Note: It's important to know and honor the history of young women activists, something I would like to do in this space. I hope this is the first of many profiles of young women in history who changed the world.
A friend sent me the above photo of Inez Milholland in white robes on horseback, leading a parade for women’s suffrage in 1913. Even though I love history, especially young women’s history, I’d never heard of her.
Turns out in her 30 years of life, Inez was suspended from Vassar for organizing a women’s rights group, got a law degree and served as a war correspondent, organized on peace and feminism and became the most well-known and sought after speaker of the suffragist movement.
I find it incredibly inspiring that this movement that gave women the right to vote was voiced by a young woman who devoted her life to doing what I do now – traveling across the country speaking to audiences about women’s rights. I have a new heroine!
There is just the slight matter of how she died, why the friend sent the picture in the first place, a cautionary tale of sorts. During a large speech in L.A., Milholland collapsed from exhaustion at the apex of her speech. Her last public words: “Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?"
How long, indeed.
i wish i could have rode through the "justice for all" abortion display on a white horse yesterday and today
i think all young women activists should have access to a white horse don't you?