Today in Herstory: Suffrage Hikers Depart New Jersey for Two-Month Trek to DC (12 feb1913)

[niyad]

Today in Herstory: Suffrage Hikers Depart New Jersey for Two-Month Trek to DC


The suffrage hikers marching along Broad Street, just north of West Kinney Street in Newark, New Jersey, about 10:00 this morning.

February 12, 1913: “On to Washington!” and “Votes for Women!” Those were the enthusiastic cheers of Rosalie Jones and her hardy group of suffrage hikers as they left this morning on a trek that will make their hike from New York City to Albany two months ago seem like a brief stroll in the park.

“General” Jones’ “Army of the Hudson,” consisting of herself and fifteen other dedicated suffragists, will walk every step of the way from Newark, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C. Once in the nation’s capital, the hikers intend to deliver a letter written by officers of the National American Woman Suffrage Association to President-elect Wilson, then take part in N.A.W.S.A.’s massive suffrage parade and pageant to be held on March 3rd, the day before Wilson’s inauguration.

The hikers’ official sendoff rally occurred in Manhattan, with speeches that were received with great enthusiasm by the mostly-sympathetic crowd. Nearly 200 supporters even agreed to walk part of the way with the “regulars,” so when they formed up to begin the actual march in Newark, it was an impressive sight.

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Impassible roads across the meadows made it necessary to start from Newark, and “Colonel” Ida Craft was so distressed at the idea of taking the Hudson Tube Train on what was supposed to be a “hike” that she spent some of her time on board marching back and forth from one end of the train to the other. Her opening and closing of doors irritated the passengers and conductors, but it did succeed in at least partly fulfilling Craft’s desire to walk from New York City to Washington, D.C.



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http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2015/02/12/today-in-herstory-suffrage-hikers-depart-new-jersey-for-two-month-trek-to-dc/