Music for Women’s Suffrage

Katie MartoMusic 1234

Introduction

• Women have faced many challenges though out history. One of those many challenges is gaining the right to vote. Women were legally not able to vote until 1920. This was achieved through the 19th Amendment.

Susan B. Anthony

• Susan B. Anthony was a leader during the women’s suffrage movement. She lectured on women’s rights and secured the first laws in New York about women’s rights of property. She also organized the National Women’s Suffrage Association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She was also arrested for trying to vote. Eventually her efforts paid off, but not while she was alive.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

• She was also a leader for the women’s suffrage movement. Her and Lucretia Mott called the first women’s rights convention. She also helped compile the first three volumes of History of Women’s Suffrage with several others. She played an important role in women’s rights.

Sojourner Truth

• Sojourner Truth was a traveling preacher until she became connected to the women’s suffrage movement. Her real name is Isabella Baumfree. She changed her name because according to her, these were the instructions of the Holy Spirit. She did a famous speech called Ain't I a Woman? which did at a women’s rights conference.

Lucretia Mott

• Lucretia Mott was another pioneer for the women’s suffrage movement. She helped plan the first women’s rights conference along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She was also the president of the American Equal Rights Association.

Music played an important role in supporting women’s suffrage. “Patriotic woman suffrage songs became important parts of each state’s campaign and within the woman suffrage organizations themselves” (11). They used music to bring people together and talk about women’s suffrage. “At a Suffrage Day parade in Chicago, supporters outside sang “The March of the Women” while women representing each of the 531 congressional districts marched to Capitol Hill and presented a petition for the Federal amendment” (11).

• “Like other social causes, the suffrage movement provided inspiration to a number of song writers, both women and men” (13).

This is a photograph for a women’s suffrage demonstration in 1913.

I found this video online and found it very interesting. I know it may be a little blunt, but John Lennon sings about women having the image of a “nigger” to the world. I don’t necessarily agree with his word choice, but I agree with how people thought of women throughout the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS78MX8Zmdk&feature=related

Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be? (Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be?)

by L. May WheelerChorus:

Oh Dear, what can the matter beDear dear what can the matter beOh dear, what can the matter beWomen are wanting to vote

Verses:

Women have husbands, they are protectedWomen have sons by whom they're directedWomen have fathers, they're not neglectedWhy are they wanting to vote?

Women have homes, there they should laborWomen have children whom they should favorWomen have time to learn of each neighborWhy are they wanting to vote?

Women can dress, they love societyWomen have cash with all its varietyWomen can pray with sweetest pietyWhy are they wanting to vote?

Women have reared all the sons of the braveWomen have shared n the burdens they gaveWomen have labored this country to saveAnd that's why we're going to vote

Final Chorus:

Oh Dear, what can the matter beDear dear what can the matter beOh dear, what can the matter beWhy should men get every vote?

This was a song for women’s suffrage. Apparently women

already had everything, so why would they need the right to vote? This song

shows why.

The New America (America)

This song was sung at the National American Women’s Suffrage Convention (1891) to reflect women’s suffrage to be to fulfill the promise of 1776.

Our country, now from thee,Claim we our liberty, In freedom's name

Guarding home's altar fires, Daughters of patriot sires, Their zeal our own inspires, Justice to claim

Women in every age, For this great heritage, Tribute have paid

Our birth-right claim we now, Longer refuse to bow, On freedom's altar now, Our hand is laid

Sons, will you longer see, Mothers on bended knee, For justice pray?,

Rise now, in manhood's might, With earth's great souls unite, To speed the dawning light, Of freedom's day

Keep Woman in Her Sphere (Auld Lang Syne) by D. Estabrook

I have a neighbor, one of thoseNot very hard to findWho know it all without debateAnd never change their mind

I asked him"What of woman's rights?"He said in tones severe--"My mind on that is all made up,Keep woman in her sphere."

I saw a man in tattered garbForth from the grog-shop comeHe squandered all his cash for drinkand starved his wife at home

I asked him "Should not woman vote"He answered with a sneer--"I've taught my wife to know her place,Keep woman in her sphere."

I met an earnest, thoughtful manNot many days ago

Who pondered deep all human lawThe honest truth to know

I asked him"What of woman's cause?"The answer came sincere --"Her rights are just the same as mine,Let woman choose her sphere."

This song was widely used at women’s suffrage rallies.

This website is full of women’s suffrage songs, but I will only use a few for this powerpoint.

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/gilman/suffrage/suffrage.html

(the next 6 slides are all from this website)

Locked Inside

She beats upon her bolted door, With faint weak hands;

Drearily walks the narrow floor;Sullenly sits, blank walls before;

Despairing stands.Life calls her, Duty, Pleasure, Gain–

Her dreams respond;But the blank daylights wax and wane,

Dull peace, sharp agony, slow pain– No hope beyond.

Till she comes a thought! She lifts her head, The world grows wide!

A voice–as if clear words were said–"Your door, O long imprisonéd,

Is locked inside!"

We as Women

There's a cry in the air about us–We hear it, before, behind–Of the way in which "We, as women," Are going to lift mankind!With our white frocks starched and ruffled, And our soft hair brushed and curled–Hats off! for "We, as women,"Are coming to save the world.Fair sisters! listen one moment–And perhaps you'll pause for ten: The business of women as womenIs only with men as men!What we do, "We, as women,"We have done all through our life; The work that is ours as womenIs the work of mother and wife.But to elevate public opinion, And to lift up erring man, Is the work of the Human Being; Let us do it–if we can.

