Lucy Burns

Lucy Burns: Suffragette and Changemaker

Lucy Burns- American suffragette and woman’s rights activist.

Inspiration and Friendships

Lucy Burns advocacy efforts began when she spent time in the UK working with Emmeline Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union.She joined their protests and was arrested for the first time. While there, she also met activist Alice Paul. The two bonded over the inactivity of American suffragettes and their respect for the more militant strategies of the UK suffragette movement.

The Congressional Committee

Upon their return to the U.S, Burns and Paul became the heads of the Congressional Committee of the National American Women Suffrage Association. Both women felt strongly that the best way to ensure woman’s suffrage was to advocate on the federal level for a suffrage amendment.This was a controversial issue in the NAWSA with many willing to settle for guaranteed victories on the state level, while others wanted to “go big or go home” refusing to settle until there was a federal level victory of woman’s suffrage for all.

NAWSA leaders were nervous about approving the Committee or many of its proposed advocacy ideas. They did, at least, approve a suffrage parade which Burns and Paul organized for the day before newly elected Woodrow Wilson’s Inauguration Day. See my other blog post on the March on Washington for further details about this event. NAWSA’s one stipulation was that the Congressional Committee would receive no further funding from NAWSA. This was the beginning of Burns and Paul’s split from NAWSA.

Lucy Burns and The National Woman’s Party

Burns and Paul split from NAWSA and formed their own suffrage group called the Congressional Union. This caused further controversy and divisiveness within the suffrage movement. Many felt threatened by Burns and Paul’s more militant tactics and that they’d alienated political supporters. Eventually Burns and Paul created their own political party called the National Woman’s Party.They felt this was the best way to guarantee direct action in fighting for women’s rights. Their sole goal was the federal right to vote.

In 1917 the NWP led a protest in front of the White House. The women were called the Silent Sentinels and were arrested and sent to the Occoquan Workhouse.

Life in Prison

Burns and Paul led the arrested women in hunger strikes to continue protesting their cause from prison. She led a number of continued protests from prison including circulating a document that defined the status of a political prisoner and alerting the women to their rights. She was eventually put in solitary confinement.

Conditions worsened but the women refused to give up their cause. Eventually, Burns and the women were forced to face what became known as the “Night of Terror”.

The women were beaten and refused medical treatment. Burns continued to call out and reassure the other women despite numerous threats. Eventually guards handcuffed her hands over her head to her cell door and left her that way for the rest of the night. In solidarity, the rest of the suffragette prisoners all held their hands in the same position and stood there with her.

The Aftermath of the “Night of Terror”

After enduring the “Night of Terror” the women conducted another hunger strike for the following three days. The warden eventually moved Burns to another block and ordered her to be force fed. They required five people to hold her down and when she refused to open her mouth, they eventually forced a tube up her nostril.

The Final Push for Suffrage

Burns, Paul and other advocates continued to lobby for votes to pass the federal amendment for woman suffrage. They were once again jailed after another protest at the White House in 1918. After being treated horribly in prison again they were finally released shortly before the next election. They decided their sole focus needed to be on getting anyone in Congress who supported suffrage. This was the first time they focused on candidates outside the Democratic Party. It worked and they cost Democrats their majority in Congress.

By this point tensions between the suffragettes and Wilson were at an all-time high. He realized something needed to be done, especially after all the negative publicity from the protests, arrests and recent election. He requested a special assembly of Congress in May of 1919.

On May 21st the House passed the Susan B. Anthony amendment. The Senate passed it on June 4th. Although the amendment was passed, the suffragettes still had to make sure 3/4 of the states agreed to ratify it. Finally on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the Anthony Amendment. The quest for federal suffrage was finally over.

Lucy Burns’ Legacy

Of all the suffragettes from this era, Lucy Burns spent the most time in prison. Once Tennessee ratified the Amendment, Burns was quoted as saying “I don’t want to do anything more. I think we have done all this for women, and we have sacrificed everything we possessed for them, and now let them fight for it now. I am not going to fight anymore.” She retired from political life and spent the rest of her time with her orphaned niece until her death in 1966.

