TERRELL URGED WHITE SUFFRAGISTS
NOT TO FORGET BLACK WOMEN.

Actress as Terrell:
NOT ONLY ARE COLORED
WOMEN HANDICAPPED

ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR SEX;

THEY ARE EVERYWHERE MOCKED
ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR RACE.

WE ARE ASKING THAT OUR SISTERS
OF THE DOMINANT RACE

DO ALL IN THEIR POWER
TO INCLUDE IN THEIR RESOLUTIONS

THE INJUSTICES TO WHICH
COLORED PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS.

Sarandon:
TERRELL'S PLEAS FOUND
LITTLE SUPPORT.

AT THAT TIME

SUFFRAGE LEADERS WERE ACTIVELY
WOOING SOUTHERN WHITE MEMBERS.

TO APPEASE THE SOUTHERNERS

WHITE SUFFRAGISTS
FOUND IT EXPEDIENT

TO ABANDON THEIR BLACK SISTERS.

Terborg-Penn:
SO THERE IS MUCH RESISTANCE

TO BLACK WOMEN
BEING PART OF THE MOVEMENT

BUT A DETERMINATION
FROM BLACK WOMEN

SAYING, "I DON'T CARE,
WE'RE GOING TO VOTE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PART
OF THIS MOVEMENT."

Woman:
♪ LET US HOLD OUR BANNER HIGH ♪

♪ FORWARD MARCHING
ALL THE WHILE ♪

♪ AND WE'LL WIN THE WORLD
FOR GOOD ♪

♪ LIFTING AS WE CLIMB
IS THE NATIONAL COMMAND ♪

♪ TO EDUCATE AND GRADUATE
ALL OVER THE LAND ♪

♪ HOLD YOUR BANNER HIGH
IS THE NATIONAL... ♪

Sarandon:
MARY CHURCH TERRELL
WAS ONE OF A NUMBER

OF BLACK SUFFRAGE LEADERS.

WITH ACTIVE SUPPORT
FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN

THEY BUILT A MOVEMENT THAT
WOULD GROW TO HALF A MILLION

BUT THEY WOULD NEVER
FIND ACCEPTANCE

AMONG MAINSTREAM SUFFRAGISTS.

Anthony:
"MY DEAR MRS. STANTON

"WE LITTLE DREAMED
THAT WHEN WE BEGAN THIS CONTEST

"OPTIMISTIC WITH THE HOPE
AND BUOYANCY OF YOUTH

"THAT HALF A CENTURY LATER
WE WOULD BE COMPELLED

"TO LEAVE THE FINISH
OF THE BATTLE

TO ANOTHER GENERATION
OF WOMEN."

Sarandon:
AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY

SUSAN B. ANTHONY, NOW PRESIDENT
OF THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT

COMPLAINED THAT FEW
OF THE NEW MEMBERS

HAD ENOUGH "STARCH
IN THEIR SOULS."

HER SUFFRAGE ARMY
OF SEVERAL THOUSAND

HAD GROWN CONSERVATIVE.

Evans:
WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT THE CONSERVATIVISM

OF THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
IN THE 1890s

AS VERY MUCH LINKED TO THE FEARS
OF THE MIDDLE CLASS.

IT WAS A GROUP
THAT SAW THE WORLD AROUND IT

AS RATHER OUT OF CONTROL.

THERE WAS A DEPRESSION
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECADE.

THERE WERE STRIKES AND
THERE WAS MASSIVE IMMIGRATION.

TO ARGUE FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE,
THEY BEGAN TO APPEAL

TO THE PREJUDICES
OF THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASS

AND TO ARGUE
THAT IMMIGRANT MEN...

IGNORANT IMMIGRANT MEN...
CAN VOTE;

WHY SHOULDN'T EDUCATED
WHITE WOMEN VOTE?

Sarandon:
IN PUBLIC SPEECHES,
WHITE SUFFRAGISTS DECLARED

THAT THE VOTE SHOULD BE TAKEN
AWAY FROM IGNORANT NEWCOMERS

AND GIVEN TO EDUCATED WOMEN.

Woman:
♪ YOUR OWN LOVING MOTHER
THAT NURSED YOU FOR YEARS ♪

♪ AND ROCKED YOUR LONE CRLE
AT NIGHT ♪

♪ DO YOU THINK HER
BELOW THE IMMIGRANT MAN ♪

♪ WHO CAN VOTE?
SHE CANNOT; IS IT RIGHT? ♪

♪ IF IT'S RIGHT
FOR THE GREEK... ♪

Sarandon:
PRIVATELY, ANTHONY DISAGREED

BUT SHE WAS TOO MUCH
OF A POLITICIAN

TO OFFEND HER FOLLOWERS.

Woman:
♪ THE PAUPER, THE FOOL
AND THE KNAVE AND THE THIEF ♪

♪ WHY NOT RIGHT
FOR A WOMAN TO VOTE? ♪

Sarandon:
ELIZABETH STANTON
WAS GROWING IMPATIENT.

Stanton:
"DEAR SUSAN

"I BELIEVE THAT I GET MORE
RADICAL AS I GROW OLDER

"WHILE YOU SEEM TO GET
MORE CONSERVATIVE.

BEWARE, LEST YOU BECOME
TOO RESPECTABLE."

Wagner:
AS THEY BECAME OLDER

ANTHONY FOCUSED MORE ON THE VOTE
AS THE GREAT WORK OF HER LIFE.

SHE WANTED TO BE THE ONE
WHO ACHIEVED SUFFRAGE

FOR THE WOMEN OF THE COUNTRY.

AND AT THE SAME TIME

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
BEGAN TO SEE THE VOTE

AS LESS AND LESS IMPORTANT.

Sarandon:
IN HER MID-70s

STANTON SAW THE CHURCH
AS RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN.

Stanton:
THE BIBLE TEACHES

THAT WOMAN BROUGHT SIN AND DEATH
INTO THE WORLD.

Sarandon:
THE GREAT WORK OF HER LIFE,
SHE SAID

WOULD BE TO GET WOMEN TO GIVE UP
THEIRELIGIOUS SUPERSTITIONS.

Stanton:
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY MAN
EVER TALKED WITH GOD.

THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN BY MAN,
OUT OF HIS LOVE OF DOMINATION.

Sarandon:
STANTON REWROTE
EVERY PASSAGE OF THE BIBLE

THAT SAID WOMEN WERE INFERIOR.

HER "WOMAN'S BIBLE" WOULD BE
TRANSLATED INTO SIX LANGUAGES.

THE WOMAN'S BIBLE
SCANDALIZED MEMBERS

OF THE SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.

THEY DENOUNCED IT
AS BLASPHEMOUS.

THE SUFFRAGISTS PUBLICLY
CENSURED THE WOMAN

WHO HAD STARTED THE MOVEMENT
50 YEARS BEFORE.

STUNG BY THE CRITICISM

ELIZABETH STANTON INSISTED
THAT HER FRIEND SUSAN B. ANTHONY

BREAK WITH THE SUFFRAGISTS
AND RESIGN HER PRESIDENCY.

ANTHONY DEFENDED STANTON
BUT WOULD NOT GIVE UP HER POST.

Barry:
ANTHONY AND STANTON MET IN 1852.

THAT'S A 50-YEAR FRIENDSHIP,
AND HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY MANY

AS ONE OF THE
GREATEST RELATIONSHIPS

OF THE 19th CENTURY.

IT WAS A VERY
DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP.

IT WAS ONE IN WHICH
THEY GREW TOGETHER.

THEY ALSO, IN MANY PERIODS
OF TIME, GREW APART.

Sarandon:
ANTHONY CONTINUED ON IN HER
TIRELESS CAMPAIGN FOR THE VOTE.

AT 80, SHE WAS A LIVING ICON

KNOWN TO SUFFRAGISTS AROUND
THE COUNTRY AS AUNT SUSAN.

BUT IN THE EARLY 1900s

THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
WAS AT A STANDSTILL

AND ANTHONY LONGED
FOR STANTON'S SUPPORT.

Anthony:
"OH, MRS. STANTON

"HOW MY SOUL LONGS TO SEE YOU
IN THE GREAT BATTLEFIELD.

"IF YOU COME NOT TO THE RESCUE,
WHO SHALL?

"DON'T FAIL TO WRITE ME.

"IT ALWAYS DOES ME MUCH GOOD
TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOURS, SUSAN."

Sarandon:
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
DIED IN 1902.

SHE ASKED
THAT SUSAN B. ANTHONY'S PICTURE

BE PLACED ON HER CASKET.

Anthony:
IT IS AN AWFUL HUSH.

IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
THAT THE VOICE IS HUSHED

THAT I HAVE LONGED TO HEAR
FOR 50 YEARS...

LONGED TO GET
HER OPINION OF THINGS

BEFORE I KNEW EXACTLY
WHERE I STOOD.

I AM ALL AT SEA.

Sarandon:
THE 20th CENTURY
BROUGHT PROFOUND CHANGE

TO THE LIVES OF WOMEN
IN AMERICA'S BIG CITIES.

WOMEN WERE WORKING

IN OFFICES, FACTORIES,
SHOPS AND PROFESSIONS

IN EVER GREATER NUMBERS.

WOMEN WERE TACKLING
SOCIAL ISSUES

ORGANIZING TRADE UNIONS,
WORKING IN SETTLEMENT HOUSES

FIGHTING FOR BETTER SCHOOLS,
SAFE FOOD AND CLEAN GOVERNMENT...

LEADING THE MOVEMENT
FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORM.

THESE WOMEN WERE BRINGING
THE CONCERNS OF HOME AND FAMILY

INTO AMERICAN POLITICS.

Terborg-Penn:
YOU CAN'T REFORM YOUR SOCIETY

UNLESS YOU CAN SHOW
THAT YOU'RE ON THE BALLOT

YOU'RE REGISTERED AND YOU VOTE.

IF YOU HAVE THE VOTE, THEN
YOU HAVE POLITICAL LEVERAGE.

Sarandon:
IT WAS THESE WOMEN
WHO WOULD TRANSFORM

THE ELITE
AND AGING SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.

Woman:
THE NATIONAL SUFFRAGE
MOVEMENT IS IN A RUT.

