1913 was a big year in the history of the suffrage movement in Illinois. The State Legislature passed a suffrage bill that recognized a woman's right to vote for Presidential electors (first state east of the Mississippi) and many local officials. Ida B. Wells-Barnett founded the Alpha Suffrage Club, believed to be the first such organization for Negro women in the country.

The passage of the suffrage bill was possible because of the hard work of activists led the Chicago Political Equality League, especially Grace Wilbur Trout (at right). From the Wikipedia entry: "One of her [Trout's] assistants, Elizabeth Booth, cut up a Blue Book government directory and made file cards for each of the members of the General Assembly. Armed with the names, four lobbyists went to Springfield to persuade one legislator at a time to support suffrage for women. In 1913, first-term Speaker of the House, Democrat Champ Clark, told Trout that he would submit the bill for a final vote, if there was support for the bill in Illinois. Trout enlisted her network, and while in Chicago over the weekend, Clark received a phone call every 15 minutes, day and night. On returning to Springfield he found a deluge of telegrams and letters from around the state all in favor of suffrage."

The suffrage movement had long roots in Illinois and continued until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. More information on the 1910-1913 campaign for suffrage in Illinois.

This week marks the 90th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.