The Equal Suffrage Association of the District of Columbia is a separate body, corresponding to a State association, and is composed of delegates elected from the District society and the Junior Equal Suffrage Club. It was organized Dec. 2, 1898, and holds regular meetings. Mrs. Helen Rand Tindall is the president.[1]
The association made every possible effort to secure a bill to recompense Anna Ella Carroll for her services during the war. It has used its influence in favor of industrial schools and kindergartens in the public schools and has urged Congress to appropriate money for vacation schools. In 1895 it petitioned the national convention of the Knights of Labor, meeting in Washington, to adopt a resolution asking Congress to restore suffrage to the citizens of the District of Columbia with no distinction of sex. This was unanimously adopted without even the formality of referring to a committee. Delegates were sent to the International Congress of Women in Brussels in 1897.
In 1900, for the first time, the suffrage women of the District gave free entertainment to delegates to the national convention. Mrs. Ellen Powell Thompson was chairman of the committee and contributed largely to the success of that memorable convention, which ended with the celebration of Miss Susan B. Anthony's eightieth birthday and her retirement from the presidency of the National Association. Mrs. Thompson was especially active in securing the handsome gift of a purse of over $200, which was presented to her by the District society. Mrs. Julius C. Burrows assisted in many ways and through her influence the Corcoran Gallery of Art was opened to the brilliant reception given in honor of Miss Anthony.
- ↑ The Junior Equal Suffrage Club is probably the first organization of young people to become affiliated with the National Association. It was founded Jan. 24, 1895, by three girls in the Central High School, Anna Kemball, Alice Stearns and Edith Maddren. Young men comprise about one-third of its membership and join in its proceedings and discussions.
Mrs. Ella M. S. Marble, Mrs. Mary L. Bennett, Mrs. Mary Powell Davis, Mrs. Ellen Powell Thompson, Miss Cora La Matyr Thomas and Mrs. Helen Rand Tindall. On March 18, 1901, the association was incorporated by Clara W. MacNaughton, Mary L. Talbott, Ellen Powell Thompson, Helen Rand Tindall, Clara Bewick Colby, Kate W. Burt, Sara A. Haslett, Caroline E. Kent and Belva A. Lockwood, "to secure for women citizens of the United States the full rights of citizenship; to build a clubhouse for women; and to collect funds for appropriate memorials to the memory of women who have performed meritorious work for the enfranchisement of women and the good of humanity."
