Leaders of women's suffrage movementmissing from the new $10

The $10 bill, featuring a likeness of Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. Treasury secretary, is displayed at the National

Archives gift shop in Washington, D.C., March 2, 2006. Photo: AP/J. Scott Applewhite. BOTTOM: Pictured are suffragists

Lucy Stone and Carrie Chapman Catt. Photo: Wikipedia

Last week, many were happy to hear from Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, who deals with the

nation's currency, that Harriet Tubman would be placed on the front of a redesigned $20

bill. Other changes are also expected for the $5 and $10 bills. The back of the new $10 will

show the end of the march of the suffragists, who were fighting for women's right to vote, in

March 1913. The bill will feature five leaders of the movement: Lucretia Mott, Sojourner

Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul.

Some historians noted that key leaders of the women's suffrage movement are still

missing. First among these is Lucy Stone. Sally McMillen, a professor at Davidson College

and author of a Lucy Stone biography, tells us why she was such a key figure.

By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff on 05.02.16

Word Count 822

Stone was a gifted speaker. According to McMillen, she was capable of "quieting a crowd

and delivering an absolutely compelling message." In 1850, Stone organized the Women's

Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her speech there was said to have

impressed John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill, two important British philosophers and

supporters of women's rights.

Important Tool For The Movement

Stone also published an important newspaper called the Women's Journal. According to

Carnegie Mellon historian Lisa Tetrault, this was an important tool that helped to bring the

movement together even before social media existed.

Yet, Stone is often pushed aside in the history of the suffrage movement. This is partly due

to a falling out that occurred in 1869 between Stone and two other leaders, Stanton and

Anthony. Due to her strong position against slavery, Stone supported the passage of the

15th Amendment, which gave black men the right to vote. She also believed that, in order

to achieve women's suffrage, it was important to obtain step-by-step reform. This is why

her organization supported partial suffrage, where women could only vote on certain

issues. This was intended as a stepping stone toward the right to vote on all issues.

Stanton and Anthony were not as willing to compromise. They believed that suffrage was a

right that women should receive at the same time as African-American men. Their group

supported a federal amendment, or a direct change to the Constitution, which was more

than a partial reform. The two sides were at odds for 20 years until Anthony and Stone

reconciled in 1890 to create the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).

This organization played a key role in the approval of the 19th Amendment, which gave

women the right to vote. Stone died three years later, in 1893.

Different Personalities Make Up The Movement

According to McMillen and Tetrault, it is partly because of this early disagreement within

the movement that Stone gets far less credit for her role. Another factor was her

personality. She was known as humble, and never kept a written record about her life.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Stanton wrote a huge, three-volume history of the women's

suffrage movement that completely left out Stone's role, McMillen says. The history of the

movement was described from the point of view of their organization. Since most historians

relied on these as primary documents, Stone's side of the story was forgotten.

McMillen and Tetrault also suggested that Carrie Chapman Catt should be part of any

group of key women's suffrage leaders. After Anthony, Catt became the leader of NAWSA

from 1900 to 1904. She was a gifted speaker and organizer, and led the International

Woman Suffrage Alliance to promote women's right to vote worldwide.

When she returned to lead NAWSA in 1915, the United States suffrage movement found

itself divided again. The choice was between Catt and a more combative leader named

Alice Paul. Catt favored a patient, moderate approach. Her "Winning Plan" included

campaigning at both the state and federal levels, and making compromises. Paul, who

broke from NAWSA, was of a different mindset. She had organized the 1913 march that will

be depicted on the new $10 bill, picketed the White House, and gone on a famous hunger

strike after being jailed for her work. Her attention was entirely focused on a federal

amendment.

Coming Together For A Common Goal

Still, Catt's ground-level organizing was seen as effective in gaining state-level support for

the amendment that ultimately passed in 1920. According to her bio from the Library of

Congress, it was under her leadership that NAWSA won the backing of the House and

Senate. "Without Carrie Chapman Catt, ratification definitely would have never taken

place," Tetrault says.

While Catt and Stone are singled out as the biggest missing names, there are surely

others. Tetrault says she recognizes that there is a limit to how many people can fit on the

back of a paper bill. Still, this decision is a reminder that, as with any movement, the

achievements of a group are often brought about by many leaders, not just a few.

Quiz

1 Which statement would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article?

(A) Lucy Stone made many moving speeches and published a newspaper that

brought the women’s suffrage movement together.

(B) Several important leaders who fought for partial suffrage or suffrage at the

state level have not been included in the design for the new $10 bill.

(C) Two leaders of the women’s suffrage movement published a history of the

movement that left out the contributions of other important leaders.

(D) As the leader of NAWSA, Carrie Chapman Catt worked to gain support at

the state level for the amendment that gave women the right to vote.

2 How does the first paragraph of the section “Different Personalities Make Up The Movement”

support a CENTRAL idea of the article?

(A) It explains why some leaders of the women’s suffrage movement have been

forgotten over time.

(B) It describes why some leaders of the women’s suffrage movement more

successful than others.

(C) It highlights some of the challenges faced by leaders of the women’s

suffrage movement.

(D) It compares the political strategies of different leaders of the women’s

suffrage movement.

3 Read the following excerpt from the article.

The choice was between Catt and a more combative leader named

Alice Paul. Catt favored a patient, moderate approach. Her "Winning

Plan" included campaigning at both the state and federal levels, and

making compromises. Paul, who broke from NAWSA, was of a different

mindset.

The words “combative” and “moderate” suggest that Paul and Catt:

(A) were working on separate issues relating to women’s rights

(B) were working against each other on issues of women’s rights

(C) had different approaches to winning women the right to vote

(D) had similar approaches to winning women the right to vote

4 Which of the following could replace the phrase “key figure” in the sentence below?

First among these is Lucy Stone. Sally McMillen, a professor at

Davidson College and author of a Lucy Stone biography, tells us why

she was such a key figure.

(A) memorable supporter

(B) important individual

(C) wonderful role model

(D) historic symbol