1.3 Using the Suffragettes interview

By Kristin Post

Provided by UNC Libraries / Documenting the American South

Introductory script

After a lengthy national conversation about the right to vote, in 1920, Congress narrowly passed the Nineteenth Amendment. Dr. Rosamonde Boyd was a junior attending an all-women’s college, Randolph-Macon. That same year, she was married and dropped out of college. As we listen to this first oral history excerpt, we will hear Dr. Boyd’s opinions and attitude toward the suffragettes. First, you will hear a question asked by interviewer Constance Myers, followed by Dr. Boyd’s answer.

Preliminary questions

1. The interviewer will ask about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Carrie Chapman Catt. Are these women’s names we still recognize today? If so, what contributions did they make? If you do not recognize these names, why do you think that is?
2. What is your impression of how women felt in 1918–1920 before they were enfranchised? Do you think all women felt the same way about the right to vote? If not, what differences of opinion did they have?
3. Imagine you are a junior in college during this historic time. How active might you have been in advocating for the woman’s right to vote?

The recording

Play the Suffragettes oral history excerpt. Running time: 1 minutes 15 seconds.

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Transcript

Contance Myers

I wonder if you ever met or heard about Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or of the activities of Carrie Chapman Catt, and what were your impressions of what they were doing? What you thought about her.

Rosamonde R. Boyd

Oh yes, yes. These were great women in the woman’s movement around 1848, 1850, and so forth. I was quite fascinated by what they did. I was also interested in the fact that some of the husbands supported these women although some were critical. They did have some male support. They were very stalwart women. They were strong and had convictions and courage. As I say, I’ve always been a feminine woman and I don’t appreciate a woman who takes to the streets. I don’t appreciate a woman who dresses like a man. I don’t appreciate a woman who tries to flaunt her self before the men. I just believe in a woman being a person and being herself and winning the respect of men and women because of the things she stands for, the things that she believes in, and the things she does. I could never have been one of those suffragettes.

Follow-up questions

1. What is Dr. Boyd’s perception of women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Carrie Chapman Catt, and other women “who take to the streets” like those in the Suffragettes photograph we just looked at?
2. Though looking at a photograph does not tell us much about the person, based upon the Suffragettes photograph, is Dr. Boyd’s description of these women consistent with what you see? Is her description consistent with images of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Carrie Chapman Catt?
3. What do you think about her comment “I was also interested in the fact that some of the husbands supported these women—they did have some male support?”

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Related topics

• Search LEARN NC for more resources on Carrie Chapman Catt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Nineteenth Amendment, Rosamonde Boyd, suffrage, and women.