Alice Paul Quotes

Powerful Alice Paul for Daily Growth

About Alice Paul

Alice Paul (1885-1977), an influential American women's rights activist, is best known for her pivotal role in securing women's right to vote in the United States. Born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Alice was a tireless advocate for social justice and gender equality throughout her life. Raised by Quakers, Alice's family instilled strong ethical values in her from an early age. She studied at Swarthmore College but eventually left to pursue her activism full-time. In 1902, she went to England where she was profoundly influenced by the women's suffrage movement and its leader, Emmeline Pankhurst. Upon returning to the United States in 1907, Alice joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Dissatisfied with NAWSA's slow progress, she helped establish the more radical Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (later known as the National Women's Party) in 1913. Alice is perhaps most famous for organizing the 1913 Women's Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C., where she led thousands of marchers in a powerful display of women's demand for voting rights. She also authored the "Equal Rights Amendment" (ERA), which aimed to guarantee equality under the law regardless of sex, and worked tirelessly to promote its adoption. In 1920, Alice's efforts culminated in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Despite this monumental achievement, she continued her activism until her death on July 9, 1977. Alice Paul's life and work remain a testament to the power of persistence, passion, and courage in the pursuit of equality.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I firmly believe that before a woman can share in government she must share in education."

Alice Paul's quote underscores the idea that equitable participation in governance requires equal access to education for women, suggesting that educational opportunities are essential for empowering women to contribute meaningfully to societal decision-making processes. In other words, it suggests that a well-educated female population is vital to ensure fair representation and informed decision-making at all levels of government.

"The women's cause is not just a women's cause, it is a human cause."

Alice Paul's quote emphasizes that the struggle for women's rights is a universal concern, transcending gender boundaries. It is a fight for human rights, equality, and justice, which benefits not only women but also men and society as a whole. This perspective underscores the interconnectedness of our shared humanity and the importance of pursuing social progress for all people.

"We asked for our rights as free citizens and we were met with ridicule. We asked for justice and we were told to wait. We demanded our place in the Constitution, and we were insulted. But through all of this we never gave up."

Alice Paul's quote speaks to the persistence and resilience required to achieve change, especially when faced with adversity or opposition. The "rights" she refers to are those of equal citizenship and justice, which were denied to women at that time. She emphasizes their repeated requests being met with dismissal, delay, and disrespect, but notes their determination never wavered. Her quote serves as a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of obstacles and a call to action for those fighting for equal rights and justice today.

"The history of mankind is one of repeated futile attempts to interfere single-handedly with the evolutionary process, to impose a tentative order that is doomed to dissolution at the next available opportunity."

Alice Paul's quote underscores the persistent human tendency to strive for control over natural processes, particularly those related to societal structures and evolution. She suggests that these attempts are often futile because they go against the inherent adaptability and change that characterizes nature and human societies. The order we try to impose is temporary and will inevitably dissolve in the face of new opportunities or challenges. This quote serves as a call to recognize and respect the fluidity and complexity of societal evolution, encouraging us to approach social change with flexibility and humility.

"Let women's minds be free, so that womanhood may be as rich and varied and beautiful as manhood."

This quote by Alice Paul emphasizes the importance of intellectual freedom for women, aiming to expand their potential and diversity, making womanhood as multi-faceted and enriching as manhood. In essence, it suggests that when women are allowed equal access to knowledge, creativity, and personal growth opportunities, they can fully realize their own unique strengths and contribute to society in a myriad of ways, mirroring the richness and complexity inherent in manhood.

I have joined the 'suffragettes' - the militant party on the woman suffrage question.

- Alice Paul

Woman, Question, Joined, Militant

It has become impossible to forget 'votes for women,' just as it was impossible to forget the reformation of Luther.

- Alice Paul

Forget, Reformation, Luther

The President can pardon us again... and again and again, but... picketing will continue, and sooner or later, he will have to do something about it.

- Alice Paul

Will, Again, Sooner, President

There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it.

- Alice Paul

World, New, Never, New World

I think that American women are further along than any other women in the world. But you can't have peace in a world in which some women or some men or some nations are at different stages of development. There is so much work to be done.

- Alice Paul

Some, Other, I Think, Different Stages

We women of America tell you that America is not a democracy. Twenty million women are denied the right to vote.

- Alice Paul

Right, Tell, Million, Women Are

This world crisis came about without women having anything to do with it. If the women of the world had not been excluded from world affairs, things today might have been different.

- Alice Paul

Crisis, Been, Having, Affairs

To me, it was shocking that a government of men could look with such extreme contempt on a movement that was asking nothing except such a simple little thing as the right to vote.

- Alice Paul

Asking, Nothing, Could, Shocking

The Woman's Party is made up of women of all races, creeds and nationalities who are united on the one program of working to raise the status of women.

- Alice Paul

Woman, United, Made, Creeds

It is better, as far as getting the vote is concerned, I believe, to have a small, united group than an immense debating society.

- Alice Paul

Small, United, Concerned, Immense

The building up of a new, far-reaching system of inspection on the question of equal pay, with power to investigate every business in the United States, administered by a colossal new government agency with vast enforcement powers, would not be helpful to women, as far as I can see.

- Alice Paul

I Can, United, Investigate, Powers

When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row.

- Alice Paul

Get, Plow, Until, Row

I know my father believed and my mother believed in and supported the suffrage movement, and I remember my mother taking me to suffrage meetings held in the home of a Quaker family that lived not far from us.

- Alice Paul

Father, I Remember, Held, Believed

I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.

- Alice Paul

Nothing, About, Doubted, Problems

Mr. President how long must women wait to get their liberty? Let us have the rights we deserve.

- Alice Paul

Deserve, Wait, Mr, President

It occurred to me that I just didn't see how I could go ahead and continue to eat meat. It just seemed so... cannibalistic to me. And so, I'm a vegetarian, and I have been ever since.

- Alice Paul

Been, Occurred, Seemed, Meat

It was a feeling of loyalty to our own sex and an enthusiasm to have every degradation that was put upon our sex removed.

- Alice Paul

Loyalty, Enthusiasm, Own, Degradation

Food simply isn't important to me.

- Alice Paul

Food, Me, Important, Simply

It may be an instinct, it is with me anyway, when you're presenting something to the world, to make it as beautiful as you can.

- Alice Paul

Beautiful, World, May, Anyway

Too many terms corrupts politicians so they only want to be reelected.

- Alice Paul

Want, Too, Terms, Politicians

I think if we get freedom for women, then they are probably going to do a lot of things that I wish they wouldn't do. But it seems to me that isn't our business to say what they should do with it. It is our business to see that they get it.

- Alice Paul

Think, I Wish, I Think, Seems

I read just endlessly, ceaselessly, almost every book, it seems!

- Alice Paul

Endlessly, Read, Almost, Seems

I always feel the movement is a sort of mosaic.

- Alice Paul

Feel, Always, Sort, Mosaic

I will settle down & teach for the rest of my days.

- Alice Paul

Rest, Teach, Will, Days

When you're young, when you've never done anything very much on your own, you imagine that it won't be so hard.

- Alice Paul

Young, Own, Very, Imagine

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