Lucy Burns was named an honoree by the National Women’s History Alliance in 2020. The Lucy Burn Museum also opened to the public in January 2020 at the former site of the Occoquan Workhouse where the “Night of Terror” took place. The museum commemorates Burns and the other suffragettes and their sacrifices in the fight for suffrage.

I am so honored to speak at the Lucy Burns Museum this weekend and honor these women for Women’s History Month. I hope you can join me or stay tuned for the replay of the event soon in my VIP Member section.

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Books about First Ladies

Best Books About First Ladies

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We’ve all heard that behind every great man is a great lady. But society still celebrates the men. I think it’s time we give these incredible First Ladies their due! Check out these best books about first ladies to learn more!

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Lady Bird Johnson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Mary Todd Lincoln– we’ve all heard these legendary first ladies’ names. But, how much do we actually know about them? We often wonder– who were these incredible women who stood behind our nation’s leaders? Beyond their public smiles, how much did these first ladies actually help steer the country? Perhaps more importantly, what personal dreams did they sacrifice to take on such a demanding role? To explore these answers, I’ve gathered some of my favorite stories here in this list of the best books about first ladies. But I know there are still more.

To be honest, I grew very overwhelmed in the options while writing this post. There are so many incredible books out there. I obviously could only share a few, but I’d love for you to share more of your own recommendations as well! So please, feel free to add your own favorite books about First Ladies in the comments!

Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert

History remembers Eleanor Roosevelt as a trailblazing First Lady who moved far ahead of her time. Her quotes alone are legendary. But was there one area of her life where she couldn’t be true to herself?

In Loving Eleanor, Albert portrays the deep bond between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena ‘Hick’ Hickok. I was super excited to include this on the best books about first ladies list.

When AP political reporter Lorena Hickok—Hick—is assigned to cover Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the wife of the 1932 Democratic presidential candidate, the two women become deeply, intimately involved. Initially, their relationship sparked with mutual romantic passion, but it soon matured through stormy periods of enforced separation and competing interests. Over time, that intensity warmed into an enduring, encompassing friendship that lasted until both women passed away in the 1960s.

First Ladies- Eleanor Roosevelt

In Loving Eleanor, New York Times bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert reconstructs the gripping bond between Hick and Eleanor during the upheaval of the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Second World War.

The narrative centers on Hick’s personal perspective. Hick portrays Eleanor as a complex and contradictory woman. As the nation’s First Lady, Eleanor constantly balances her public duty with her private family obligations. Ultimately, the story uncovers her deepest struggle: a powerful, human need to care for others while desperately seeking care herself. Throughout the novel, Hick emerges as an accomplished journalist who eventually sacrifices her thriving career to support the woman she loves. Consequently, as Eleanor evolves into the legendary “Eleanor Everywhere” and becomes a global leader, Hick must navigate the shadow of the White House. To survive this shift, she works to forge her own independent, productive life outside of Eleanor’s massive public role.

Drawing on extensive research in the letters that were sealed for a decade following Hick’s death, Albert creates a compelling narrative: a dramatic love story, vividly portraying two strikingly unconventional women, neither of whom is satisfied to live according to the script society has written for her. Loving Eleanor is a profoundly moving novel that illuminates a relationship we are seldom privileged to see and celebrates the depth and durability of women’s love.

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And They Called It Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton

Of course, no list of the best books about first ladies would be complete without the iconic Jackie O. Many would call her the most legendary first lady of all time, largely because of her world-famous sense of style. Furthermore, the highly romanticized fairytale of the Kennedys’ courtship and marriage continues to captivate readers decades later. But what was Jackie’s life really like? Thornton takes us behind the scenes to see an intimate portrait of her life.

