The fight for women’s suffrage has roots all across America but this historic context study, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Washington, D.C.: 1848-1973, brings to life that long history of struggle—from pickets to prison—here in our nation’s capital. The publication, funded by an Underrepresented Communities Grant from the National Park Service, identifies important themes in the movement, organizes a timeline of events, names critical players, and establishes a preliminary list of places that define this history. It has also inspired the nomination of four of those notable places for inclusion in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites and the National Register of Historic Places: the National Woman’s Party Headquarters building, the Polly Shackleton Residence, Sofia Reyes de Veyra Residence, and the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. Designation of these four sites is an important step towards honoring the contributions women made to American history through their struggle to gain the right to vote.
