Suffrage Paraders (1913)

The woman's suffrage party had a hard time settling the status of Negroes in the Washington parade. At first Negro callers were received coolly at headquarters. Then they were told to register, but found that the registry clerks were usually out. Finally an order went out to segregate them in the parade, but telegrams and protests poured in and eventually the colored women marched according to their State and occupation without let or hindrance. . . .

Mrs. Carrie W. Clifford, of the Washington branch [of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People], makes the following report upon the representation of colored women in the woman-suffrage parade:

Artist, one—Mrs. May Howard Jackson;

College women, six—Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, Mrs. Daniel Murray, Miss Georgia Simpson, Miss Charlotte Steward, Miss Harriet Shadd, Miss Bertha McNiel;

Teacher, one—Miss Caddie Park;

Musician, one—Mrs. Harriett G. Marshall;

Professional women, two—Dr. Amanda V. Gray, Dr. Eva Ross;

Illinois delegation—Mrs. Ida Wells Barnett;

Michigan [delegation]—Mrs. McCoy, of Detroit, who carried the banner;

Howard University—group of twenty-five girls in caps and gowns;

Home makers—Mrs. Duffield, who carried New York Banner, Mrs. M. D. Butler, Mrs. Carrie W. Clifford.

One trained nurse, whose name could not be ascertained, marched, and an old mammy was brought down by the Delaware delegation. The women all report most courteous treatment on the part of the marshalls of the parade, and no worse treatment from bystanders than was accorded white women, in spite of the apparent reluctance of the local suffrage committee to encourage the colored women to participate, and in spite of the conflicting rumors that were circulated and which disheartened many of the colored women from taking part, they are to be congratulated that so many of them had the courage of their convictions and that they made such an admirable showing in the first great national parade.