While few of us can truly claim to be the authors of our fate, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy realizes she has no other choice. Consequently, with the eyes of the world watching, Jackie uses her effortless charm and keen intelligence to carve a permanent place for herself among the great men of history. In the process, she weaves a fairy tale for the American people by perfectly embodying the roles of a senator’s wife, a devoted mother, and a First Lady—ultimately becoming a queen in her own right.

But all reigns must come to an end. Once JFK travels to Dallas and the clock ticks down those thousand days of magic in Camelot, Jackie is forced to pick up the ruined fragments of her life and forge herself into a new identity that is all her own, that of an American legend.

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Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln by Janis Cooke Newman 

Mary Todd Lincoln was one of the most controversial first ladies in history and on this best books about first ladies list. She was the first President’s wife to earn the title First Lady. And yet, she was also committed into an insane asylum. Newman does an amazing job portraying a sympathetic and well-researched view of Mary Todd Lincoln’s life.

A fascinating and intimate novel of the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, narrated by the First Lady herself.

Mary Todd Lincoln is one of history’s most misunderstood and enigmatic women. She was a political strategist, a supporter of emancipation, and a mother who survived the loss of three children and the assassination of her beloved husband. Beyond her political role, Mary Todd Lincoln famously ran her family into deep debt and even held seances within the White House walls. Eventually, her behavior led to her being committed to an insane asylum—and it is at this exact breaking point that Janis Cooke Newman’s debut novel begins.

From her room in Bellevue Place, Mary chronicles her tempestuous childhood in a slaveholding Southern family and takes readers through the years after her husband’s death, revealing the ebbs and flows of her passion and depression, her poverty and ridicule, and her ultimate redemption.

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Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight by Julia Sweig

It’s recently been alluded to that Lady Bird Johnson was instrumental to LBJ’s administration and presidency. But this book really pulls back the curtain and reveals just how much she contributed.

In the spring of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson had a decision to make. Just months after moving into the White House under the worst of circumstances—following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy— he had to decide whether to run to win the presidency in his own right. He turned to his most reliable, trusted political strategist: his wife, Lady Bird Johnson. The strategy memo she produced for him, emblematic of her own political acumen and largely overlooked by biographers, is just one revealing example of how their marriage was truly a decades-long political partnership.

Although many consider Lady Bird Johnson the most underestimated First Lady of the twentieth century, she actually served as one of the most accomplished political figures of her era and often acted as her husband’s secret weapon. While she managed the White House during years of national upheaval—navigating both the civil rights movement and the escalation of the Vietnam War—Lady Bird intentionally projected a sense of calm. Consequently, following the glamorous Jackie Kennedy, the public often viewed her as a “traditional” First Lady.

In truth, however, she proved to be anything but old-fashioned. For instance, she became the first woman to run the East Wing like a professional office, spearheading her own policy initiatives and launching the most ambitious national environmental effort since Teddy Roosevelt. Furthermore, as the women’s liberation movement began to take hold, she hosted professional pioneers like Jane Jacobs and Barbara Ward at the White House. Through these actions, she encouraged women everywhere to pursue their own careers, even while she modeled a unique leadership style centered on supporting others.

Where no presidential biographer has understood the full impact of Lady Bird Johnson’s work in the White House, Julia Sweig is the first to draw substantially on Lady Bird’s own voice in her White House diaries to place Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson center stage and to reveal a woman ahead of her time—and an accomplished politician in her own right.

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I hope you enjoy reading more about these incredible first ladies! Who is your FAVORITE First Lady? Did you like this book list? Check out more HERE!

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Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison: First Black Woman Nobel Laureate

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On October 8th, 1993, the world of literature shifted. That day, Toni Morrison became the first Black woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature—a monumental achievement that forever cemented her status as a literary giant and global changemaker.

This wasn’t just a win for her; it was a win for every voice that had been told their story was too niche, too specific, or simply not “universal” enough. Morrison didn’t just write novels; she fundamentally changed what the American story was allowed to be.