IT IS INTO THIS RUT
THAT I STEP

EAGER TO FINISH THE WORK
MY MOTHER BEGAN.

Sarandon:
HARRIOT BLATCH WAS A NATURAL
CHOICE TO SHAKE THINGS UP:

A REBEL AT VASSAR,
A RADICAL SOCIALIST

AND THE DAUGHTER
OF ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.

SHE WOULD BREATHE NEW LIFE
INTO THE BATTLE TO WIN THE VOTE.

Actor as Blatch:
CHANGE IS CALLED FOR
IN THE METHOD OF ATTACK.

TRADE UNION WOMEN MUST BE
BROUGHT INTO THE CAMPAIGN

AND BROUGHT IN CONTACT WITH
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

WHO ARE OUT IN THE WORLD.

DuBois:
BLATCH REALIZED
SHE WOULD GET NOWHERE

WITH THE ESTABLISHED
ORGANIZATIONS

OF THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.

SHE FORMED A NEW ORGANIZATION.

AND IT'S REALLY AT THIS POINT

THAT THE SUFFRAGE
MOVEMENT BECOMES

WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO FAIRLY
CALL A MASS MOVEMENT.

WOMEN OF ALL DIFFERENT SORTS,
DIFFERENT CLASSES

WOMEN WHOSE NAMES
WE'LL NEVER KNOW

BEGAN TO MAKE
THEIR CONTRIBUTION.

Sarandon:
TO WIN THE VOTE FOR THE WOMEN
OF NEW YORK, BLATCH INITIATED

A TACTIC THE SUFFRAGISTS
HAD NEVER USED BEFORE.

SHE SENT WOMEN INTO THE STREETS

TO DIRECTLY CONFRONT
THE MALE VOTERS.

Woman 1:
IF MOTHERS COULD VOTE

WOULD THE LEGISLATURE HAVE
REFUSED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS

TO STOP THE WORK
OF LITTLE GIRLS

WHO WORK ALL NIGHT
IN THE TEXTILE MILLS?

Woman 2:
WE HAVE WOMEN
WORKING IN FOUNDRIES

STRIPPED TO THE WAIST
BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.

SURELY THESE WOMEN WON'T LOSE

ANY MORE
OF THEIR BEAUTY AND CHARM

BY PUTTING A BALLOT
IN A BALLOT BOX.

Women:
♪ UNCLE SAM SET UP HIS HOUSE ♪

♪ HE WELCOMED EVERY BROTHER ♪

♪ BUT IN THE HASTE
OF HIS NEW LIFE ♪

♪ HE QUITE FORGOT HIS MOTHER. ♪

Sarandon:
LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL
SUFFRAGE ORGANIZATION CALLED

BLATCH'S OPEN-AIR TACTICS
"UNLADYLIKE."

"IF WE CANNOT WIN

WITHOUT TRAMPING THROUGH A
PUBLIC THOROUGHFARE," ONE SAID

"WE HAD BETTER GIVE UP
WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALTOGETHER."

BUT FOR HARRIOT BLATCH

THESE OPEN-AIR SPEECHES
WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING.

Blatch:
I AM CONVINCED THAT MANKIND
IS MOVED INTO ACTION BY EMOTION

NOT ARGUMENT AND REASON,
AND WHAT COULD BE MORE STIRRING

THAN HUNDREDS OF WOMEN,
CARRYING BANNERS

MARCHING, MARCHING, MARCHING!

DuBois:
PERHAPS THE TACTICAL INNOVATION

THAT BLATCH WAS MOST COMMONLY
ASSOCIATED WITH

WAS THE SUFFRAGE PARADE, AND
IT WAS ALSO THE TACTICAL SYMBOL

OF THE NEW "VOTES
FOR WOMEN" MOVEMENT

THE MODERN "VOTES
FOR WOMEN" MOVEMENT.

SHE ANNOUNCED THAT HER GOAL
WAS TO HAVE WOMEN MARCH

IN UNIFORM ROWS WITH A SORT
OF MILITARY DETERMINATION

TO SHOW THAT WOMEN HAVE
THE KIND OF DISCIPLINE

THAT'S ASSOCIATED
WITH POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY;

THAT THEY'RE NOT FRIVOLOUS,
THAT THEY'RE NOT WEAK

THAT THEY CAN HOLD TOGETHER...
LITERALLY HOLD TOGETHER.

McGerr:
MEN STAND THERE AND JEER
AT WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE PARADES.

IF WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE IN PRIVATE

IF WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED
TO LACK THE ABILITY

TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS

THEN THEY CAN'T BE
THERE ON THE STREET.

THEY CAN'T BE DOING THIS,
AND YET THEY ARE.

THEY BEGIN TO GET THE MESSAGE:

THAT THESE WOMEN ARE NOT GOING
TO GO AWAY; THAT THEY'RE BRAVE;

THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING
THAT REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE.

AND FOR SOME MEN,
THOSE PARADES, I THINK

ARE THE FINAL INDICATION
THAT THINGS OUGHT TO CHANGE

AND THAT THEY WILL CHANGE.

Sarandon:
BY 1912, BLATCH'S TACTICS
HAD ENERGIZED

THE CAMPAIGN IN NEW YORK STATE
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE MOVEMENT WOULD NEVER
BE THE SAME.

Women's chorus:
♪ THEIR MOTHERS
LABORED WEIGHTED ♪

♪ THROUGH A NIGHT
WITHOUT A STAR ♪

♪ THE MORNING SHOWS
A SUFFRAGE FLAG ♪

♪ THAT BEARS THE WOMAN'S STAR ♪

♪ HURRAH! HURRAH! ♪

Sarandon:
WITHIN THREE YEARS, FIVE
NEW STATES GAVE WOMEN THE VOTE...

WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA,
ARIZONA, KANSAS AND OREGON.

IT BROUGHT THE TOTAL TO NINE.

♪ HURRAH, HURRAH,
FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, HURRAH ♪

♪ HURRAH FOR THE SUFFRAGE FLAG ♪

♪ THAT BEARS THE WOMAN'S STAR. ♪

Sarandon:
1912... IT WAS
A TIME OF GREAT OPTIMISM.

IN THE MIDWEST

WHERE SUFFRAGISTS HAD MADE
LITTLE HEADWAY

SUDDENLY, THREE STATES...
MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN AND OHIO...

HAD ALL AGREED TO PUT THE ISSUE
OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE ON THE BALLOT.

AT THE INVITATION OF
LOCAL LEADERS, ANNA HOWARD SHAW

NOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE
NATIONAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

GOT ON A TRAIN FOR OHIO.

Woman:
ANNA HOWARD SHAW WAS
A VERY HIGHLY EDUCATED WOMAN.

WHO HAD WORKED AS A DOCTOR,
AS A MINISTER.

SHE WAS QUITE
AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSONAGE.

BUT HER MAIN CONTRIBUTION
TO THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

WAS AS AN ORATOR.

SHE COULD PUT IDEAS
ABOUT WOMEN'S EQUALITY

INTO HOMEY, FOLKSY
AND OFTEN ELOQUENT LANGUAGE

AND REALLY MOVE AUDIENCES.

Sarandon:
REGARDLESS OF THEIR ATTITUDE

MEN IN THE MIDWEST WERE WILLING
TO COME OUT AND LISTEN

TO SHAW BECAUSE
THEY FOUND HER ENTERTAINING.

Actor as Shaw:
SINNERS ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH US

AND SAINTS ARE
THE PEOPLE WHO DO.

NOW, I WANT ALL SINNERS
TO BE SEATED.

I KNOW, IF YOU WANT
TO CONVERT A MAN

HE MUST BE
PHYSICALLY COMFORTABLE.

YOU MEN TELL US
WE SHOULD NOT VOTE

BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE TO MINGLE
AT THE POLLS WITH HORRID MEN.

BUT, GENTLEMEN, THESE ARE THE
SAME HORRID MEN WE LIVE WITH

THE REST OF THE YEAR.

Men's chorus:
♪ SHE'S GOOD ENOUGH TO WARM
YOUR HEART WITH KISSES ♪

♪ WHEN YOU ARE
LONESOME AND BLUE ♪

♪ SHE'S GOOD ENOUGH
TO BE YOUR BABY'S MOTHER ♪

♪ AND SHE'S GOOD ENOUGH
TO VOTE WITH YOU. ♪

Shaw:
I SEE SOME
ENCOURAGING CONDITIONS

IN THESE MIDWESTERN CAMPAIGNS.

IN ALL MY YEARS OF SPEAKING

I HAVE NEVER ADDRESSED MORE
THOUGHTFUL AND RESPECTFUL MEN.

THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE
PROGRESSIVE PARTY SUGGESTS

WE MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE.

Sarandon:
YEARS OF PROGRESSIVE REFORM
BROUGHT MORE MEN

INTO THE SUFFRAGE CAMP.

Roosevelt:
OUR TASK AS AMERICANS IS
TO STRIVE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Sarandon:
EVEN TEDDY ROOSEVELT

THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT

HAD COME OUT
FOR THE WOMAN'S VOTE.

Roosevelt:
I HOPE WE SHALL WIN

BUT WIN OR LOSE,
WE SHALL NOT FALTER.

Sarandon:
AT THE PEAK OF THE CAMPAIGN,
ANNA HOWARD SHAW RECOGNIZED

THAT FOR ALL THE HOPEFUL SIGNS,
THE OPPOSITION WAS FORMIDABLE.

McGerr:
CERTAIN MALE GROUPS ARE NOW
MUCH MORE WILLING

TO SPEND MONEY TO STOP SUFFRAGE
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO.

THE LIQUOR INTERESTS UNDERSTAND

THAT IF WOMEN HAVE THE VOTE,
THEY MAY BRING IN PROHIBITION.

SOME BUSINESSMEN UNDERSTAND, TOO

IF WOMEN HAVE THE VOTE, THEY'LL
VOTE TO STOP FACTORY OWNERS

FROM TREATING WOMEN WORKERS
ANY WAY THAT THEY WANT

AND THAT CAN CUT INTO PROFITS.

