Equal Suffrage League of Virginia commemorated on Franklin Street

A marker was installed this week in front of 919 West Franklin Street commemorating the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia: Eighteen women dedicated to obtaining the vote and expanding women’s traditional roles formed the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia at 919 West Franklin Street in Nov. 1909. Under Lila Meade Valentine’s leadership, the ESL grew […]

November 22, 2012; 9:27 AM • by Fan of the Fan

A marker was installed this week in front of 919 West Franklin Street commemorating the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia:

Eighteen women dedicated to obtaining the vote and expanding women’s traditional roles formed the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia at 919 West Franklin Street in Nov. 1909. Under Lila Meade Valentine’s leadership, the ESL grew to more than 100 local chapters and 30,000 members statewide. The ESL held public suffrage rallies and supported social reform movements to urge the General Assembly to amend the state constitution. Although the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed in 1920, when the ESL became the League of Women Voters, Virginia did not ratify it until 1952.

photo via gsex