Members of the National Woman’s Party Parked Outside the Colorado Springs Headquarters at 222 N. Tejon Street, 1916. Lillian Kerr at the wheel, Susan H. B. Gray to her right, back seat: Myrtle W. Morrison, Mina F. Hise to her right. In 1893, Colorado became the first state to ratify women’s suffrage. However, women continued to fight for this right under federal law. Members of the National Woman’s Party (NWP) of Colorado Springs organized and travelled across the country to support the cause. In 1916, the NWP party lobbied to vote against Woodrow Wilson and the Democratic candidates. Following Wilson’s victory in the presidential election, NWP members traveled to Washington DC to continue to protest for the vote by picketing at the White House.

The 19th Amendment was ratified by all 36 States by 1920. Members of the NWP continued to advocate for equal rights for women. At the 1923 Equal Rights Conference, held in Colorado Springs, Lillian Kerr co-authored the Equal Rights Amendment which would give all women of the country equal rights and privileges with men under the law.

Photo courtesy of Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, cspm.org