Sarandon:
IN THE FALL OF 1912

IN MICHIGAN, OHIO AND WISCONSIN,
WOMAN SUFFRAGE WAS DEFEATED

BUT IT WAS MORE THAN THE
OPPOSITION FROM BIG BUSINESS.

THE ATTITUDES OF MOST MEN
HAD NEVER REALLY CHANGED.

Man:
♪ PUT ME UPON AN ISLAND
WHERE THE GIRLS ARE FEW ♪

♪ PUT ME AMONGST THE MOST
FEROCIOUS LIONS IN THE ZOO ♪

♪ YOU CAN PUT ME
UPON A TREADMILL ♪

♪ AND I'LL NEVER, NEVER FRET ♪

♪ BUT FOR PITY'S SAKE, DON'T
PUT ME NEAR A SUFFRAGETTE! ♪

McGerr:
JUST AS THE WOMEN'S
MOVEMENT BECOMES

MORE ORGANIZED AND MORE VISIBLE
IN THE 1910s

THERE'S THIS SUDDEN FLOW,
THIS OUTPOURING

OF ANTISUFFRAGIST PROPAGANDA
OF ALL KINDS

INCLUDING THE NEW
MEDIUM OF FILM.

MANY MEN RESPONDED WITH
OPEN ANGER, ALMOST A HYSTERIA.

THEY'RE AFRAID.

MEN HAD REASON TO BE AFRAID
OF THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

BECAUSE IT REALLY DID INVOLVE

A REDEFINITION OF WHAT WOMEN
WERE AND WHAT MEN WERE.

MEN WOULD SEE
THEIR IDENTITY CHANGED.

THAT'S A FRIGHTENING THING.

Shaw:
BY THE OPPOSITION, ONE MIGHT
SUPPOSE WE WERE ASKING WOMEN

TO FORSAKE THEIR HUSBANDS
AND CHILDREN

AND BECOME ABSORBED IN POLITICS.

WHEREAS ALL WE ARE ASKING
OF MEN

IS TO BE TRUE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY.

Sarandon:
ANNA HOWARD SHAW SAW
STRETCHED BEFORE HER

CAMPAIGNS IN STATE
AFTER HOPELESS STATE.

SHE TOOK HEART FROM THE ADVICE
SUSAN B. ANTHONY GAVE HER

WHEN ANTHONY HAD PASSED ON
THE REINS OF LEADERSHIP.

Anthony:
"MY DEAR ANNA, JUST THINK OF IT,
I'VE BEEN STRIVING

"FOR OVER 60 YEARS
FOR A LITTLE BIT OF JUSTICE

"AND YET,
I MUST DIE WITHOUT OBTAINING IT.

"I AM NOT COMPLAINING

"FOR MINE IS
THE FATE OF EVERY PIONEER

"WHO EVER OPENED UP THE WAY.

"REMEMBER THAT THE ONLY FEAR
YOU NEED HAVE

"IS THE FEAR OF NOT STANDING BY
THE THING YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT.

"THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
SHALL BE GRANTED.

FAILURE IS IMPOSSIBLE."

Sarandon:
AT AGE 86, SUSAN B. ANTHONY DIED

IN HER HOME
IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

A DOZEN WOMEN, DRESSED IN WHITE,
STOOD GUARD

AS 10,000 MOURNERS PASSED
BY HER SIMPLE QUAKER CASKET.

IN THE YEARS TO COME,
SUFFRAGISTS WOULD MOUNT

THEIR FINAL CAMPAIGN
IN ANTHONY'S NAME.

"ONE WOMAN, ONE VOTE"
WILL CONTINUE IN A

Women:
♪ SHOUT, SHOUT,
UP WITH YOUR SONG ♪

♪ CRY WITH THE WIND
FOR THE DAWN IS BREAKING ♪

♪ MARCH, MARCH,
SWING YOU ALONG ♪

♪ WIDE BLOWS OUR BANNER,
AND HOPE IS WAKING... ♪

Sarandon:
LONDON, 1910.

AFTER 40 YEARS OF DEMANDING
THE VOTE, BRITISH SUFFRAGISTS

BEGAN TO ENGAGE IN
MILITANT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

RISKING ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF EMMELINE PANKHURST.

HER MOTTO WAS
"DEEDS, NOT WORDS."

Woman:
"DEAR MAMMA, MRS. PANKHURST
IS A GENIUS, A BORN LEADER.

"WOMEN BY THE HUNDREDS WILL
DO ANYTHING MRS. PANKHURST ASKS.

"SHE HAS ASKED ME TO JOIN
THEIR MARCH ON THE PARLIAMENT.

AT LAST, I HAVE GOT UP ENOUGH
COURAGE TO SAY I WILL GO."

Sarandon:
ALICE PAUL, A SCHOLARLY QUAKER
FROM NEW JERSEY

WAS SWEPT UP IN THE PROTEST.

ARRESTED THREE TIMES FOR
STORMING GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

PAUL SUFFERED
HARSH PRISON TERMS.

WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER WOMEN,
SHE WENT ON A HUNGER STRIKE

AND WAS FED BY FORCE.

Actress as Paul:
"DEAR MAMMA, THE FORCIBLE
FEEDING WAS TERRIBLE.

"THEY TIED ME TO A CHAIR
BECAUSE I STRUGGLED.

"ONE WARDRESS SAT
ASTRIDE MY KNEES.

"TWO OTHERS HELD
MY ARMS AND HANDS

"WHILE TWO DOCTORS FORCED A TUBE

"FIVE OR SIX FEET LONG
THROUGH MY NOSE

LIKE DRIVING A STAKE
INTO THE GROUND."

Woman:
♪ ...AND HOPE IS WAKING. ♪

Sarandon:
THE PRISON NIGHTMARE
RADICALIZED ALICE PAUL.

SHE RETURNED HOME
WITH A MISSION.

AT AGE 28,
SHE WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE

THE AMERICAN SUFFRAGE CAMPAIGN.

"WOMEN NEED A CAUSE," SHE SAID.

"ANY OTHER LIFE WOULD BE EMPTY."

IN 1913, ALICE PAUL
ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON...

ONE OF THE FEW WOMEN OF THE TIME

TO HOLD A DOCTORATE
IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

SHE SET UP SHOP IN
A DINGY BASEMENT OFFICE

NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE

ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL
SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

WITH NO MONEY, A LIST OF NAMES

AND AN AMERICAN FRIEND SHE HAD
MET IN PRISON, LUCY BURNS.

AN OUTGOING REDHEAD

BURNS WAS THE PERFECT PARTNER
FOR THE SHY ALICE PAUL.

TOGETHER THEY SET OUT
TO BUILD SUPPORT

FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

THAT WOULD GUARANTEE
ALL WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

THE TWO FRIENDS WOULD STAGE A
GLORIOUS PAGEANT IN WASHINGTON

ON THE DAY BEFORE WOODROW WILSON
WAS TO BE SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT.

ANNA HOWARD SHAW...

A LOT OF THE OTHERS FELT
THAT THAT WAS A BIT MUCH...

THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO UPSTAGE
THE PRESIDENT

AND HIS PARADE THE NEXT DAY.

BUT ALICE PAUL DIDN'T MIND
UPSTAGING THE PRESIDENT.

THAT WAS HIS PROBLEM.

SHE WANTED TO GET A MESSAGE

THAT THOUSANDS OF WOMEN
FROM OVER THE COUNTRY

WERE EXCITED ENOUGH
ABOUT VOTES FOR WOMEN

THAT THEY WOULD COME
AND BE IN THAT PARADE.

Sarandon:
SOME SAID IT WAS A MIRACLE.

IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS

PAUL AND BURNS HAD MOBILIZED
8,000 SUFFRAGISTS

FROM COAST TO COAST.

Fry:
ALICE PAUL MADE THE TOWN OF
WASHINGTON INTO HER STAGE

AND PUT ON A PAGEANT,
A MOVING PAGEANT

THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE.

THERE WERE FLOATS,
THERE WERE COLOR MASSES

SET TO MOVE DOWN THE AVENUE.

SHE WANTED IT TO BE
VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL.

Women's chorus:
♪ WE ARE MARCHING
ON TO VICTORY ♪

♪ COMING IN OUR MIGHT,
FOR OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT... ♪

Sarandon:
TO LEAD THE PARADE

PAUL CHOSE RADICAL NEW YORK
LAWYER INEZ MILHOLLAND.

"FOR THIS PAGEANT,"
MILHOLLAND SAID

"WE MUST SUGGEST
THE FREE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE."

Women's chorus:
♪ COME AND NOW ENLISTED BE ♪

♪ IN A LEGION MOTHER ARMY... ♪

Sarandon:
DELEGATIONS OF EVERY KIND
MARCHED ON THE WHITE HOUSE.

HARRIOT STANTON BLATCH

CAME FROM NEW YORK WITH
HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS.

MARY CHURCH TERRELL

LED DELEGATIONS
OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN

FROM CLUBS AND COLLEGES.

THEIR PRESENCE ANGERED
SOME SOUTHERN WOMEN

WHO REFUSED TO JOIN THE MARCH.

MEN WERE THERE

REPRESENTING THE GROWING NUMBER
WHO NOW SUPPORTED THE CAUSE.

Women's chorus:
♪ WE ARE MARCHING
TOWARD OUR LIBERTY ♪

♪ FORWARD OUT OF NIGHT,
INTO THE LIGHT ♪

♪ EVERY LOYAL ONE,
FACE THE RISING SUN ♪

♪ COME AND NOW ENLISTED BE ♪

♪ IN A LEGION MOTHER ARMY... ♪

Sarandon:
AS THE PARADE PROCEEDED
DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

MEN ON THE SIDELINES
BEGAN TO HECKLE.

THOUSANDS OF INAUGURAL REVELERS

AFTER DRINKING ALL MORNING,
WERE TURNING MEAN.

Woman 1:
AS WE SWUNG ONTO
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

WE HAD NO PLACE TO GO.

THE WHOLE STREET WAS JUST
FROM THE ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER

FILLED WITH PEOPLE,
JUST A GREAT MASS OF PEOPLE.

Woman 2:
ONE YOUNG LADY WAS SO
FRIGHTENED THAT SHE SHOUTED

"GIRLS, GET OUT YOUR HATPINS;
THEY'RE GOING TO RUSH US!"

