119: Women’s Suffrage & the Passage of the 19th Amendment

“President Wilson, how long must we wait for liberty?”

This is the story of women’s suffrage.

According to the legal doctrine of coverture, a married woman is “covered” by her husband. Legally, economically, politically—she largely ceases to exist. Yet, does widowed colonial Lydia Taft get to vote? And why does Revolutionary New Jersey buck the system, specifically writing a voting law that describes voters as “he or she,” then later disenfranchise women?

Decades pass, but the idea of women’s suffrage is resurrected. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Alice Stone, and staunch male supporters, like Henry Blackwell and Frederick Douglass, fight for it. But relationships fray as other women, anti-suffragists, fight against women’s suffrage.

Entering the twenty-first century women picket, march, face forced feedings, and endure abuse; in one case, a beloved suffragist dies. But their sacrifices won’t be in vain. ____

Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and

go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations

join discussions in our Facebook community

get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette

come see a live show

get HTDS merch

or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices