Lady in White

Lady in White Photograph

Who/What: The Lady in White is a photograph taken during Washington's Women's Suffrage Parade. Inez Milholland is the woman in the photo on the horse, and she was one of the women to organize and lead the parade in Washington DC in order to get women the right to vote in the United States (Parker). Milholland grew up wealthy and educated, eventually getting her law degree from NYU. She died at age 30, just three years after the image was taken (Parker).

Where: This photo was taken in Washington DC, but it served as a symbol for the suffrage movement until the 19th amendment was passed, finally giving women the right to vote (Parker). It is noted that most people have forgotten about Inez Milholland and the other women who fought so hard for their rights.

Inez Milholland as The Lady in White

Lady in White. 1913. Library of Congress, Washington, DC. The Washington Post. Web. 7 Feb. 2016.

When: The Women's Suffrage Parade took place in 1913, although women had been fighting for the right to vote for decades before the parade. The 19th amendment was finally passed in 1920, seven years after the parade took place.

Why: Milholland served as an important symbol for feminism as a whole, because the feminist movement at that time was equated with masculine, hyper-aggressive women (Parker). Milholland, in her white robes and curled hair, is very feminine and this served to correct some of the misconceptions about feminism in her time.

Identities: This picture says a lot about society's ideals regarding femininity in the early 20th century time period. This image looks to identify with women who want the right to vote, but do not want to be labeled as masculine or needy. Milholland, who looks almost angelic up on her white horse, is an identifier to these women that it's okay to be a suffragette while also still remaining womanly as well.

Works Cited:
Parker, Lonnae O'Neal. "100 Years After Suffrage March, Activists Walk in Tradition of Inez Milholland." The Washington Post. Nash Holdings LLC, 27 Feb. 2013. Web. 7 Feb. 2016.