Suffrage Special

The Suffrage Special was an event created by the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage in 1916. The Suffrage Special toured the "free states" which had already allowed women's suffrage in the United States. The delegates were raising awareness of the national women's suffrage amendment. They were also looking to start a new political party, the National Women's Party (NWP). The Suffrage Special, also known as the "flying squadron" left Washington, D.C., and toured the Western states by train for 38 days starting on April 9, 1916. Famous and well-known suffragists made up the envoy of the Suffrage Special. They toured several states during their journey and were largely well-received. When the tour was over, the delegates of the Suffrage Special visited Congress where they presented petitions for women's suffrage they had collected on their journey.

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage started planning a tour of woman's clubs in the Western United States in Spring of 1916. Since most of the states that had passed the women's vote were in the West, the idea was to recruit and use the voices of women voters from these states to speak for national women's suffrage. The suffragists wanted the women who were allowed to vote in their home states to support the national amendment. The group intended to announce plans to form a National Woman's Party. In addition, they obtained petitions from across the country to present to President Woodrow Wilson. The tour lasted 38 days and covered the states that had already allowed women's suffrage.

The Special was planned to leave Washington, D.C., on April 9, 1916. Louisine Havemeyer, who was unable to take part, donated $300 to the Suffrage Special. Much of the financing for the trip was carried out by Alva Belmont.

Ella Reigel and Lucy Burns led the delegation which was planned to consist of 36 women. Twenty-three envoys actually made the trip when the Special left on April 9. They were also known as the "flying squadron" of the Congressional Union.

Many of the women involved were considered "famous" and it was a draw to see them speaking live. Abby Scott Baker, Alva Belmont, Harriet Stanton Blatch, Lucy Burns, Florence Bayard Hilles and Inez Milholland were famous at the time. "Working Woman," Melinda Scott, was also profiled. Overall, the women were generally well received in the West. Often, when they arrived, their stops were already decorated in purple, white and gold, the suffrage colors.

Before the Suffrage Special left Washington, D.C., there was a farewell luncheon with speakers and music held at the headquarters for the Congressional Union. Florence Finch Kelley served as the event's toastmaster. The suffragists' private train car was "christened" with grape juice before the train pulled out. Around five thousand supporters saw the train off and a brass band played "Onward Christian Soldiers" as they began their journey. The car itself was decorated with colors associated with the suffrage movement: yellow, white and purple.

The group arrived in Chicago on April 10. The suffragists had planned a parade from Union Station, proceeding to a reception at the Congressional Union headquarters in the Stevens building. Mounted police acted as escorts to the headquarters. There was a public reception at the Chicago Art Institute that evening and the next day, Governor Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne met with the suffragists in the name of the state of Illinois. These events were well-attended. The Suffrage Special headed for Kansas in the evening of April 11.

The Suffrage Special stopped in Kansas City, Missouri, for an hour and a half on April 12. They then went to Topeka, Kansas, where representatives were entertained at a luncheon on April 12. Mabel Vernon met the Suffrage Special at the station. There were around 150 attending the luncheon in Topeka. After the luncheon, women marched into the business district and spoke on the topic of federal women's suffrage. They also went to Washburn College, where their event in the Pelletier tea room was "packed to capacity." Vernon arranged for the women to meet in Wichita, Kansas, the next day. There was a night meeting in Wichita and on April 14, the Suffrage Special stopped at Newton, Hutchinson, Emporia and Dodge City, Kansas.