Alice Paul

Alice

Alice Paul helped bring about some of the most amazing achievements on behalf of women in the 20th century. She was one of the leading figures responsible for the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. She dedicated her life to the mission of giving women equal rights.

Alice was the oldest of four children born on January 11, 1885 to Quaker parents in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Though her family was very well off they lived very simply. Her parents instilled in her the belief in gender equality and the need to work for the betterment of society. Alice credited her success to being raised on the farm and having to work hard until everything was completed.

Alice was always a very hard worker, as a young girl she was a wonderful student, an avid reader, and participated in several extra-curricular activities including basketball, baseball, and field hockey. At the age of twenty-one she went on to earn her PhD. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing her education she joined the suffrage party and got to work on her number one mission in life, equal rights.

Alice didn’t stop her efforts no matter what the consequences. She believed so strongly in what she was working towards that she took much harassment from onlookers and kept going moving forward regardless what was happening around or to her. Several times she was physically attacked by male onlookers as the police stood and watched during her organized parades to bring about awareness. Alice was arrested along with her fellow protesters many times and was even jailed, where she took a stand and started a hunger strike. That was the only thing she had control of at the time. Once released Alice took back to the streets getting her message out there and fighting for what she believed to be fair and right.

Older Alice (http://www.alicepaul.org/alicep3.htm)

The thing that makes Alice Paul such a wonderful hero was her determination and commitment to follow through with her mission of getting equal rights for women. Alice died on July 9, 1977 just a few miles from her birth place. Her legacy lives on as an example to others that anything can be accomplished with hard work and determination. In 1985 the Alice Paul Institute was founded and it works to educate and encourage women and girls to take leadership roles in their communities and to fight for what they believe in. Alice was a truly amazing women and anybody that hears her story will be inspired to always strive for something better and never give up.