Woman 3:
ALL THE WAY UP THE AVENUE

MEN WOULD PASS
THEIR HANDS DOWN MY ARMS.

ONE MAN GRABBED MY SISTER
AND I KICKED HIM.

Woman 4:
I RAN AND SAID TO A POLICEMAN

"WON'T YOU KINDLY PROTECT
THESE PEOPLE HERE?"

AND HE SAID, "THERE WOULD BE
NOTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED

IF YOU WOULD STAY AT HOME."

Sarandon:
FIVE BLOCKS AWAY, AT AN
ALL BUT EMPTY UNION STATION

PRESIDENT-ELECT WOODROW WILSON
ARRIVED FOR HIS INAUGURATION

SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT DAY.

EXPECTING THOUSANDS TO GREET HIM

HE WAS NOT PLEASED TO LEARN

THAT THE CROWDS WERE WATCHING
WOMEN CAMPAIGNING FOR THE VOTE.

ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, HUNDREDS
OF MARCHERS WERE INJURED.

THE UNITED STATES CAVALRY
WAS CALLED IN TO RESTORE ORDER

BUT NOT A SINGLE RIOTER
WAS ARRESTED.

THE NEXT DAY, AS WOODROW WILSON
LEFT FOR THE INAUGURATION

HE RECEIVED A MESSAGE
FROM HARRIOT BLATCH, SAYING

"BE MINDFUL, AS YOU RIDE
IN COMFORT AND SAFETY

"THAT YESTERDAY
THE GOVERNMENT LEFT WOMEN

AT THE MERCY
OF A HOWLING MOB."

TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF
THE NATIONWIDE PUBLICITY

ALICE PAUL BEGAN
ORGANIZING WOMEN

TO LOBBY THE PRESIDENT
AND CONGRESS.

A MONTH AFTER
THE WASHINGTON DEMONSTRATION

A CROWD GATHERED AT THE CAPITOL.

A WESTERN SENATOR
AND CONGRESSMAN

HAD INTRODUCED A CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT DECLARING

"THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO VOTE

SHALL NOT BE DENIED
ON ACCOUNT OF SEX."

ALICE PAUL NAMED IT
THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT.

Women's chorus:
♪ MARCHING ON TO VICTORY. ♪

Sarandon:
A YEAR AFTER THE GREAT MARCH
DOWN PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

ALICE PAUL AND LUCY BURNS WERE
RUNNING THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION...

THE CONGRESSIONAL UNION

DEDICATED TO WINNING
THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT.

THE RESOLUTION WAS
BADLY STALLED IN CONGRESS

AND PRESIDENT WILSON
WAS STILL AGAINST IT.

BUT A NEW WAVE OF ACTIVISTS
HAD BEEN RECRUITED TO THE CAUSE.

"THEY FLOCKED TO
ALICE PAUL," ONE SAID

"BECAUSE SHE HAD THE FIGHTING
SPIRIT OF SUSAN B. ANTHONY."

Cott:
ALE PAUL SPECIFICALLY
RECRUITED WOMEN

WHO HAD TIES
TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT.

SHE ALSO, THOUGH,
RECRUITED RICH WOMEN

BECAUSE SHE HAD
A VERY SAVVY SENSE

OF HOW DOLLARS WERE NECESSARY
FOR THIS MOVEMENT.

WHAT UNITED THESE WOMEN

AND MADE THEM ATTRACTED
TO PAUL, I THINK

WAS A MILITANCE OF SPIRIT.

THEY WANTED TO SHOW THE SYSTEM

THAT WOMEN COULD PULL
POLITICAL WEIGHT.

AND THIS WAS
A DIFFERENT ORIENTATION

TO THE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO BE SUPPLICANTS.

THEY WANTED TO DEMAND
THEIR RIGHTS.

Sarandon:
BY THE SUMMER OF 1914

PAUL WAS URGING HER FOLLOWERS
TO BRING DIRECT PRESSURE

ON THE POWER STRUCTURE.

Paul:
THE TIME HAS COME WHEN WE CAN
GO INTO NATIONAL POLITICS

AND ATTACK OUR ENEMY,
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
BLOCKING THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT.

Cott:
ALICE PAUL DECIDED IN 1914

TO HOLD THE PARTY IN POWER
RESPONSIBLE

AND SINCE WILSON
WAS THE PRESIDENT

AND SINCE DEMOCRATS
HAD CONTROL OF CONGRESS

SHE THOUGHT THAT ALL DEMOCRATS
SHOULD BE PUNISHED

UNLESS THEY PASSED
THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT.

Paul:
LET US ORGANIZE THE NEARLY
FOUR MILLION WESTERN WOMEN

TO GO OUT AND VOTE AGAINST
THE GREAT DEMOCRATIC PARTY

IN THE FALL ELECTION.

IF THE PARTY LEADERS SEE
THAT VOTES HAVE BEEN TURNED

THEY WILL KNOW
THAT WE HAVE POWER.

Sarandon:
PAUL DISPATCHED
HER TOP ORGANIZERS

TO EACH OF THE NINE STATES
WHERE WOMEN HAD THE VOTE;

AMONG THE ENVOYS, A FIERY YOUNG
TEXTILE WORKER, ROSE WINSLOW

PAUL'S PARTNER LUCY BURNS

AND FEMINIST SOCIAL WORKER
DORIS STEVENS.

TO CONVINCE
AS MANY WOMEN AS POSSIBLE

TO OPPOSE THE DEMOCRATS
IN THE FALL ELECTIONS.

Woman 1:
WE ASK YOU IN
THE NAME OF WOMANHOOD

TO VOTE AGAINST
ALL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE...

Woman 2:
YOU HAVE WITH YOUR VOTES
THE POWER TO ENFRANCHISE...

Woman 3:
USE YOUR VOTES TO MOVE
THE SUFFRAGE BILL

TO THE FLOOR OF THE CONGRESS.

Graham:
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING JOBS
IN THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

WAS TO BE AN ORGANIZER.

WHAT THIS MEANT FOR
YOUNG WOMEN OF THE TIME

WAS TRAVEL, ADVENTURE,
FREEDOM, EXCITEMENT.

MOST WOMEN DIDN'T
TRAVEL MUCH AT ALL.

Woman 1:
EVERYONE WAS WILDLY ENTHUSIASTIC

EVEN THE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN.

AND I DANCED
WITH VOTERS... MALE...

UNTIL 1:30 IN THE MORNING.

Woman 2:
THE CAMPAIGN IN CALIFORNIA
IS A BIG SUCCESS

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
FOR CONGRESS

ARE UNEXPECTEDLY
PUT ON THE DEFENSE.

Woman 3:
ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING
THINGS WE'VE ENCOUNTERED

IS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE'S
DELICATE SUGGESTION

THAT WE HAD BETTER LEAVE
THE STATE AT ONCE.

Sarandon:
ONLY A FEW DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATES WERE DEFEATED.

BUT ALICE PAUL'S CAMPAIGN
WAS THE LAST STRAW

FOR THE SEDATE NATIONAL
SUFFRAGE ORGANIZATION.

PRESIDENT ANNA HOWARD SHAW
CALLED IT SUICIDAL

AND SEVERED ALL RELATIONS
WITH PAUL.

ONCE AGAIN, THE SUFFRAGE
MOVEMENT SPLIT

AS IT HAD AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

Cott:
TO THE LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL

THE STRATEGY OF HOLDING
THE PARTY IN POWER

WAS JUST ANATHEMA.

THEY HAD BEEN WORKING AND
WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK

TO CULTIVATE
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMEN.

SO THEY SAW IT AS REALLY

NOT JUST STICKING
THEIR FOOT IN THEIR MOUTH

BUT REALLY AS ABOUT
THE MOST COUNTERPRODUCTIVE THING

THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

Sarandon:
THE SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS
WHO RULED CAPITOL HILL

DENOUNCED ALICE PAUL
AS A DANGEROUS RADICAL.

ONE SWORE SHE HAD SET WOMAN
SUFFRAGE BACK A THOUSAND YEARS.

YET, PAUL CHEERFULLY TOOK CREDIT
WHEN THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT

WAS SUDDENLY RELEASED
FROM A HOUSE COMMITTEE

AND SENT TO THE FLOOR
FOR A VOTE.

AFTER DAYS OF DEBATE,
IT WAS BADLY DEFEATED

BUT PAUL HAILED IT
AS A SIGN OF PROGRESS.

Paul:
THE FEELING OF THE SUFFRAGISTS

AS THEY CAME AWAY FROM THE
CAPITOL WAS ONE OF ELATION

THAT THE QUESTION HAD FINALLY
BEEN SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED

BY THE CONGRESS.

EVERY WOMAN WHO WATCHED
FROM THE GALLERY

IS NOW FIRED WITH
THE DETERMINATION

TO WORK HARDER THAN EVER
FOR THE FEDERAL AMENDMENT.

Sarandon:
IN 1916, SHIFTS IN
THE POLITICAL WINDS

BROUGHT A GROWING SENSE OF HOPE
TO THE SUFFGE MOVEMENT.

JEANETTE RANKIN OF MONTANA

BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN
EVER ELECTED TO CONGRESS.

NEXT, PRESIDENT WILSON...

COURTING THE VOTES OF WESTERN
WOMEN FOR HIS REELECTION...

ANNOUNCED HE WOULD SUPPORT
WOMAN SUFFRAGE

BUT ONLY BY STATE ACTION,
NOT BY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

AND FINALLY, CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT

TOOK OVER THE NATIONAL
SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

FROM ANNA HOWARD SHAW.

CATT WOULD CENTRALIZE THE POWER
OF TWO MILLION WOMEN

SCATTERED ACROSS 44 STATES.

Cott:
THE NATIONAL WAS
REALLY FLOUNDERING

AND PEOPLE AROUND SHAW
REALIZED THAT.

SO IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO BRING IN SOMEONE

WHO HAD A SENSE OF HOW
TO DIRECT A LARGE ORGANIZATION

AND CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT
WAS PERFECT FOR THAT.