She Didn’t Just Write Books, She Built the Shelf

Born Chloe Wofford, Toni Morrison had a profound understanding of language, but she was a changemaker long before she got the call from Sweden. In the 1960s, she took a job as an editor at Random House. That job was a battlefield.

She worked tirelessly to overcome the industry’s outdated stereotypes—the ones that constantly underestimated Black authors and Black stories. As an editor, she was a one-woman literary movement, bringing revolutionary works by authors like Angela Davis and Gayl Jones out of the shadows and onto the national stage. She advocated for a diverse canon while secretly pouring her own genius onto the page.

Toni Morrison

Her first novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), dropped like a truth bomb. Her writing was lyrical, tough, and centered unflinchingly on the Black experience, especially Black women’s lives. She never softened her prose or explained her characters for a white audience. She basically said, “This is the story. Understand it.”

A Voice that Demanded Listening

By the time 1993 rolled around, Morrison had given us masterpieces like the epic Song of Solomon and the devastating, Pulitzer Prize-winning Beloved. Her novels don’t just tell stories; they use myth, history, and raw emotion to grapple with trauma, memory, and what it truly means to survive.

When the Swedish Academy announced the Nobel, recognizing her work for its “visionary force and poetic import,” it was a watershed moment. It wasn’t just validating one woman; it was validating an entire body of work and a cultural perspective that had long been marginalized.

Morrison didn’t shrink from the spotlight. She used that platform to talk about everything that mattered: the power of language, the danger of racism, and the necessity of literature that makes you uncomfortable. She traveled, taught, and championed the idea that when you finally center stories about women and people of color, the entire literary world gets stronger, richer, and more honest.

What She Left Us: A Legacy That Won’t Quit

Morrison’s impact did not end with the prize. She continued to write, publish, and teach for decades, serving as a revered professor at Princeton University. Her work became mandatory reading in schools and universities across the world, establishing a new standard for American literature.

She paved the way for countless writers who followed, proving that a writer could be intensely focused on a specific cultural experience and yet achieve universal acclaim. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, and her funeral, upon her death in 2019, was attended by leaders and artists, all acknowledging the seismic shift she created. She had an all-star honor guard of ten great works, each one a monument to a life dedicated to literature.

Toni Morrison’s journey demonstrates the profound power of using one’s unique voice—a voice that, once raised, can change the entire cultural landscape.

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Alice Stebbins Wells

First Female Police Officer: Changemaker Spotlight

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Alice Stebbins Wells was a minister and social worker who in 1910 became the first female police officer appointed to the Los Angeles Police Department. Although she was not technically the first female officer in the United States, she was the first of female police officers to hold arrest privileges and she was a national trailblazer for getting women allowed on police forces.

Wells worked hard to overcome gender stereotypes and barriers to women working on the police force. At the time, women who worked in law enforcement were only allowed to be matrons overseeing female inmates and juveniles. In May of 1910, Wells drafted a petition and obtained signatures before bringing it to the mayor of Los Angeles, the police commissioner and city council to demand she be appointed as a female police officer. The petition succeeded and she was appointed the following fall.

Paving a Road to a Stronger Force

Her initial months on the job were bumpy. She had to overcome disrespect and confusion with the idea of a woman on the force. One of the usual perks of the job was being allowed to ride the trolley for free. However, she was kicked off the trolley after being accused of wearing her husband’s badge. This was eventually rectified as she was issued a new badge with the title “Policewoman No. 1.” 

She also had to deal with derisive newspaper reporting. Article headlines mocked her with titles like “Officerette, Officeress, and first woman policeman.” Instead of bowing down, Wells demanded acceptance and gave an exclusive interview to the Los Angeles Times. There she stated, “This is serious work and I do hope the newspapers will not try to make fun of it.”

