Suffragists

Suffragists are activists who advocate for suffrage—the right to vote—especially for women. They organized campaigns, lobbied governments, collected petitions, held public meetings, and sometimes engaged in civil disobedience to win voting rights. The term is used broadly, but it is often contrasted with suffragettes, a label commonly associated with more militant tactics in Britain. Overall, suffragists focused on legal and constitutional avenues to achieve their goals.

In the United States, the modern suffrage movement emerged in the 19th century. Major organizations included the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and, later, the National Woman's Party. Key figures include Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Alice Paul. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women the right to vote.

In the United Kingdom, the campaign largely split between peaceful suffragists and more militant suffragettes. Millicent Fawcett led the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, while Emmeline Pankhurst and the Women's Social and Political Union pursued more confrontational tactics. Women over certain ages gained limited voting rights in 1918, with full equal suffrage achieved in 1928.

Internationally, New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant women the vote in 1893, followed by other countries such as Australia in 1902. The suffrage movement contributed to broader debates about democracy and gender equality and influenced later feminist and civil rights movements. Some campaigns faced criticisms for racial and class exclusions, and gains varied across regions and over time.