Object Details
- presented by
- National Woman's Party
- recipient
- Paul, Alice
- Description
- Discouraged by President Wilson’s continued opposition to the woman suffrage amendment, Alice Paul, the leader of the National Woman’s Party (NWP) posted pickets at the White House gates—the first people to ever picket the White House. These "silent sentinels" stayed on duty in all weather and in the face of threats, taunts, and physical violence. Using their banners and their quiet courage they asked, "Mr. President How Long Must Women Wait for their Liberty?" and "Mr. President What Will you do for Woman Suffrage?" Hoping to provoke a response, the language on the banners became more inflammatory as the months passed. Suffragists used the president’s own words against him and pointed out the hypocrisy of his leading the country into the First World War to defend freedom while denying it to the women of his own country. Crowds who believed the pickets’ activities were disloyal in a time of war attacked the suffragists and destroyed their banners. In July 1917, the police began arresting the pickets for "obstruction of traffic." They were imprisoned when they refused to pay fines. The women went on hunger strikes demanding to be treated as political prisoners. Instead they were forcibly fed—a painful and invasive procedure. The pickets continued despite the risk. Paul had endured such treatment while she was in England and, although she knew what lay ahead and that she, as the organizer of the picketing, would receive a harsher sentence, she insisted on taking her place on the picket line. She was arrested in October. While in jail she was forcibly fed and threatened with commitment to an insane asylum. Reports of the long sentences, abuse, and the courage of the suffragists became public and all prisoners were released in November.
- In a December ceremony the imprisoned suffragists were awarded small silver pins in the shape of prison doors with heart-shaped locks. The "jailed for freedom" pins were designed by Nina Allender. This pin was awarded to Alice Paul.
- The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution enfranchising women was ratified in August 1920.
- Credit Line
- Alice Paul Centennial Foundation, Inc.
- 1917
- ID Number
- 1987.0165.025
- catalog number
- 1987.0165.025
- accession number
- 1987.0165
- Object Name
- pin
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- silver (overall color)
- Measurements
- average spatial: 1 1/2 in x 1 in x 1/4 in; 3.81 cm x 2.54 cm x .635 cm
- See more items in
- Political History: Political History, Women's History Collection
- Government, Politics, and Reform
- American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
- Woman Suffrage
- Exhibition
- American Democracy
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- general subject association
- Women's Suffrage
- Equal Rights Amendment
- Voting Rights
- Record ID
- nmah_1067243
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-2ed5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
