Suffragist Biographies and Portraits

This exhibit offers an opportunity to learn about some of the individuals who contributed valiantly to the efforts and other reform movements. As you examine the portraits, consider how each person’s image evidences an element of their life story. Is the portrait formally posed or seemingly casual? What clothing and accessories are present? What is the setting?

An inexhaustive list, the biographies and images presented here are intended to engage viewers in the opportunity to examine each individual’s story and their work as one aspect of the current struggle of scholars and students of history to tell an honest, inclusive history of the suffrage movements—historically and, even, today.

The images shown here are intended to disclose a variety of portraits—from photographic prints to paintings. The selections were made based upon open-access and available permissions and are not meant to privilege any individual.

The photographs and paintings on view in this digital exhibit are drawn from the following collections: the Library of Congress; Oberlin College Archives; and Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery. We are grateful for use of their resources.

The Suffragist Biographies and Portraits exhibit was created by Dr. Juilee Decker to support the research and scholarship of the U.S. Women's and Gender History course at the Rochester Institute of Technology in fall 2020 taught by Dr. Tamar Carroll.