SHE WAS OFTEN CALLED THE GENERAL
AND THAT IS THE WAY SHE ACTED.

SHE ACTED LIKE A GREAT GENERAL

DEPLOYING HER FORCES
ON THE FIELD.

Catt:
THERE SHOULD BE A MOBILIZATION
OF STATE ARMIES.

THEY SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED
AND OBEDIENT

AND SHOULD MOVE ON CONGRESS
WITH PRECISION AND WILL.

THOSE WHO ENTER ON THIS TASK
SHOULD PREPARE

TO GIVE THEIR LIVES
AND FORTUNES FOR SUCCESS.

Sarandon:
CATT HAD SPENT A LIFETIME
BATTLING FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

SHE HAD DEFIED HER PARENTS
TO GO TO COLLEGE;

AT 25 BECAME A JOURNALIST;

BY 30 THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT'S
GREATEST ORGANIZER.

AT 57 SHE WAS A SEASONED
AND SKILLFUL LEADER.

NOW CATT WOULD UNITE THE
SPRAWLING MAINSTREAM ASSOCIATION

BEHIND A SINGLE GOAL:

TO JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

CATT DEVISED HER SO-CALLED
"WINNING PLAN."

IT WAS A PLAN THAT FOCUSED
ON THE FEDERAL AMENDMENT

DID NOT ABANDON THE STATES

BUT TIED WORK IN THE STATES
INTO THE FEDERAL AMENDMENT.

Sarandon:
CATT'S CAMPAIGN WON SUPPORT
AMONG SUFFRAGISTS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
EXCEPT IN THE SOUTH.

HERE HER SMALL BUT STURDY
BAND OF FOLLOWERS

FACED UNBENDING OPPOSITION
TO A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

THE SOUTH WAS VERY HOSTILE
TO WOMAN SUFFRAGE

AND THE SOUTHERN SUFFRAGISTS
HAD A DIFFICULT TIME.

PART OF IT WAS THAT IT WAS
THE REGION OF THE UNITED STATES

THAT WAS THE MOST RESISTANT
TO ANY CHANGE IN WOMAN'S ROLE.

Sarandon:
EQUALLY POWERFUL
WAS THE RACE ISSUE.

SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS CLAIMED THAT
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

WOULD GIVE THE VOTE
TO MILLIONS OF BLACK WOMEN

THREATENING WHITE SUPREMACY.

IN WASHINGTON

WHERE SOUTHERN POLITICIANS
HELD THE AMENDMENT HOSTAGE

CARRIE CATT MOUNTED
A SOPHISTICATED CAMPAIGN.

SHE NAMED MAUD WOOD PARK
CHIEF LOBBYIST

FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

A VETERAN OF
THE MASSACHUSETTS CRUSADES

PARK HAD ONCE CORNERED
A LEGISLATOR IN A BOSTON SALOON

JUST TO GET HIS VOTE.

WITHIN MONTHS, PARK HAD
RECRUITED HUNDREDS OF WOMEN.

THEY PROWLED
THE HALLS OF CONGRESS

ALONGSIDE ALICE PAUL'S LOBBYISTS
IN UNEASY SISTERHOOD.

PARK PROVIDED RECRUITS
WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

ON THE CARE AND FEEDING
OF LEGISLATORS.

Actress as Park:
BE SURE TO READ DETAILED
RECORDS OF EACH MEMBER

BEFORE CALLING ON HIM.

AND BE COURTEOUS NO MATTER
WHAT THE PROVOCATION.

Man:
I KNOW WHY YOU WOMEN
WANT A FEDERAL AMENDMENT.

IT'S BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER GET
ANOTHER STATE... YOU'RE DONE.

Park:
DO NOT IGNORE TRIFLES.

A BADLY DIGESTED LUNCHEON IN
THE STOMACH OF A REPRESENTATIVE

MAY CHANGE THE COURSE
OF HISTORY.

Cott:
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS
LIKE FOR THESE WOMEN TO LOBBY

IN THE HOUSE OR IN THE SENATE

SINCE THESE WERE
SUCH MALE DOMAINS.

THESE GRAND HALLS JUST REEKED
OF MALE PRIVILEGE

AND MALE PREROGATIVE.

MAYBE THEY WERE SOMEWHAT
INSPIRED BY THE FACT

THAT THERE WERE WOMEN PICTURED.

AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THESE
ALLEGORICAL REPRESENTATIONS

GAVE WOMEN SOME HEART,
SOME SPIRIT

TO THINK ABOUT
THE BELONGINGNESS OF WOMEN

IN THOSE HALLOWED HALLS.

Park:
KNOCK AT A CLOSED OFFICE DOOR
AND THEN ENTER IMMEDIATELY.

THE KNOCK IS TO WARN THE MAN WHO
MIGHT HAVE HIS FEET ON A DESK;

THE IMMEDIATE ENTRANCE IS
TO KEEP HIM FROM LEAVING.

Man:
I'M WITH YOU.

I'M FOR IT;
I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT.

NOW, DON'T BOTHER ME.

Park:
TAKE CARE NEVER TO BE IN
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE BUILDINGS

LATER THAN 6:00.

WE HEAR RUMORS
THAT IN THE EVENING

OFFICES ARE NOT ALWAYS
DEVOTED TO PUBLIC BUSINESS.

DuBois:
WOMEN ENTERED THIS BATTLE
AT THE BEGINNING

LARGELY IGNORANT OF WHAT
IT MEANT TO MOVE POLITICALLY

THROUGH AMERICAN SOCIETY.

AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR
A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF WOMEN

TO DEVELOP THE POLITICAL SKILLS

TO MANEUVER SUCH
A DIFFICULT ENTERPRISE

THROUGH THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL SYSTEM.

Sarandon:
MONTHS OF LOBBYING
WON MANY NEW FRIENDS

IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS

BUT THE WOMEN
WERE STILL A WORLD AWAY

FROM HAVING THE TWO-THIRDS
MAJORITY THEY NEEDED

TO PASS THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY
AMENDMENT.

Man:
♪ JOHNNY, GET YOUR GUN,
GET YOUR GUN, GET YOUR GUN ♪

♪ PINKY'S ON THE RUN,
ON THE RUN, ON THE RUN ♪

♪ HEAR THEM CALLING YOU AND ME ♪

♪ EVERY SON OF LIBERTY ♪

♪ OVER THERE... ♪

Sarandon:
APRIL 1917.

AMERICA ENTERED THE WORLD WAR

THAT HAD BEEN RAGING IN EUROPE
FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.

FOR THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT,
IT BROUGHT A GREAT CRISIS

PITTING MAINSTREAM AND MILITANT
ACTIVISTS AGAINST EACH OTHER

ONCE AGAIN.

Cott:
THE NATIONAL REALIZES THAT MANY
PEOPLE WILL EXPECT SUFFRAGISTS

TO PUT ASIDE THEIR GOAL
OF SUFFRAGE

AND COMMIT THEMSELVES
ENTIRELY TO THE WAR.

THIS WAS, IN FACT, WHAT STANTON
AND ANTHONY HAD DONE

DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

SO CATT, AS LEADER
OF THE NATIONAL

DECIDED THAT HER ORGANIZATION
WOULD DECLARE FOR BOTH.

Park:
SUFFRAGISTS ARE QUITE CAPABLE
OF CONDUCTING THE VOTE CAMPAIGN

AND ALSO OF DOING
ALL THE WAR SERVICE

THAT IS LIKELY
TO COME THEIR WAY.

Cott:
AND SO THE NATIONAL ITSELF
SET UP AN AGENCY

THAT HAD TO DO WITH
HOSPITALIZATION AND NURSING

FOR SOLDIERS

AND THEY DIRECTED
THEIR LOYAL WORKERS

TO SPEND THEIR TIME
ON BOTH PROJECTS.

THE NATIONAL WAS VERY WISE

IN THAT WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC WORK
REALLY MATTERED.

IT WAS NOT ONLY THE
MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD STRATEGY

AND THE ONE THAT WOULD APPEAL

TO MOST OF HER OWN IMMEDIATE
CONSTITUENTS IN THE NATIONAL.

IT WAS A VERY POLITIC STRATEGY

IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT
CONGRESSMEN COULD LATER REACT

TO WHAT THEY SAW
THE SUFFRAGISTS DOING.

Sarandon:
ALICE PAUL AND
HER SPLINTER ORGANIZATION...

NOW CALLED THE NATIONAL
WOMAN'S PARTY...

ELECTED TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE.

Paul:
OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED

ONLY TO THE ENFRANCHISEMENT
OF WOMEN.

PRESIDENT WILSON
HAS MADE IT CLEAR

THAT HE WANTS NO MORE AUDIENCES
WITH OUR LOBBYISTS

SO WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION
TO HAVE A PERPETUAL DELEGATION

SIX DAYS A WEEK
AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE.

Sarandon:
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

WOMEN WERE PICKETING
THE WHITE HOUSE

DEMANDING THAT
THE PRESIDENT SUPPORT

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

SOCIETY WOMEN, WORKING WOMEN,
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN.

Fry:
THEY JUST SENT OUT MAILINGS

AND ADVERTISED IT IN THEIR
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, THE SUFFRAGIST

AND WOMEN BEGAN TO COME.

THE RULES WERE, AS USUAL,
IT HAD TO BE BEAUTIFUL;

THEY WERE TO BE SILENT
AND LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD;

VERY DIGNIFIED.

Sarandon:
SOME PICKETS HAD COME WITH
THEIR HUSBANDS' APPROVAL;

OTHERS IN DEFIANCE
OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS

SUSTAINED BY
SUSAN B. ANTHONY'S MOTTO

"RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY
IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD."

AT FIRST, WOODROW WILSON
TOLERATED THE PROTESTERS

EVEN OFFERING THEM TEA
ON A COLD AFTERNOON.

NOT SO CARRIE CATT, WHO COULD
BARELY CONTAIN HER ANGER.

Catt:
"MY DEAR MISS PAUL, I URGE
THE NATIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY

"TO WITHDRAW ITS PICKETS
STATIONED AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE PICKETING IS AN UNWARRANTED
DISCOURTESY TO THE PRESIDENT."

