Timeline of women's suffrage in Iowa

This is a timeline of women's suffrage in Iowa. Women's suffrage work started early in Iowa's history. Organizing began in the late 1960s with the first state suffrage convention taking place in 1870. In the 1890s, women gained the right to vote on municipal bonds, tax efforts and school-related issues. By 1916, a state suffrage amendment went to out to a voter referendum, which failed. Iowa was the tenth state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919.

Iowa Women's suffrage billboard June 5, 1916

19th century

1840s

1843

1844

  • During the state constitutional convention, there were discussions about both African American and women's suffrage.[2]

1850s

1854

1855

  • Amelia Bloomer is the first resident of Iowa to discuss women's suffrage in the state.[4]

1857

1860s

1866

  • Suffragists in Clinton County present a petition to the state house to support a state constitutional amendment for women's suffrage.[5]
  • The suffrage bill does not pass out of the Iowa state senate.[4]

1868

  • November 3: The word "white" to describe a voter is removed from the state constitution after a successful voter referendum passes.[3][6]

1869

1870s

1870

  • March: The first state constitutional amendment bill for women's suffrage passes and must pass again in 1872.[4]
  • June 16-17: The first state suffrage convention is held in Mount Pleasant.[7] The Iowa Equal Suffrage Association (IESA) is created.[8][4]
  • October 25: The Polk County Suffrage Society is organized.[9]

1871

  • Clarinda voter registry board adds the names of women to the list of voters, but most are removed later.[10]
  • Keziah Anderson Dorrance casts her vote in Taylor County and friendly judges uphold it as a valid vote.[11] Dorrance became the first woman to vote in Iowa.[11]
  • October: The state suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[12]
Iowa state suffrage convention in Oskaloosa, 1889 Carrie Chapman Catt in center

1872

  • The suffrage bill does not pass a second time.[4]

1873

  • March: State suffrage convention is held.[12]

1874

  • Iowa state Republicans promise to work towards a women's suffrage amendment.[13]

1876

  • The Iowa Governor and the state House both support a suffrage amendment.[13]

1877

1880s

1884

  • A women's suffrage bill passes in the state Senate, but not the state House.[14]
  • November 27–28: The state suffrage convention was held in Des Moines.[8]

1885

  • October 21–22: The state suffrage convention is held in Cedar Rapids.[8]

1886

  • A municipal suffrage bill is proposed but does not come up for a full vote.[14]
  • The state suffrage convention takes place in Otumwa.[15]
  • September: The Woman's Standard is founded and Mary J. Coggeshall and Martha C. Callanan serve as editors.[15]

1887

  • State suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[15]

1888

1889

The Woman's Standard published in Sutherland, Iowa May 1897

1890s

1890

  • Governor William Larrabee advocates for partial women's suffrage at the state General Assembly.[17]
  • December 4–5: The state suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[15]

1891

  • November 7: The Iowa Equal Suffrage Association (IESA) is incorporated.[18]
  • December 3–4: The state suffrage convention is held in Ames.[18]

1892

  • A bill to allow women to vote for presidential electors is proposed but does not make it out of Committee.[19]
  • September 22: The state suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[18]

1893

1894

  • February: Two partial suffrage bills are introduced in the Iowa State House and Senate.[21]
  • March 22: The partial suffrage bill that combined municipal and school suffrage issues, called the Watkins Bill, is passed by that state House.[22]
  • April 13: Women who pay taxes gain partial suffrage and can vote on bond issues and for school issues.[4][23]
  • November 8–9: The state suffrage convention is held in Marshalltown.[20]
  • Women in Waterloo came together to vote and support the library tax for the city.[24]

1895

  • October 18–19: State suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[20]

1896

  • Pauline Swalm speaks about the Woman Citizen at the Iowa State Fair.[20]
  • November 17–19: The state suffrage convention is held in Independence.[20]

1897

1898

  • February 23: The Iowa Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (IAOWS) is organized.[4]

20th century

Equal Suffrage Convention attendees in Panora, Iowa, November 1905

1900s

1900

1901

  • November: The state suffrage annual convention in Waterloo.[27]

1902

  • Women's suffrage legislation passes in the state Senate and fails in the House.[26]
  • October: The state suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[27]

