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Title
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The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas, Marker
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Commemorates
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The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas
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Biographical Text
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Aluminum marker with rounded top. Features include white text and an outline of Texas state enclosed in a circle at the top of the sign.
The plaque is located in the downtown area of Austin, TX, and was erected in honor of The Woman Suffrage Movement In Texas. This movement pushed for Texas to become the 9th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, allowing women the right to vote. The plaque marks the site of the Travis County Courthouse, where thousands of women registered as voters upon the passing of this amendment. The marker was erected in 1991, by the Texas Historical Commission.
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Text
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TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
TEXAS
THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN TEXAS
LEGAL EFFORTS TO ENFRANCHISE WOMEN IN TEXAS CAN BE TRACED TO 1868, WHEN REP. T.H. MUNDINE OF BURLESON INTRODUCED A WOMAN SUFFRAGE BILL IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE. IN THE FOLLOWING FIVE DECADES TEXAS WOMEN FORMED SUFFRAGE ORGANIZATIONS TO LOBBY FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE SUFFRAGISTS INCLUDED REBECCA HENRY HAYES, WHO ORGANIZED THE TEXAS EQUAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (TERA) IN 1893; AND SISTERS ANNETTE, ELIZABETH, AND KATHERINE FINNIGAN, WHO FOUNDED THE TEXAS WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION (TWSA) IN 1903. THE TWSA, RENAMED THE TEXAS EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION (TESA) IN 1916, LED THE FINAL PUSH FOR VOTING RIGHTS. THE MOVEMENT'S LEADERS DURING THIS PERIOD INCLUDED JANE Y. MCCALLUM, MINNIE FISHER CUNNINGHAM, ELEANOR BRACKENRIDGE, AND ANNIE WEBB BLANTON.
IN MARCH 1918 REP. C.B. METCALFE OF SAN ANTONIO SPONSORED SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATION GIVING WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS. IT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOV. WILLIAM P. HOBBY JUST 17 DAYS BEFORE THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR THAT YEAR'S ELECTION. IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MORE THAN 386,000 TEXAS WOMEN REGISTERED TO VOTE, INCLUDING MANY WHO GATHERED AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE AT THIS SITE. ON JUNE 28, 1919, TEXAS BECAME THE 9TH STATE TO RATIFY THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE (19TH) AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
(1991)
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Date Created
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1991
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Type
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English
Signage
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Project Researcher
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O'Neill, Iris