Cott:
THE PICKETING SEEMED
TO THE NATIONAL SO IMPOLITIC.

THEY FELT IT DIRECTLY COUNTERED
THEIR CONGRESSIONAL STRATEGY

THAT IT COULDN'T WORK TO ADVANCE
THE FEDERAL AMENDMENT

BUT ONLY THE OPPOSITE

AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS
JUST PLAIN STUPID.

Sarandon:
IGNORING THEIR CRITICS

THE MILITANTS
ESCALATED THE CAMPAIGN.

THEY CARRIED BANNERS
THAT MOCKED THE PRESIDENT

FLAUNTING PHRASES FROM
HIS WARTIME SPEECHES.

Actor as Wilson:
FOR DEMOCRACY, FOR THE RIGHT
OF THOSE WHO SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY

TO HAVE A VOICE
IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.

Sarandon:
FOR A NATION AT WAR

MANY AMERICANS BEGAN TO SEE
THE PICKETING AS TREASONOUS.

Cott:
THEY CARRIED SIGNS
IN VERY BAD TASTE.

THEY CARRIED SIGNS THAT CALLED
WILSON "KAISER WILSON."

THE KAISER WAS THE PERSON
WE WERE AT WAR AGAINST

AND TO CALL HIM A KAISER

BECAUSE HE AND HIS PARTY HAD
NOT GRANTED LIBERTY TO WOMEN

AND POLITICAL FREEDOM

WAS ABOUT THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS
THING THEY COULD HAVE DONE.

Woman:
I DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN
ELIZABETH TOOK THIS BANNER OUT

BUT I THINK SHE WAS
ON THE 4:00 SHIFT.

THE CROWD GREW AND GREW.

THERE WAS SOMETHING
BREWING IN THEM

BUT WHAT, YOU COULD NOT GUESS.

SUDDENLY, IT CAME.

A MAN DASHED FROM THE CROWD
AND TORE THE BANNER DOWN.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER,
OTHER BANNERS WERE TORN DOWN.

ALICE PAUL WAS
KNOCKED DOWN THREE TIMES

BY A SAILOR IN UNIFORM

AND DRAGGED THE WIDTH OF
THE WHITE HOUSE SIDEWALK

IN HIS FRENZIED ATTEMPT
TO TEAR OFF HER SUFFRAGE SASH.

MISS ELIZABETH STUYVESANT WAS
STRUCK BY A SOLDIER IN UNIFORM

AND HER BLOUSE TORN
FROM HER BODY.

Sarandon:
DAY AFTER DAY, THE WOMEN TOOK UP
THEIR PLACES AT THE WHITE HOUSE

KNOWING THEY WOULD
BE ATTACKED

UNPROTECTED BY THE POLICE
OR THE PRESIDENT.

THE ATTACKS WERE
FRONT-PAGE NEWS.

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE CALLED
THE PICKETS "BOLSHEVIKS."

THE BOSTON JOURNAL TOOK
A KINDER VIEW.

Man:
"RIGHT OR WRONG, THE SUFFRAGISTS
AT WASHINGTON ARE ENTITLED

"TO POLICE PROTECTION

"EVEN THOUGH IN THE MIND
OF THE ADMINISTRATION

THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED
TO THE BALLOT."

Cott:
THEY WERE VERY, VERY
FREQUENTLY ATTACKED.

THAT IS WHEN THE WILSON
ADMINISTRATION DECIDED

THAT THESE PICKETS HAD
TO BE GOTTEN RID OF

AND THE WOMEN STARTED
TO BE ARRESTED.

Sarandon:
JULY 14, 1917...

THE POLICE ASSEMBLED
FROM OBSCURE SPOTS.

THE LEADER WAS PLACED
UNDER ARREST.

HER PLACE WAS TAKEN BY ANOTHER.

SHE WAS TAKEN.

ANOTHER, AND STILL ANOTHER
STEPPED INTO THE BREACH

AND WAS ARRESTED.

YOUNGER WOMEN AND WHITE-HAIRED
GRANDMOTHERS WERE HOISTED

BEFORE THE PUBLIC GAZE
INTO THE PATROL WAGON.

ALL THROUGH THE SUMMER AND FALL,
THE WOMEN WERE SENT TO PRISON...

SOME FOR DAYS,
SOME WEEKS, SOME MONTHS.

THE CHARGE IN EVERY CASE
WAS "OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC."

Man:
GET OUT OF THE STREETS.

Woman 1:
WE WERE SILENTLY, PEACEFULLY

ATTEMPTING TO GAIN THE FREEDOM
OF 20 MILLION WOMEN.

WE ARE GUILTY OF NO CRIME.

WE DEMAND OUR FREEDOM

AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ASK FOR
IT UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS.

Woman 2:
WE WERE OBLIGED, ONE BY ONE

TO REMOVE ALL OUR CLOTHING
BEFORE THE ENTIRE COMPANY.

AFTER TAKING A SHOWER...

Woman 3:
OUR DAYS WERE SPENT
IN THE SEWING ROOM.

OUR MAIL WAS CUT OFF

AND WE HAD NO CONTACT
WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

Woman 4:
I WAS FED FOOD FILLED WITH WORMS
AND VILE WITH SALTPETER

FOOD CONSISTING OF CASTOFFS

AND ROTTING HORSEMEAT
AND INSECT-RIDDEN STARCHES.

UPON THIS FARE I WAS
PUT AT HARD LABOR

FROM 7:00 A.M. UNTIL 5:00 P.M.

IT DID NOT BREAK THEIR
SPIRIT, OF COURSE.

IT JUST MADE THEM
MORE DETERMINED

BECAUSE THEY WERE SO OUTRAGED.

A LOT OF WOMEN WENT BACK
TO THE PICKET LINES AGAIN.

Sarandon:
PRISON ABUSE RADICALIZED
EVEN THE MOST GENTEEL PICKETS.

IN ALL, 168 WOMEN WERE JAILED

MANY RETURNING TO PRISON
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AFTER FIVE MONTHS,
THE AUTHORITIES WERE FRUSTRATED.

THE CHIEF WARDEN WAS CALLED
TO A MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

WHEN HE RETURNED, HE WAS
DETERMINED TO SCARE THE WOMEN

INTO STOPPING THE CAMPAIGN.

73-YEAR-OLD MARY NOLAN,
A SUFFRAGE PIONEER FROM FLORIDA

REMEMBERED IT AS
THE NIGHT OF TERROR.

Actress as Nolan:
THE GUARDS FELL UPON US.

TWO MEN SEIZED MRS. LEWIS,
LIFTED HER UP

AND CATAPULTED HER
THROUGH THE DOORWAY.

I SAID TO THEM,
"I WILL COME WITH YOU.

I HAVE A LAME FOOT."

BUT I WAS DRAGGED DOWN THE
STEPS AND AWAY INTO THE DARK.

Woman:
WE ARE POLITICAL PRISONERS.

Sarandon:
THE WOMEN WERE TAKEN TO AN
ISOLATED WING OF THE PRISON.

Guard:
NO TALKING!

GET IN THERE.

Woman:
LET ME GO!

Nolan:
THE BED BROKE MY FALL,
BUT MRS. COSU HIT THE WALL.

MRS. LEWIS, DOUBLED OVER LIKE
A SACK OF FLOUR, WAS THROWN IN.

HER HEAD HIT THE BED
AND SHE FELL OVER SENSELESS.

Woman:
MRS. NOLAN! MRS. LEWIS!

Nolan:
THEY HANDCUFFED LUCY'S WRISTS

AND FASTENED THE HANDCUFFS
ABOVE THE CELL DOOR.

SHE WORE HER HANDCUFFS
ALL NIGHT.

IT SEEMED TO ME THAT
THE TREATMENT WE RECEIVED

WAS OUT OF ALL PROPORTION

TO THE OFFENSE WITH
WHICH WE WERE CHARGED.

Sarandon:
AS WORD OF THE WOMEN'S TREATMENT
REACHED THE OUTSIDE WORLD

MANY CAME FORWARD TO PROTEST.

A SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS,
AFTER VISITING THE PRISON

MADE A PUBLIC STATEMENT.

"IN ALL MY YEARS
OF CRIMINAL PRACTICE," HE SAID

"I HAVE NEVER SEEN PRISONERS
SO BADLY TREATED."

MANY APPEALED TO THE
PRESIDENT TO INTERCEDE

BUT THE WHITE HOUSE CHOSE
TO MAINTAIN A PUBLIC SILENCE.

McGerr:
WILSON ALWAYS DENIED

THAT ALICE PAUL AND RADICAL
ACTION HAD ANY IMPACT ON HIM.

BUT WILSON KNEW
THOSE WOMEN WERE THERE

AND THEY WEREN'T GOING AWAY

AND HE KNEW WHAT
AN EMBARRASSMENT THEY WERE.

HE MIGHT NOT WANT
TO DEAL WITH THEM.

HE CERTAINLY PREFERRED
TO DEAL WITH CARRIE CATT

AND THE NAWSA RATHER
THAN THESE RADICAL WOMEN.

BUT PART OF THE REASON HE WAS
FORCED TO DEAL WITH CARRIE CATT

WAS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T
ESCAPE THE RADICALS.

Fry:
IN OCTOBER,
ALICE PAUL WENT OUT ON THE LINE

AND THEY REALLY
SLAPPED IT TO HER.

THEY GAVE HER SIX MONTHS
PLUS ONE MONTH IN PRISON.

AND OF COURSE
SHE HUNGER-STRUCK.

Sarandon:
FOR FIVE WEEKS, ALICE PAUL
WAS KEPT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

FORCE-FED THREE TIMES A DAY
BY PRISON OFFICIALS.

A PSYCHIATRIST WAS SUMMONED
TO EXAMINE HER

IN HOPES HE WOULD
DECLARE HER INSANE.

Fry:
HE SAID THAT THERE'S NOTHING
WRONG WITH THIS WOMAN.

SHE'S JUST VERY DETERMINED.

HE SAID THAT SHE HAD
THE SPIRIT OF JOAN OF ARC

AND THAT SHE WOULD GO
ON HER HUNGER STRIKE

AND SHE WOULDN'T GIVE UP.

