The women who fought for suffrage are on my mind. Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters. Carrie Chapman Catt was one of the founders of that organization. A friend sent me links to Catt and Eleanor Roosevelt speaking. It’s a treat to hear their voices.
On August 25, 1945, Roosevelt wrote this in her My Day newspaper column:
Many women today take for granted their right to vote, and some years ago I remember a very young newspaper girl in upstate New York who asked me who Susan B. Anthony was. It is so easy for us to forget those who made the fight for the things today we feel we have always had by right. On this anniversary, therefore, I should like to mention not only Miss Anthony, but Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Anna Howard Shaw and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt.
Mrs. Catt not only fought for suffrage, but after we had gained it devoted years of her life to bringing about better understanding among women of different nationalities. Her work—which not only gave the women of this country finally the right to vote, but which has made them conscious of the responsibility which accompanies that vote—will never be forgotten by any of us who are aware of the latent power which has not yet been used by women. This power is going to be more important in the next few years than it has ever been. Mrs. Catt’s work in organizing women in different countries, and making them work together, must be carried on, since I believe it is going to depend more than ever on women to build a peaceful world.
Carrie Chapman Catt was a member of Pi Beta Phi. She joined the organization while a student at Iowa State University. Eleanor Roosevelt was an Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Anna Howard Shaw who is mentioned in the column was an Honorary Member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
Roosevelt also presented Catt with the Chi Omega’s National Achievement Award in 1941.
The second video contains outtakes from an interview Roosevelt conducted with Catt.