1903

  • October: Boone hosts the state suffrage convention.[27]

1904

  • October: The state suffrage convention is held in Sheldon.[27]

1905

  • November: The state suffrage convention is held in Panora.[27]

1906

  • September: The annual state suffrage convention is held in Ida Grove.[28]

1907

  • October: The state suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[29]

1908

  • October: The state suffrage convention is held in Boone.[29]
  • October 29: A suffrage parade in Boone is organized by Rowena Edson Stevenson and Eleanor Gordon.[4] Around 150 women marched and then heard a speech by Anna Howard Shaw.[4]
  • November: Women voters are not given ballots during the bond election in Des Moines.[4]

1910s

1910

1911

  • The Iowa Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) has publicly declared their support for women's suffrage.[30]
  • The Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs (IFWC) declares their support for suffrage during their convention in Sioux City.[30][4]
  • The Woman's Standard ceases publication.[31]
  • December 22: Mary Jane Coggeshall died and left $5,000 to the state suffrage groups and $10,000 to the national effort.[31]
Suffrage parade in Mount Ayr, Iowa, in 1915

1912

  • The Progressive, Prohibition, Republican, and Socialist parties in Iowa officially endorsed women's suffrage.[32]
  • During the Iowa State Fair, the City Council of Suffrage Clubs sponsored a showing of Votes for Women.[31]
  • July: An automobile tour is organized by suffragists who travel between Des Moines and Mitchellville, giving speeches.[4]
  • October: The state suffrage convention was held in Des Moines.[31]

1913

  • March 15: An equal suffrage bill is passed and signed by Governor George W. Clarke. The bill has to pass in the next legislative session in 1915 before it can go out to voters.[33]
  • September: Another automobile tour is organized by suffragists and travels through 30 towns.[4]
  • October: State suffrage convention is held in Boone.[31]

1914

  • March 29–31: Mississippi Valley Suffrage Conference is held in Des Moines.[34]
  • October: The state suffrage meeting is held in Des Moines.[35]

1915

  • October: State suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[35]

1916

  • June 3: African American's march for women's suffrage in Buxton.[4]
  • June 5: The suffrage amendment is defeated.[4]

1917

  • State suffrage convention is held in Des Moines.[35]

1918

1919

References

  1. Gallaher 1918, p. 172-173.
  2. Gallaher 1918, p. 173-174.
  3. Cloud, Sue; Corey, Kristen; Morse, Eric (1 March 2020). "The long road to women's suffrage in Iowa". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  4. "Women's Suffrage in Iowa". Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. Iowa State University. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  5. Gallaher 1918, p. 177.
  6. Noun 1969, p. 84.
  7. Egge 2009, p. 9.
  8. Anthony 1902, p. 628.
  9. Gallaher 1918, p. 185-186.
  10. Noun 1969, p. 174.
  11. Noun 1969, p. 175.
  12. Gallaher 1918, p. 185.
  13. Catt & Shuler 1923, p. 213.
  14. Anthony 1902, p. 633.
  15. Anthony 1902, p. 629.
  16. Noun 1969, p. 233.
  17. Boyd 2018, p. 16.
  18. Anthony 1902, p. 630.
  19. Anthony 1902, p. 633-634.
  20. Anthony 1902, p. 631.
  21. Boyd 2018, p. 17.
  22. Boyd 2018, p. 21.
  23. Boyd 2018, p. 21-22.
  24. Boyd 2018, p. 25.
  25. Schwarzkopf, Mikki (10 September 2020). "ALL VOTES MATTER". The Jefferson Herald. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  26. Catt & Shuler 1923, p. 215.
  27. Harper 1922, p. 181.
  28. Harper 1922, p. 181-182.
  29. Harper 1922, p. 182.
  30. Egge 2009, p. 37.
  31. Harper 1922, p. 183.
  32. Horack 1914, p. 34.
  33. Horack 1914, p. 36.
  34. "Mississippi Valley Suffrage Conference". Iowa Digital Library. 1914. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  35. Harper 1922, p. 184.
  36. Harper 1922, p. 185.
  37. Catt & Shuler 1923, p. 225.

Sources

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