Title: Women Prepare Platform Fight,
Publication: Courier-Journal [Louisville KY] (16 May 1916): 3
This newspaper article from May 1916 lists the names of women of the Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs and the Kentucky Equal Rights Association who were planning to be involved in the presidential conventions at the state and local levels. The 1916 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago, June 7-10 - with a large suffrage parade, as many as 5,000, in the rain on Michigan Avenue. The 1916 Democratic National Convention was held in St. Louis, June 14-16 - and there the NAWSA had the women standing in silence on the sidewalks along the street where the delegates would march to the convention hall. This kind of tableaux vivant was called the "Golden Lane" because of the yellow parasols and suffrage banners that nearly 2,000 women wore over their white dresses. The University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center holds a photograph taken of the Kentucky Delegation for the Golden Lane - it can be found in Box 1 of the Laura Clay Photographic Collection. Some of these women listed in the newspaper article had been active in the suffrage movement, but many were relatively new to the movement. The article is transcribed below:
"Women Prepare Platform Fight, Big Delegation to Attend Democratic Convention, W.L. Threlkeld Heads Reception Committee"
Courier-Journal [Louisville KY] (16 May 1916): 3.
News from Lexington. Special to the Courier-Journal.
Lexington, Ky., May 15 - It was announced here to-day that the Kentucky woman's suffrage leaders were organizing a delegation of prominent women of the State to attend the Democratic State Convention, to be held here May 24, and urge that a suffrage plank be placed in the platform. Mrs. Richard Tasker Lowndes of Danville, chairman of legislation during the last session of the Kentucky Legislature for the Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs, has accepted the State chairmanship of the Democratic Suffrage Plank Committee for the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. Mrs. Lowndes has invited the following women to serve on her State Committee: Mrs. John C.C. [Alice] Mayo, Paintsville; Mrs. George G. Speer, Mrs. Graham Vreeland, Mrs. Sam J. Shackelford, Mrs. Eli Brown, Mrs. Augustus Thomas, Mrs. L.M. Maus, Frankfort; Mrs. W.W. Booles, Taylorsville; Mrs. James D. Black, Barbourville; Mrs. Bal Trigg, Glasgow; Mrs. John Vreeland, Mrs. William H. Field, Mrs. Aubrey Cossar, Louisville; Mrs. Ben Williams, Catlettsburg; Mrs. Robert Elkin, Lancaster; Mrs. I.H. Thurman, Springfield; Mrs. Charles Marshall, Shelbyville; Mrs. S.S. Watkins, Owensboro; Mrs. David T. Moore, Harrodsburg; Mrs. Robert G. Evans, Miss Ama Yerks Vanmeter, Danville; Mrs. H.G. Reynolds, Paducah; Mrs. Richard H. Lacey, Franklin; Mrs. Morris W. Bartlett, Lawrenceburg; Mrs. James W. Caperton, Richmond; Mrs. Charles [Jessie] Firth, Covington; Miss Dow Husbands, Paducah.
The suffragettes (sic) also propose to make a strong demonstration at the national conventions at St. Louis and Chicago. The following names of Kentucky suffragists who will go to St. Louis have been sent in to Mrs. [Josephine] Post: Mrs. J.D. Chambers, Hawesville; Mrs. Robert Rains, St. Louis; Miss Laura Clay, Lexington; Mrs. H.S. Vansant, Frankfort.
The Suffrage Plank Committee for the Republican party under the leadership of Mrs. E.C. O'Rear are: Mrs. J.G. [Christine] South, Mrs. E.P. [Katherine] Morrow and Mrs. Augustus E. [Mary] Willson.
W.L. Threlkeld was this afternoon appointed chairman of the Reception Committee of the Board of Commerce, which will welcome the delegates coming to the Democratic State Convention May 24.
Mr. Threlkeld will name the members of the committee, which will be a large one, and will include prominent Lexington business men, regardless of the political affiliation.
The committee will also have in charge the finding of accommodations for delegates who may be unable to secure rooms at the hotels.
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