Female police officers Alice Stebbins Wells

Wells continued to campaign for wider inclusion of female police officers across the country. In 1915, she created the International Association of Policewomen. She traveled and gave lectures about the merits of adding female police officers. Wells advocated there were situations where women would be more effective than men in police enforcement. She argued that if female police officers were to go into dance halls, skating rinks, and picture shows, women and children would be less intimidated to ask for help. 

Preparing Female Police Officers for a New Role

Since female police officers were not issued guns or batons, Wells instituted nationwide training programs specifically targeting female officer safety. She also founded other organizations, conferences, and training programs for female police officers nationwide.

Wells expanded these self-defense programs for female community members as well. She began lectures and classes at local schools and women’s organizations. She taught women to be feisty and unafraid to defend themselves. One of her favorite lines was “The weapon nature gave a woman was a scream. But in more rural communities where someone might not hear you then it would not be bad to know a few bone-breaking tricks.”

Wells remained on the Los Angeles Police force until 1940. She died in 1957 and her funeral was attended by all the senior police officials in the department. She also had an all female honor guard of 10 officers. 

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Maggie Kuhn

Changemaker Spotlight: Maggie Kuhn

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Maggie Kuhn: Champion for Elder Rights and Social Justice

In the history of American activism, few figures are as impactful and revered as Maggie Kuhn. Known for her fearless advocacy for the elderly, Kuhn’s legacy is a testament to her dedication to justice and her unwavering commitment to social change.

Changemaker: Maggie Kuhn

Inspiration and Friendships

Maggie Kuhn’s journey into advocacy began later in life, sparked by her forced retirement at age 65. This moment of injustice led her to recognize the pervasive ageism in society. Determined to fight back, Kuhn gathered a group of like-minded individuals who were also experiencing the sting of mandatory retirement. Together, they formed a movement that would soon become known as the Gray Panthers.

The Formation of the Gray Panthers

In 1970, Maggie Kuhn and her group founded the Gray Panthers.The organization was created to work on issues of concern to the elderly, such as pension rights and age discrimination, but also concerned itself with larger public issues such as the Vietnam War. Their core mission was clear: Older people needed to seize control of their lives and participate in the active world working for issues in which they believed.

Maggie Kuhn’s Advocacy and Activism

Kuhn and the Gray Panthers quickly became known for their bold and outspoken approach. They campaigned against mandatory retirement, high medical costs, and nursing home reform. But, unlike other senior advocacy groups, the Gray Panthers also emphasized the interconnectedness of social issues, believing injustices affecting the elderly also impacted younger generations. Their motto became “Age and Youth in Action,” and many of its members were high school and college students. Kuhn also advocated for teens to be taken more seriously and given more responsibility. Much like the elderly, she felt teens were an under-valued resource.

Life in Activism

Kuhn’s dedication to the cause was unwavering. She led numerous protests and was a vocal critic of policies that marginalized the elderly. Her activism was not without personal risk and sacrifice. Despite facing opposition and sometimes hostility, Kuhn remained steadfast in her commitment to justice.

The Santa Claus Protest

Kuhn’s activism engaged tactics that were often rowdy and attention seeking. Dressed in Santa suits she and other protestors picketed a department store for its mandatory retirement policies during Christmas. They held signs questioning if Santa Claus was too old to be working.

Maggie Kuhn Gray Panthers

The Final Push for Social Justice

Kuhn and the Gray Panthers continued their relentless advocacy for elder rights and broader social justice issues. They lobbied for the Elder Justice Act, campaigned for affordable healthcare, and fought against the privatization of Social Security. Their efforts contributed to significant policy changes and heightened public awareness of ageism and elder abuse. Their greatest achievement was getting Congress to ban mandatory retirement in most jobs in 1986.

Maggie Kuhn’s Legacy

Maggie Kuhn’s impact on social justice and elder rights remains profound. She was a trailblazer who challenged societal norms and fought tirelessly for the rights of the marginalized. Kuhn continued her activism until her death in 1995, leaving behind a legacy of courage and determination.