But wait, warm-hearted sisters–Not quite so fast, so far. Tell me how we are going to lift a thingAny higher than we are!

We are going to "purify politics," And to "elevate the press." We enter the foul paths of the worldTo sweeten and cleanse and bless.

To hear the high things we are going to do,And the horrors of man we tell, One would think, "We, as women," were angels, And our brothers were fiends of hell.

We, that were born of one mother, And reared in the self-same place, In the school and the church together, We of one blood, one race!

Now then, all forward together! But remember, every one, That 'tis not by feminine innocenceThe work of the world is done.

The world needs strength and courage,And wisdom to help and feed–When, "We, as women" bring these to man, We shall lift the world indeed.

The Anti-Suffragists

Fashionable women in luxurious homes,With men to feed them, clothe them, pay their bills,Bow, doff the hat, and fetch the handkerchief; Hostess or guest; and always so suppliedWith graceful deference and courtesy; Surrounded by their horses, servants, dogs–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

Successful women who have won their wayAlone, with strength of their unaided arm, Or helped by friends, or softly climbing upBy the sweet aid of "woman's influence"; Successful any way, and caring naughtFor any other woman's unsuccess–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

Religious women of the feebler sort–Not the religion of a righteous world, A free, enlightened, upward-reaching world, But the religion that considers lifeAs something to back out of !– whose idealIs to renounce, submit, and sacrifice. Counting on being patted on the headAnd given a high chair when they get to heaven–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

Ignorant women–college bred sometimes, But ignorant of life's realitiesAnd principles of righteous government, And how the privileges they enjoyWere won with blood and tears by those before–Those they condemn, whose ways they now oppose; Saying, "Why not let well enough alone?"Our world is very pleasant as it is"–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

And selfish women–pigs in petticoats–Rich, poor, wise, unwise, top or bottom round, But all sublimely innocent of thought, And guiltless of ambition, save the oneDeep, voiceless aspiration–to be fed!These have no use for rights or duties more. Duties today are more than they can meet, And law insures their right to clothes and food–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

And, more's the pity, some good women too; Good, conscientious women with ideas; Who think–or think they think–that woman's causeIs best advanced by letting it alone; That she somehow is not a human thing,

And not to be helped on by human means, Just added to humanity–an "L"–A wing, a branch, an extra, not mankind–These tell us they have all the rights they want.

And out of these has come a monstrous thing, A strange, down-sucking whirlpool of disgrace, Women uniting against womanhood, And using that great name to hide their sin!Vain are their words as that old king's commandWho set his will against the rising tide. But who shall measure the historic shameOf these poor traitors–traitors are they all–To great Democracy and Womanhood!

Girls of To-day

Girls of today! Give ear! Never since time beganHas come to the race of manA year, a day, an hour, So full of promise and powerAs the time that now is here!Never in all the landsWas there a power so great, To move the wheels of state, To lift up body and mind, To waken the deaf and blind, As the power that is in your hands!

Here at the gates of goldYou stand in the pride of youth, Strong in courage and truth, Stirred by a force kept back Through centuries long and black, Armed with a power threefold!

First: You are makers of men! Then Be the things you preach! Let your own greatness teach! When Mothers like this you seeMen will be strong and free–Then, and not till then!

Second: Since Adam fell, Have you not heard it saidThat men by women are led? True is the saying–true! See to it what you do! See that you lead them well.

Third: You have work of your own! Maid and mother and wife, Look in the face of life! There are duties you owe the race! Outside your dwelling-placeThere is work for you alone!

Maid and mother and wife, See your own work be done! Be worthy a noble son! Help man in the upward way! Truly, a girl todayIs the strongest thing in life!

Females

The female fox she is a fox;The female whale a whale; The female eagle holds her placeAs representative of raceAs truly as the male.The mother hen doth scratch for her chicks, And scratch for herself beside;The mother cow doth nurse her calf, Yet fares as well as her other halfIn the pasture far and wide.The female bird doth soar in air;The female fish doth swim; The fleet-foot mare upon the courseDoth hold her own with the flying horse–Yea and she beateth him!One female in the world we findTelling a different tale. It is the female of our race, Who holds a parasitic placeDependent on the male.Not so, saith she, ye slander me! No parasite am I. I earn my living as a wife;

My children take my very life;Why should I share in human strife, To plant and build and buy?

The human race holds highest placeIn all the world so wide, Yet these inferior females wive, And raise their little ones alive, And feed themselves beside.

Thre race is higher than the sex, Though sex be fair and good; A Human Creature is your state, And to be human is more greatThan even womanhood!

The female fox she is a fox;The female whale a whale; The female eagle holds her placeAs representative of raceAs truly as the male.

She Walketh Veiled and Sleeping

SHE WALKETH veiled and sleeping,For she knoweth not her power;

She obeyeth but the pleadingOf her heart, and the high leading

Of her soul, unto this hour.Slow advancing, halting, creeping,Comes the Woman to the hour!–She walketh veiled and sleeping,For she knoweth not her power.

This song was more about women’s rights, but the lyrics spoke to me. Women are not property! We should have the same rights as men.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmOrWG2FTbg

This video is from Mary Poppins. Ms. Winifred Banks sings about women’s right to vote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvk1NZDFvZU

This is somewhat of a funny video. Although it is completely wrong, I thought it was interesting how many of the girls did not know the correct definition of the word “suffrage.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uPcthZL2RE&feature=player_embedded#at=88

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