Profile of the Day: Alice Paul

Alice Paul

Today we highlight suffragist Alice Paul, who was born on January 11, 1885 in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. One of the leading women’s rights activist of the 20th century, Paul was a key figure in the campaign to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The eldest of four children born to William Mickle Paul I and Tacie Parry, Paul grew up in a prominent Quaker family. After traveling to England to further her education, Paul became politically active in the women’s suffrage movement in Britain. When she returned to the U.S., she joined the women’s suffrage movement at home and carried over some of the tactics of civil disabodience she learned abroad.

After breaking away from the National American Woman Suffrage Association, she formed the National Woman’s Party along with suffragist Lucy Burns. Known as the “Silent Sentinels,” members silently protested outside of the White House holding banners with provocative visuals. The party aimed to bring public attention to the cause and force President Woodrow Wilson and Congress to take action. Many of the protesters, including Paul, were arrested and imprisoned in harsh, unsanitary conditions. In response to the public outcry against the abuse suffragists faced while imprisoned, President Wilson reversed his position and announced his support for women’s suffrage. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was finally ratified, granting women the right to vote.

How are you related to Alice Paul? Explore her family tree and share your connection to the suffragist.
 

View Alice Paul’s Geni Profile

Image: Library of Congress