Item Detail
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Beaver County Woman's Suffrage Association
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MSS SC 48
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A collection of minutes, articles, poems, and other documents relating to the W.S.A (1892-1895)
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The Beaver County Woman's Suffrage Association was organizes by a group of women March 4, 1842. This association encouraged Americans to support women and allow them the right to vote. Women suffragists wrote poetry, music, and monthly magazines to persuade women to be educated in business, politics, and education. While suffragists encouraged women to recognize their potential to contribute in politics and business, they also recognized the great responsibility women have to their husbands and children. Monthly meetings were held by the Beaver County Woman's Suffrage Association to address the specific concerns and goals for the liberation of women.
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This collection contains a notebook with meeting minutes, ribbons, newspaper articles, and other documents relating to the W.S.A. The minute notebook is full of the monthly meeting details, including the names of member, amounts of member donations, and attendance sheets. Each meeting usually consisted of prayers, announcements, propositions, music, and guest speakers. The meeting minutes are rather sporadic and only contain the notes from May to June 1892, September to December 1893, January to December 1894, and March 1895. Two gold ribbons with the phrases, 'Equal Suffrage' and 'Equal Rights' are included in this collection as well as three copies of the W.S.A. bylaws and regulations. These bylaws have eleven articles that give the specific information about 'the political advancement of the sex.' The articles also declare the governing policies, fees, and meeting information for the association. The Woman's Suffrage Songbook, which was sold for ten cents a copy, contains twenty- three pages of words to music about women's rights. Correspondence included in this collection between leader of the organization, Emmeline B. Wells and Mary A. White, confirm their goals. E. B. Wells declares the need educated women, who will not antagonize men in their attempts to gain rights. The remainder of this collection contains eight drafts of the Equal Rights Banner, a monthly women's magazine. The cover of the magazine has a drawing of an eagle clutching a banner with the title, 'Equal Rights Banner. The Ballot: The Key to All Reform.' The issues for April 1894, July 1893, August 1893, October 1893, March 1894, May 1894, August 1894, and September 1894 contain poems, song lyrics, articles, and motivational speeches. In one magazine, a document entitled, 'Honor to Colorado,' commends Colorado for taking steps toward allowing women voting rights. Each document serves as a reminder of women's struggle for recognition, not only in the home, but in business, politics, and education.
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