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Card Advertising a Lila Meade Valentine Suffrage Lecture, 1914

CONTENT WARNING

Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation. 

Context

Richmond native Lila Meade Valentine was born in 1865 and devoted much of her life to advocating education, health-care reform, and woman suffrage. She played an important role in creating organizations which focused on health care and public schools in Richmond. In 1909, Valentine co-founded the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia (ESL) and was elected the organization's first (and only) president. Shortly after its founding, the ESL joined forces with the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), which succeeded two suffrage groups that had been formed late in the nineteenth century, the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. The NAWSA was the most mainstream and nationally prominent pro-suffrage group. In an effort to educate Virginia's citizens and legislators about woman suffrage, ESL members went door-to-door passing out leaflets and giving speeches on the subject. Common techniques used to attract women to their cause included giving speeches across the state, often from decorated automobiles, renting booths at fairs, and distributing “Votes for Women” buttons. By 1919, the league had attracted 30,000 members.

In spite of the ESL's tireless efforts, the Virginia General Assembly failed to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment which had previously been ratified by Congress in1920. The Nineteenth Amendment granted all women in the United States, including women in Virginia, the right to vote. It was not until 1952 that the Virginia General Assembly officially adopted the amendment. Women had been voting and participating in politics for 30 years at that point. After the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified and women gained the franchise, the league was reorganized as the League of Women Voters of Virginia.

Citation: Card Advertising a Lila Meade Valentine Suffrage Lecture in Norfolk, April 24, 1914.Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. Records, 1909–1935. Accession 22002, Organization Records, Library of Virginia.


For more information about the campaign for women's voting rights, see We Demand: Women's Suffrage in Virginia.

Standards

Social Studies; VS.9, VUS.1, VUS.8
Art: 4.1, 5.1
English: 4.7, 5.7

Suggested Questions

Preview Activity

Scan It: Look at the card; what immediately jumps out to you? Why do you think the creator of the card wanted those phrases and words to stand out?

Post Activities

Artistic Expression: Design a more graphic-based card for this event that you think might be more likely to encourage participation. Be sure to use era-appropriate words and symbolism.

Analyze: Notice how Lila Meade Valentine’s name is printed on the card. Why do you think her married name, Mrs. B.B. Valentine, was used on the card? What might this have signaled to the public. Keep in mind the time period and the traditional roles of women.

Current Connection: What are some examples of women today who have struggled with the notion of balancing the appearance of playing a traditional role while being an agent for change? For example, there was a controversy over the correct way to introduce First Lady Jill Biden as she holds a PhD (and thus could be addressed as Dr.) and is married (and would traditionally be addressed as Mrs.).