Who was Alice Paul? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Alice Stokes Paul

Died At Age: 92

Family:

father: William Mickle Paul

mother: Tacie Parry Paul

siblings: Helen, Parry, William Jr.

Born Country: United States

Women's Rights Activists American Women

Died on: July 9, 1977

place of death: Moorestown, New Jersey, United States

U.S. State: New Jersey

More Facts

education: University of Pennsylvania, American University, Swarthmore College, Washington College of Law

Recommended For You

1

When did Alice Paul propose the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and to whom?

Alice Paul first proposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1923 to the United States Congress.
2

What organization did Alice Paul co-found to fight for women's suffrage?

Alice Paul co-founded the National Woman's Party (NWP) in 1916 to fight for women's suffrage.
3

Which significant event did Alice Paul organize in 1913 to demand women's right to vote?

Alice Paul organized the Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington D.C. in 1913 to demand women's right to vote.
4

How did Alice Paul contribute to the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

Alice Paul's advocacy and protests, including hunger strikes and picketing, played a significant role in the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

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Childhood & Early Life

Alice Paul was the eldest daughter of William and Tacie Paul. Her father, a successful businessman, was also the president of the Burlington County Trust Company.

Her parents were Hicksite Quakers, and strong believers of gender equality. Her mother was a member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association - a movement she too would join later on.

Even as a young girl, she always knew she wanted to work for the betterment of society.

She attended Swarthmore College and graduated with a degree in Biology in 1905.

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American Women's Rights Activists

Career

She went to Birmingham, England, in 1907 to study social work. She met Christabel and Emmeline Pankhurst, a mother-daughter duo who led a militant suffrage movement, Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). They often engaged in violent and destructive action in their bid to be heard.

She joined their movement and indulged in violent activities several times only to be arrested and imprisoned. But she took solace from the fact that their movement was making impact.

On her return to the U.S. in 1910, she was determined to emulate the model of the English suffrage movement in her own country. She joined the University of Pennsylvania to work on her PhD.

She joined the National Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and was soon made the head of the Congressional Committee. However, her own ideals clashed with those of the NAWSA and she left to found her own group.

Along with a friend, Lucy Burns, she formed the National Woman's Party (NWP) in 1916. The group aimed at bringing about a change in the way the government viewed women’s suffrage.

During the U.S. Presidential elections in 1916, the NWP protested against the refusal of the president to support the women’s suffrage movement.

In January 1917, she organized the ‘Silent Sentinels’, a group of women who supported the suffrage movement and protested in front of the White House during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.

For over two years, thousands of women picketed on every weekday and held banners demanding the right to vote. The protests were non-violent, yet the women were arrested and imprisoned at Occoquan Workhouse in inhumane conditions.

Paul went on a hunger strike to protest, but was forcibly fed raw eggs to make her relent. Several of the picketers were also mercilessly beaten up by the police.

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None of the government’s atrocities could make the women relent and they continued with their demands. Their demonstrations also received widespread media coverage forcing the president to look into the situation.

In 1919, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by both the House of Representatives and Senate. The majority of the state legislature in Tennessee voted in favour of the amendment and it was ratified on 18th August 1920. The ratification was certified six days later by the Secretary of State.

Paul went back to college and earned her law degree in 1922 from the Washington College of Law at American University. She received an L.L.M. in 1927 and Doctorate in Civil Laws in 1928.

She worked throughout her life for securing equal rights for women. In 1923 she demanded the introduction of Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution, though it took several decades to pass the law.

Major Works

She is mainly known for her role in the women’s suffrage movement which resulted in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which prohibits any citizen of the U.S. to be denied the right to vote on the basis of sex.

Personal Life & Legacy

Alice Paul was a woman dedicated only to the cause of fighting for women’s rights. She never married, nor had any romantic relationships.

She led a very active life till the age of 89 in 1974 when she was disabled by a stroke. She died in 1977 at the age of 92.

The Alice Paul Institute, a not-for-profit organization, was founded in New Jersey in 1984 to honour her memory. The institute works to promote gender equality and betterment of women.

The Cape May County Advisory on the Status of Women developed The Alice Stokes Paul Award to honour women who contribute significantly towards women’s issues.

Facts About Alice Paul

Alice Paul was one of the leading figures in the women's suffrage movement in the United States, playing a key role in the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

She was known for her bold and daring tactics, including organizing protests, hunger strikes, and picketing the White House, to bring attention to the cause of women's suffrage.

Alice Paul was also instrumental in the drafting and introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment, which sought to guarantee equal rights for women under the law.

In addition to her advocacy work, Alice Paul was also a brilliant strategist and organizer, helping to mobilize thousands of women across the country in support of the suffrage movement.

Alice Paul Biography

You wanted to know

When did Alice Paul propose the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and to whom?

What organization did Alice Paul co-found to fight for women's suffrage?

Which significant event did Alice Paul organize in 1913 to demand women's right to vote?

How did Alice Paul contribute to the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?