100 yrs ago today, Aug 18 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, extending the vote to women. Among those who paved the way was Dorothy Day, 20, later founder of the Catholic Worker, then a radical journalist, who traveled to DC to join the suffrage protests at the White House.
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On Nov 13 1917 she joined a procession of “Silent Sentinels” in Lafayette Park across from the White House holding banners calling for women's suffrage. They were arrested, sentenced to 30 days, and sent to the Occoquan penal workhouse.
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The woman refused prison clothes, demanding to be treated as political prisoners. On arriving at Occoquan on Nov 14 they endured what became known as the “Night of Terror.” Dorothy along with the others was thrown against iron benches, and roughly manhandled.
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Her cell-mate, Lucy Burns, was forced to stand with her hands handcuffed to the bars over her head. There was an open toilet in the cell that had to be flushed from outside by the guard. “It was as though one were in a zoo with the open bars leading into the corridor.”
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The protesters went on a hunger strike. Dorothy, in her misery, felt a deep identification with all who suffer and all who struggle for a better world. Allowed a Bible, she found comfort in the Psalms and found herself praying.
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“If we had faith in what we were doing, making our protest against brutality and injustice, then we were indeed casting our seeds, and there was the promise of the harvest to come.”
On day 6 they were transferred to a prison hospital. On day 10 they won their demands and broke their fast. The next week they were freed on orders of Pres. Wilson. The arrests were later declared illegal.
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Dorothy’s participation was not inspired by the vote, and in fact she never voted. For her this protest was an act of solidarity with those who stood up against oppression and brutality. The vote was won in 1920. Her struggle continued. It was not her last time in jail.
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