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A Brief History of Women's Marches in the United States
03/09/2021•4 minute read
The United States’ history is marked with a history of women continuing to march, demonstrate, and fight for equality and representation. As women continue to forge ahead and fight for their rights in the United States, let’s take a look back to see the roots and history of feminist marches.
Suffrage Movement
By 1913, the women’s suffrage movement in the US had been building.
On March 3rd, 1913, the day before President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, thousands of women took to the streets in a parade to fight for an amendment to the constitution that would grant women the right to vote. In 1916 and 1917, women picketed the White House which led to the arrest of 218 women who were force-fed and jailed. The public’s outraged response led to widespread support for women’s rights. In 1919, the 19th Amendment passed Congress in 1919 and was ratified in 1920, securing women the right to vote.
Bra Burning Miss America Protest
On September 7th, 1968, 400 women protested the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Participants protested the pageant's promotion of ‘ludicrous beauty standards’ that women are subjected to. Women marched around a trash can that they then threw away symbols of feminine oppression: makeup, bras, high heels. The trash can was rumored to be set on fire, leading to the ‘bra burning’ name, but this is actually a misnomer as the protest concluded flame-free. While no legislative or official changes took place, this event gained national attention and coverage, leading to a more national conversation.
In 1975 in Philadelphia and 1976 in Brussels, women walked the streets at night with candles to speak out against sexual assault and violence against women. This event has lived on and is widespread, occurring across campuses and cities around the world. In 2001, it became an official organization under the initiative of Katie Koestner.
In 1976, marches for the equal rights amendment gathered 16,000 people to fight for ratification of the Illinois legislature to pass the Equal Rights Amendment which would guarantee equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. It was originally written in 1923 by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman. As the women’s movement gained steam in the United States, the amendment was approved by the Senate and House of Representatives between 1971 and 2971. The ERA was then submitted to state legislatures for ratification. In 1982 it was defeated but it is still being fought for to this day. The legislature has never been nationally recognized but is honored on a state-by-state basis.
After Donna Dees-Thomases, a local mother saw live news coverage of the Los Angelis Jewish Community Center shooting in Granada Hils, California, she and other activists from the tristate area held a news conference where they declared they would march on Washington to help protect their children from gun violence. Held on Mother’s day in 2000, 750,000 women showed up to Wahington’s National Mall to fight for stricter gun control. Similar marches popped up around the country in the following weeks and furthered the conversation and debate on gun control in the United States.
2004 March for Women’s Lives
On April 25th, 2004, the March for Women’s Lives brought 1.15 million people to Washington DC. Supporters gathered to strive for protection and advancement of rights such as reproductive health care, including birth control and emergency contraception. Activists from all over the country joined together to speak out against policies imposed by President George W. Bush. The 2004 March for Women’s Lives was the largest protest in US history up to this point.
After President Trump's election in 2016, women joined forces across the country to create the Women’s March to protest former-President Trump’s crude language and treatment of women. Many of his proposed policies threatened women’s legal and reproductive rights. 500,000 women marched on Washington, while a reported 4.1 million people across the United States participated in marches in their cities. The movement spread beyond US borders.
Conclusion
Women continue to fight for their rights, defend their beliefs, and work for fair inclusion in society today. We are grateful for the sacrifices and determination of the women before us who have paved the way for women today and the women of the future.
