Date: 1885 – 1977 (92 years old)
Who was Alice Paul?
Alice Paul was a politician and a suffragist whose objective was to fight for voting rights for women. She was raised by a Quakers family, a religion that is still in existence, believing that men and women are equal.
During that period, however, not many people believed that both men and women have equal voting rights.
These protests, however, led Alice and her fellow suffragists to be jailed, but they had made a success in drawing more people to their cause.
Top five facts:
- Alice Paul was born and raised by a Quaker family, after which she got an interest in politics.
- She had a passion for dancing and sports such as hockey, basketball, and tennis, which played a massive role in social protests in England and the USA.
- She was jailed seven times in England and once in America because of the suffrage movement.
- In 1909, she suffered forced feeding in Holloway Prison in London and District Columbia Prison in 1917 for fifty-five times and twenty-five times, respectively. The forced feeding was to break the hunger strikes started by the prisoners of the suffrage movement.
- Paul established the National Woman’s party, making it easy for her and other suffragists to get to Whitehouse.
Motivational Quotes and sayings from Alice Paul:
“There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it.”
"Mr. President, how long must women wait to get their liberty? Let us have the rights we deserve."
"I always feel the movement is a sort of mosaic."
Alice Paul Biography
Paul’s Childhood
Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. She was the firstborn of William Mickle Paul I and Tacie Paul and the other three kids.
Paul attended a school called Moorestown, which was close to her residence. Her Quaker family inspired her in fighting for women’s voting rights and participating in the suffrage movement. In 1905, Paul moved to Swarthmore College and later moved to New York City and England to do graduate work.
Paul became active in politics for three years and later joined the women’s suffrage movement in Britain.
Becoming a suffragist and a Politician
Alice Paul did not get married and was raised in a Quaker family; her passion for fighting for women voting rights. Alice Paul moved to England after she completed college, where she noticed women were not allowed to vote there either.
She was employed by the British Suffrage movement, where she worked hard to earn the right to vote.
Together with other suffragists, Alice could participate in activities such as breaking windows, screening at people, and tossed rocks for having the attention of other people so they can get an opportunity to demand their voting rights.
Despite being jailed, Alice Paul fought hard to create her own National Woman’s Party to make it easy for the suffragists to attend President Woodrow Wilson's swearing.
She becomes the first woman to establish her party and successfully visit the Whitehouse and her fellow suffragists.
An Imperative Mission
Creating the National Woman’s Party was one of Paul’s significant achievements during her early days in the suffrage movement.
Despite being jailed seven times in Britain, Paul did not give up trying to fight for women voting rights.
Her passion for seeing women get liberty in voting made her being jailed severally and in different prisons. But this did not make her lose hope in helping more women. Instead, she kept even drawing more people to her cause.
Her Quaker family was the central support pillar in seeing her achieve the best. They gave their best, including education, to see her succeed in helping women.
Alice Paul the Suffragist
Alice Paul played a huge role in helping African Americans, especially women, get their voting rights.
After working for Britain's suffrage movement, Paul got the experience of fighting for women voting rights involving the American government. Paul, through her party, becomes the first woman in the Whitehouse to fight for women's rights.
Despite being disowned by most people because of her efforts in fighting for women voting rights, she still welcomed more people in her cause.
Paul an Inspiration to Many
Alice Paul has been a great role model to young girls across the globe.
In her remembrance, Alice Paul Institute was established in 1985 for her honor. More young girls have gotten an opportunity to develop their leadership roles and continue to accomplish Paul’s dream of equal voting rights.
Paul was also an icon for the African American women in fighting for their voting rights. She traveled far and wide in advocating for gender equality to the extent of forming the National Woman’s Party.
Her passion for equality in voting rights enabled more people to visit the Whitehouse and later joined her cause.
She died on July 9, 1977, at the age of 92 years in Moorestown. Her burial was held at Westfield Friends Burial Ground in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
Being raised in a Quaker family helped Paul grow up believing in gender equality and equal voting rights. Her courage and ambitions to have this achieved have motivated many young girls across the world.
She did amazing things that most women could not do to bring transitions in voting rights.