AND SHE MIGHT DIE,
BUT SHE WOULDN'T GIVE UP.

Woman:
♪ OH, BEHOLD THE
WONDROUS MORNING ♪

♪ DAYLIGHT HAS COME AT LAST... ♪

Sarandon:
OTHER WOMEN FOLLOWED
ALICE PAUL'S LEAD.

30 PRISONERS REFUSED TO EAT.

LYING ON A STONE FLOOR,
SOME WITH HIGH FEVERS

EIGHT WOMEN WERE
IN A STATE OF NEAR COLLAPSE.

ONE SYMPATHIZER NAMED THEM
THE "IRON-JAWED ANGELS."

THE ADMINISTRATION CAPITULATED.

ALL PRISONERS WERE
UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASED.

♪ WE ARE MARCHING
ON TO VICTORY ♪

Woman:
♪ COMING IN OUR MIGHT,
FOR OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT ♪

♪ WE ARE MARCHING... ♪

Fry:
THE PUBLICITY WAS
TREMENDOUS FROM THAT

AND THE MAIL BEGAN POURING
INTO CONGRESSMEN'S OFFICES.

THE MAIN IDEA HERE
WAS NEVER DROPPED

AND THAT IS,
"THIS ISN'T GOING TO STOP

UNTIL YOU PASS
THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT."

Paul:
WE HAVE WON.

THEY HAVE NOW SHOT THEIR BIGGEST
PIECE OF AMMUNITION AT US.

FROM NOW ON, WE WILL WIN
AND THEY WILL LOSE.

Man:
♪ VOTES FOR WIMIN... ♪

Woman:
♪ VOTES FOR WIMIN... ♪

Both:
♪ VOTES FOR WIMIN IS
THE TOPIC OF THE DAY... ♪

Sarandon:
IN NOVEMBER 1917,
THE STATE OF NEW YORK

AN ANTISUFFRAGE FORTRESS
FOR ALMOST 70 YEARS

FINALLY GAVE WOMEN
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Man and woman:
♪ WE KNOW JUST WHY
WE ARE WEARING A GRIN ♪

♪ MIGHTY NEW YORK HAS
FINALLY CAVED IN... ♪

Sarandon:
THE LARGEST CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION IN THE COUNTRY

FROM THE NATION'S
MOST POWERFUL STATE

WOULD NOW BE OBLIGED TO SUPPORT
THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT.

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SCHEDULED A VOTE

FOR JANUARY 10, 1918.

THE FIRST SKIRMISH IN THE
FINAL BATTLE WAS UNDER WAY.

BOTH SUFFRAGE GROUPS DOUBLED
THEIR EFFORTS ON CAPITOL HILL

WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THEIR CONGRESSIONAL ALLIES.

ONE OPPONENT COMPLAINED
HE WAS BEING HARASSED

BY A "PETTICOAT BRIGADE."

THEY APPEALED TO WOODROW WILSON
TO COME OUT FOR THE AMENDMENT

AND BRING OTHER
DEMOCRATS WITH HIM

BUT FOR WEEKS THERE WAS NO
WORD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

THEN, ON THE AFTERNOON
BEFORE THE HOUSE VOTE

CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN RAKER ANNOUNCED

THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD FINALLY
AGREED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

Woman:
A SMALL GROUP OF US
STOOD OUTSIDE

WAITING FOR THE FIRST WORD
OF THAT INTERVIEW.

IT SEEMED INTERMINABLE.

THEN, OUT CAME CHEERY
MR. RAKER WITH THE NEWS.

Actor as Raker:
THE PRESIDENT HAS DECLARED FOR
THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT

AND WILL STAY HOME
FROM HIS GOLF GAME

TO SEE ANY CONGRESSMEN WHO WISH
TO CONSULT HIM ABOUT IT.

Man:
WOODROW WILSON
WAS ALWAYS SENSITIVE

TO POLITICAL POSSIBILITIES

AND HE ALSO RECOGNIZED, AFTER
1918 AND THE NEW YORK REFERENDUM

THAT HE HAD TO SOLICIT
THE WOMEN'S VOTE.

IT WAS A RECOGNITION

WHICH WAS BEGINNING TO DAWN
ON OTHER DEMOCRATS, TOO.

I AM NOT SURE THAT WILSON
WAS EVER IN HIS HEART

AS A HUMAN BEING, A STRONG
ADVOCATE OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE

BUT HE DID HAVE THE NECESSARY
POLITICAL CAPACITY

TO PERSUADE HIMSELF TO BELIEVE
WHAT WAS TACTICALLY USEFUL.

Sarandon:
THE MORNING OF THE HOUSE VOTE

DAWNED CRISP, BRIGHT
AND UNCERTAIN

AS CROWDS DESCENDED
ON THE CAPITOL.

CARRIE CATT'S LOBBYIST, MAUD
WOOD PARK, ARRIVED IN A PANIC.

PARK HAD JUST LEARNED

THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD
NOT GAINED A SINGLE VOTE

AND THAT SEVERAL
PROSUFFRAGE CONGRESSMEN

WOULD BE ABSENT
FROM THE CHAMBER.

Park:
BESET BY NAUSEATING FEAR, I WENT
TO MY SEAT IN THE GALLERY.

I HAD A HARD TIME TO
GET TO THE FRONT ROW

FOR THE STANDING
SPACE AT THE BACK

WAS SUFFOCATINGLY
CROWDED WITH WOMEN

MANY OF WHOM HAD BEEN
THERE FOR HOURS.

Actor as clerk:
THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO VOTE
SHALL NOT BE DENIED OR ABRIDGED

BY THE UNITED STATES OR BY
ANY STATE ON ACCOUNT OF SEX.

Cott:
IT REALLY WASN'T KNOWN

ON THAT FATEFUL DAY
OF JANUARY 10, 1918

HOW THE VOTE WOULD COME OUT
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Raker:
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IS NO
LONGER A QUESTION.

IT IS AN ESTABLISHED FACT.

Sarandon:
THEN, CONGRESSWOMAN JEANETTE
RANKIN TOOK THE FLOOR.

Actress as Rankin:
HOW CAN THIS CONGRESS

WHICH VOTED FOR WAR TO MAKE
THE WORLD SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY

REFUSE THIS SMALL MEASURE
OF DEMOCRACY TO WOMEN?

Clerk:
THE HONORABLE MR. MOON.

Man as Moon:
TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER
OF IGNORANT VOTERS

BY GIVING COLORED WOMEN
THE RIGHT TO VOTE

WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY INTOLERABLE.

Cott:
THEY WORKED UP
TO THE LAST MINUTE

BRINGING IN MEN WHO,
ON ANY OTHER VOTE

WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
PRESENT ON THE FLOOR.

FOUR OF THE CONGRESSMEN

WERE TAKEN LITERALLY
FROM THEIR SICKBEDS.

ONE CAME IN
WITH A BROKEN SHOULDER AND ARM

THAT HE REFUSED TO
GO OFF AND HAVE SET

BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG
AND HE WOULD MISS THE VOTE.

ANOTHER HAD BEEN IN THE
HOSPITAL FOR SIX MONTHS

AND WAS TAKEN FROM THERE,
WHITE AS A GHOST

BARELY ABLE TO STAND UP,
IN ORDER TO CAST HIS VOTE.

A THIRD WAS EITHER CARRIED IN
OR CARRIED OUT ON A STRETCHER

AND THEN YET ANOTHER
MAN HAD TO LEAVE

THE DEATHBED OF
HIS WIFE TO COME.

SHE WAS AN ARDENT SUFFRAGIST

AND HE HAD PROMISED HER HE
WOULD VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT.

HE VOTED FOR IT, THEN
LEFT FOR HER FUNERAL.

INDEED, ONLY SIX CONGRESSMEN
FAILED TO VOTE ON THIS QUESTION.

Clerk:
MR. CLARK OF FLORIDA.

Clark:
NAY.

Clerk:
MR. CLARK OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Clark:
AYE!

Park:
WHEN TWO OR THREE "NOs" CAME
IN SUCCESSION

IT WAS ALMOST MORE
THAN I COULD BEAR.

HALFWAY THROUGH THE VOTE

I REALIZED OUR VICTORY
WAS IN DOUBT.

Clerk:
MR. PRICE.

Price:
NAY!

Clerk:
MISS RANKIN.

Rankin:
AYE!

Clerk:
MR. WEAVER.

Weaver:
AYE!

Clerk:
WITH A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY...

Cott:
IT JUST BARELY MANAGED TO PASS.

AND WHEN IT WAS CLEAR
THAT IT HAD HAPPENED

A VOICE WAS HEARD
SINGING THE OLD HYMN

"PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM
ALL BLESSINGS FLOW."

AND THE WHOLE GALLERY

ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM
BEGAN TO JOIN IN.

♪ NOW CAN WE RAISE
OUR VOICES HIGH ♪

♪ AND SHOUT HOSANNAS
TO THE SKY... ♪

Park:
THANKS STUCK IN MY THROAT.

I HAD A HARD TIME TO
KEEP BACK THE TEARS.

WE HAD ONE VOTE TO SPARE.

IF ANY ONE OF THE MEN WHO HAD
COME AT GREAT RISK TO THEMSELVES

HAD NOT BEEN THERE,
WE WOULD HAVE LOST.

Sarandon:
THE MORNING AFTER THE HOUSE VOTE

THE SUFFRAGE LEADERS
WERE BACK AT WORK.

THE AMENDMENT WOULD NOW HAVE
TO WIN A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY

IN THE SENATE.

Catt:
"TELEGRAMS TO YOUR SENATORS.

"PUT ON YOUR ARMOR
AND MOBILIZE YOUR ARMY.

YOURS FOR VICTORY,
CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT."

Sarandon:
HUNGRY FOR VICTORY, LEADERS
WERE WILLING TO COMPROMISE.

SOUTHERN SENATORS
HAD PROPOSED A RIDER

TO THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT
WHICH WOULD ALLOW STATES

TO DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST BLACK WOMEN.

WITH THEIR GOAL IN SIGHT, WHITE
SUFFRAGISTS DID NOT PROTEST.