In recognition of her contributions, numerous awards and honors were bestowed upon Kuhn, including the American Society on Aging Award and the Ralph Nader Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. The Gray Panthers continue to advocate for social justice today, embodying Kuhn’s spirit and vision.

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Womens Suffrage Parade 1913

Woman Suffrage Parade on March 3, 1913

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“We march today to give evidence to the world of our determination, that this simple act of justice shall be done.” Woman Suffrage March program

Woman Suffrage Parade on March 3 1913

Woman’s Suffrage has a long and difficult history. As we know, there were many who suffered blood, sweat and tears to advocate for woman’s suffrage. Today I’m going to discuss a particular instance in our Woman’s Suffrage history. The Woman Suffrage Parade on March 3 1913 was supposed to be a peaceful march in Washington DC. However, it unfortunately turned into a day of disaster. What happened and why?

women's suffrage parade 1913

The Plan for the Woman Suffrage Parade

On the week of March 4, 1913, everyone gathered for Woodrow Wilson’s Inauguration Day. Wilson’s history was inconsistent when it came to woman’s suffrage. Wilson claimed to be a woman suffrage supporter. However, he believed the states should grant access instead of the federal level. The National American Woman Suffrage Association disagreed.

Lucy Burns and Alice Paul were the newly-appointed chairs of the NAWSA’s Congressional Committee. Paul and Burns wanted more than patchwork woman’s suffrage rights on the state level. They wanted to aim bigger and get the Susan B. Anthony amendment for women’s federal voting rights to pass in Congress. They would do this by shining a spotlight on their cause, making it impossible to ignore.

Paul and Burns carefully planned a parade to demonstrate their cause. They chose to march along Pennsylvania Avenue, the same route Wilson would take the following day for his Inauguration and got thousands of women to march from all across the country.

The Great Demand

Inez Milholland, a famous suffragette, led the parade riding astride a white horse. She wore a white dress and a tiara with the star of hope. “We’re feminists, fighting not just for the vote, but for full equality,” she declared. In addition to Milholland, the parade also featured floats bearing banners for “The Great Demand.”

In keeping with Paul and Burn’s goal of making the parade impossible to ignore, they chose the parade’s slogan carefully. They coined The Great Demand slogan to exemplify that women were more than just demure and gracious. Women were strong and “demanding” access to the equal rights they deserved.

They next divided the parade into sections with orchestrated examples of woman capability. They designed the procession to demonstrate women’s achievements across the nation and how much they already contributed to the country. To do this women marched in their academic regalia from their universities, in uniforms and with others from their professions, and drove their cars. Behind them bands marched and played patriotic music.

Where Things Went Wrong

Few attendees saw the parade in its intended design, however, despite Paul and Burns’ careful planning. A crowd of over 250,000 spectators had turned up to view the parade. But there was little to no crowd control along the route. Spectators abandoned the sidewalks and blocked the route. The marchers tried their best to continue, those in cars or on horseback tried to push back the crowd. But the crowd immediately filled in again. Eventually, the parade stalled.

The marchers found themselves trapped in a crowd of mainly men that turned extremely hostile against them. The crowd jeered and threw things at the marchers. The men grabbed at the marchers, spitting and yelling sexual insults. The women received no assistance from nearby police officers.

Although a few women fled the scene, most were determined to continue and finish the parade. They locked arms and pushed their way through the ambush. Some used their banners and flags as weapons to ward off further attack. They held their ground until U.S. Army troops finally arrived an hour later to clear the street so the parade could continue.

A Key Moment in Suffrage History

Although the parade did not have its “intended” effect, it did still shine a spotlight on the cause. Headlines detailing the disruption and chaos at the parade eclipsed Wilson’s Inauguration coverage. There were also later inquiries in Congress into why there was insufficient crowd control for the event. These investigations kept the parade in the headlines for months to come which brought much needed interest and support to the cause.

To celebrate this, I’ll be sharing a follow up blog post next week to further delve into Lucy Burns and her personal champion efforts to support the suffrage cause.

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