One of the most intriguing aspects of the Kentucky equal rights movement is the tension that led to Laura Clay’s break from the Kentucky Equal Rights Association (KERA) and the National Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). From the establishment of KERA in 1888, Clay had dedicated her life to the organization and fighting for women’s rights. She was the longtime president, one of the major driving forces of its work, and, for many, the face of the woman suffrage movement in Kentucky. However, Clay’s place in the state and national movement began to shift in the early 1910s. Clay’s beliefs began
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Leaders of every successful movement find ways to market their ideas. They may develop catchy slogans, enlist celebrity support, and even sell merchandise. It turns out that suffrage supporters and organizations “marketed” their cause through a wide range of consumer goods, from whimsical collectibles to practical household items. Thanks to my thoughtful sister, who at Christmas presented me with Women’s Suffrage Memorabilia: An Illustrated Historical Study and American Woman Suffrage Postcards: A Study and Catalog, I have been reading about the surprising array
Another week has come and gone here at the KY Woman Suffrage Project, and with that comes a new blog post. For me, this week has really been about beginning to understand the personal nature of the suffrage movement. As much as we might like to think history happens in the hallowed halls of government or the bloody battlefields of war, all too often smaller things shape it. The relationships, interactions, and emotions of human beings all come together to influence the course of events, and often are just as important as the laws and dates we are taught to remember. Though the past