I WOULDN'T SAY
THAT CATT WAS AN EXTREMIST

BUT I THINK SHE WAS WILLING
TO SACRIFICE BLACK WOMEN...

IF SHE HAD TO, IN ORDER
TO GET THE AMENDMENT THROUGH.

Sarandon:
LEADERS REPRESENTING MORE
THAN 50,000 BLACK CLUB WOMEN

SPOKE OUT.

"WE ARE MOST CONCERNED
THAT WOMEN SHALL HAVE THE VOTE"

ONE SAID, "AND THE WORD 'WOMEN'
MUST INCLUDE COLORED WOMEN."

PROGRESSIVE SENATORS DEFEATED
THE DISCRIMINATORY CLAUSE

BUT WHITE SUFFRAGISTS
CONTINUED TO PURSUE

THE VOTES OF SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS.

ON JUNE 4, 1919

THE SENATE FINALLY PASSED
THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT

BY ONE VOTE.

FOR ALL SUFFRAGISTS,
IT WAS THE SIGNAL

TO ORGANIZE FOR THE MOST
DIFFICULT FIGHT OF ALL.

Woman:
TELL THE FOLKS BACK HOME.

Sarandon:
TO BECOME LAW,
36 STATE LEGISLATURES

WOULD HAVE TO RATIFY
THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT.

Woman:
♪ THERE IS A BAND OF WOMEN ♪

♪ AND TO OUR BANNER BORN ♪

♪ EMERGING FROM
THE DARKNESS PAST ♪

♪ AND LOOKING TOWARD THE MORN ♪

♪ THEIR MOTHERS LABORED
WEIGHTED ♪

♪ THROUGH A NIGHT
WITHOUT A STAR ♪

♪ THE MORNING SHOWS
A SUFFRAGE FLAG ♪

♪ THAT BEARS THE WOMAN'S STAR. ♪

♪ HURRAH, HURRAH,
FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, HURRAH ♪

♪ HURRAH FOR THE SUFFRAGE FLAG
THAT BEARS THE WOMAN'S STAR. ♪

Sarandon:
EACH TIME A NEW STATE
FELL IN LINE

ALICE PAUL SEWED A SATIN STAR
ON THE "VICTORY BANNER."

BY MARCH OF 1920,
SHE HAD 35 STARS.

THEN, DELAWARE DEFEATED
THE AMENDMENT.

IT WAS A TERRIBLE BLOW.

THE WOMEN WERE FORCED TO TURN
TO THE ANTISUFFRAGE SOUTH

WHERE THEY HOPED
THE BORDER STATE OF TENNESSEE

WOULD BECOME THE 36th
AND FINAL STATE.

THE QUIET TOWN OF NASHVILLE WAS
UNPREPARED FOR THE ONSLAUGHT.

Wheeler:
THE SUMMER OF 1920
IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

WAS RATHER EXTRAORDINARY.

IT WAS HOT AND MISERABLE, AND...

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE
FROM ALL OVER THE NATION

BOTH PRO- AND ANTISUFFRAGE,
DESCENDED UPON NASHVILLE

TO HAVE IT OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL.

IN A SUFFRAGE CAMPAIGN

THAT HAD BEEN BITTERLY FOUGHT
FOR A LONG TIME

EVERYBODY ON BOTH SIDES WAS
GOING TO PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS

WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE END.

Sarandon:
ALL PARTIES SET UP HEADQUARTERS
IN THE ELEGANT HERMITAGE HOTEL

A BLOCK FROM THE STATE HOUSE.

CARRIE CATT COMMANDED
OPERATIONS FROM HER SUITE

LEAVING THE PUBLIC LOBBYING
TO THE TENNESSEE WOMEN.

THE NATIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY
CAMPAIGN WAS ALSO RUN

BY LOCAL SUFFRAGISTS.

KNOWING HER PRESENCE
WOULD STIR CONTROVERSY

ALICE PAUL DIRECTED STRATEGY
FROM WASHINGTON.

ANTISUFFRAGE WOMEN...
CALLING THEMSELVES

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR THE REJECTION OF THE
SUSAN B. ANTHONY AMENDMENT...

TOOK OVER THE ENTIRE MEZZANINE.

AND THE LEGISLATORS, WHO
WERE STAYING AT THE HERMITAGE

DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION,
BECAME THE TARGETS FOR EVERYONE.

Wheeler:
THE LOBBIES OF BOTH
THE HERMITAGE HOTEL

AND THERE AT THE CAPITOL,
WERE CROWDED

WITH PEOPLE BUSILY
PLYING THEIR LEGISLATORS

TRYING TO PERSUADE THEM
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

BUT I IMAGINE THAT A LOT
OF THAT LOBBYING WENT ON

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

Catt:
MY FRIENDS, THE OPPOSITION
OF EVERY SORT IS HERE

FIGHTING DESPERATELY
WITH NO SCRUPLES

APPEALING TO NEGROPHOBIA AND
EVERY OTHER CAVEMAN'S PREJUDICE.

OUR TELEGRAMS ARE STOLEN,
OUR TELEPHONES TAPPED.

MEN, LOTS OF THEM, ARE HERE.

WE BELIEVE THEY
ARE BUYING VOTES.

Sarandon:
AS THE SUMMER WORE ON,
THE SUFFRAGISTS WATCHED

AS VOTES SLIPPED AWAY.

"HAVING A MEMBER'S VOTE IN
THE MORNING," ONE WORKER SAID

"DID NOT AT ALL MEAN YOU WOULD
STILL HAVE IT BY THE EVENING."

THE WOMEN WERE CONVINCED
THAT THEIR OLD ENEMIES

FROM THE LIQUOR AND
MANUFACTURING LOBBIES

WERE BRIBING THE LEGISLATORS.

BY THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 17

IT WAS FEARED THAT THE AMENDMENT
WOULD LOSE THE NEXT DAY...

BY ONE VOTE.

NEAR DAWN, CARRIE CATT
SENT HER WEARY ARMY TO BED

SAYING, "ALL WE CAN
DO NOW IS PRAY."

THE NEXT MORNING,
SUFFRAGISTS, ANTISUFFRAGISTS

THE PRESS, AND THE CURIOUS
JAMMED THE TENNESSEE STATE HOUSE

FOR THE FINAL SHOWDOWN.

OVERFLOW CROWDS STOOD
FOR HOURS IN THE STIFLING HEAT

WAITING FOR NEWS
FROM THE INSIDE.

Wheeler:
THEY HELD THEIR BREATH
WHEN THEY CALLED THE ROLL

AND ABOUT THE SEVENTH VOTE CAST
WAS THAT OF HARRY BURN

THE YOUNGEST MEMBER
OF THE LEGISLATURE

24-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN
FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE

A REPUBLICAN, AND HE SENT SHOCK
WAVES THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE

WHEN HE VOTED YES.

AND IT TOOK A FEW MINUTES,
IN FACT, FOR THE SUFFRAGISTS

TO REALIZE
JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED

AND FOR THE ANTIS
TO REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

EVERYBODY WAS GOING, "WHY? WHY
DID HARRY BURN CHANGE HIS MIND?"

PEOPLE SAID, "WELL, HE
MUST HAVE BEEN BRIBED.

HE MUST HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED."

BUT ACTUALLY

WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS THAT
HARRY BURN HAD GOTTEN A LETTER

FROM HIS ELDERLY MOTHER
WHO LIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS

SAYING, "BE A GOOD BOY, HARRY,
AND DO THE RIGHT THING.

"IF IT COMES DOWN
TO YOUR ONE VOTE

HELP MRS. CATT
PUT THE RAT IN RATIFICATION."

Sarandon:
AND WHEN YOUNG HARRY BURN
DECIDED TO CHANGE HIS VOTE

WITH THAT SIMPLE STROKE
OF GOOD FORTUNE

THE BATTLE OF 72 YEARS
CAME TO AN END.

20 MILLION AMERICAN WOMEN
HAD WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Women's chorus:
♪ WE ARE MARCHING ON
TO VICTORY ♪

♪ COMING IN OUR MIGHT,
FOR THE CAUSE IS RIGHT ♪

♪ WE ARE MARCHING
TOWARDS OUR LIBERTY ♪

♪ FORWARD OUT OF NIGHT,
INTO THE LIGHT ♪

♪ EVERY LOYAL ONE,
FACE THE RISING SUN ♪

♪ COME AND NOW ENLISTED BE... ♪

Paul:
AMERICAN WOMEN NOW STAND WITH
THE VOTE, READY AT LAST TO TAKE

THEIR SHARE IN THE BURDENS
AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES

OF SELF-GOVERNMENT.

OUR VICTORY CANNOT BE
A SIGNAL FOR REST.

IT IS NOT ONLY THE SYMBOL
OF THE NEW STATUS

WHICH WOMEN HAVE EARNED,
BUT ALSO THE TOOL

WITH WHICH THEY
MUST END COMPLETELY

ALL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THEM.

♪ AND WE SHALL CONQUER ♪

♪ HARD THOUGH THE FIGHT MAY BE ♪

♪ AND WITH HEARTS
NE'ER WEAK NOR WEARY ♪

♪ WE'LL WIN FROM SEA TO SEA ♪

♪ FATHERS AND MOTHERS,
SISTERS AND BROTHERS... ♪

Catt:
THIS IS A GLORIOUS,
A WONDROUS DAY.

FOR MANY A YEAR WE HAVE MARCHED
UP THE LONG HILL TOGETHER

YOU AND I.

NOW WE WILL ALL GO
OUR SEPARATE WAYS

HOLDING IN OUR HEARTS
TENDER MEMORIES

OF OUR COMRADES
IN THE GREAT WAR.

♪ FOR OUR CAUSE IS RIGHT ♪

♪ WE ARE MARCHING... ♪

Catt:
I HAVE LIVED TO REALIZE
THE GREAT DREAM OF MY LIFE:

THE ENFRANCHISEMENT OF WOMEN.

WE ARE NO LONGER PETITIONERS,
BUT FREE AND EQUAL CITIZENS.

LET US DO OUR PART

TO KEEP IT A TRUE
AND TRIUMPHANT DEMOCRACY.

♪ MARCHING ON TO VICTORY. ♪

A PRODUCTION OF WGBH BOSTON