Dames

Program and Luncheon

at The Fortnightly

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Women’s Suffrage Movement and the Good Roads Movement in Illinois
      
Presented by Kay Shelton Kozak

Roadways in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s: women weren’t just merrily pootling our way around with newly found freedom in automobiles.  Rather, with politics bearing down, Illinois’ women drivers were affecting a sharp and determined turn into the path of suffrage and abolition goals. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of suffrage and so much more, Dames and guests agreed that this was a luncheon that was enormously fun and enlightening.  At this season opener, the autumnal menu at Fortnightly never disappointed.

A few takeaways from our speaker, Kay Shelton Kozak:

•The U.S. women’s suffrage movement had its roots in the abolition movement. Frederick Douglass and other prominent abolitionists helped strengthen the cause, yet women of color were only allowed to walk to the rear of marches.
   
• State of Illinois’ leadership was both inspired and inspiring in securing the right to vote and creating the league to organize women voters. The Midwest held sway as a gleaming juggernaut for renegade spirits.
   
• Even so, Illinois women were only allowed to vote for a limited number of positions (president and local issues, not federal and state representatives).  Sparsely populated states to the west were more progressive in women’s voting rights as they needed a bigger voter population to claim more representation in Congress.
   
• American women achieved complete suffrage on August 18, 1920, thanks in part to a Tennessee legislator whose mother reminded him to be good to the women’s cause in a telegram that urged him,  “to be a good boy and make her friend Mrs. Catt happy” (Mrs. Catt of Evanston, a leader of the movement).  Minutes after his decisive vote, this obedient son had to hide in the attic to avoid a furious crowd.
    
• Driving open cars on ruddy roadways, the Suffrage and the Good Roads movements launched a new and liberating fashion craze, with dusters and bloomers coming very much into vogue.
    
• And electric cars made their debut way, way, way before Tesla!

On hand to celebrate the tenacity and triumphs of our forebears were:

Dames and Candidates:   Priscilla Barlow, Meg Barnhart, Peggy Bodine, Cami Burgess, Carla Carstens, Mary Carter, Mamie Case, Ellen Corley, Nancy Dorr, Mary Fields, Kathy Fox, Carla Funk, Diane Gaumer, Ann Jones, Marilyn Helmholz, Susie Kealy, Anne Krauss, Claudia Lane, Barbara Linville, Suzanne McCullagh, Phoebe McMillan, Ginny McTier, Judith Newell, Mary O’Hara, Jean Perkins, Katherine Saville, Nancy Schultz, Cammie Schumacher, Cynthia Szczepanski, Karen Seda, Peggy Snorf, Diane Stilwell, Nina Strnad, Louise Tausché, Kathy Taylor, Judith Urban, Nancy Van Deuren, Jane Velde, Catherine Webb, Tracy Whitehead, Sonya Wolsey-Paige and Courtenay Wood

Guests:   Diane Eubanks, Soffia Kuehner Gray, Karolyn Kuehner, Gayly Opem, Lee Russell, Nancy Sitterly and Kay Shelton Kozak