Caroline Lexow Babcock: All Men Are Created Equal
CAROLINE LEXOW BABCOCK: THE UNSUNG HERO
In the perambulatory clause of the United States Constitution it states that “All men are created equal”, however this statement is extremely false. Up until the election of 1920, national Woman’s suffrage was not found in the United Sates. Many women across the country fought for this cause of equality; such as Caroline Lexow Babcock, a Nyack suffragist. Babcock fought in the name of Suffrage for nearly a decade. Although she did not succeed in gaining suffrage for woman in the 1915 New York State referendum her actions were not in vein. By fighting for woman’s right to vote, through The Women’s Political Union (of which she was the field secretary) she paved the way for woman’s suffragists to …show more content…
follow in her footsteps; gain the vote in the 1917 election and enhanced the opportunities of future woman in politics’. Caroline Lexow Babcock’s family and early life influenced her later actions and involvement in the women’s suffrage movement.
Babcock was born on February 5th, 1882 in Nyack, New York, to Katherine and Clarence Lexow. “Katharine Morton Ferris, was an energetic woman with a questing mind and sharp sense of justice who regularly challenged the serenity of the local women’s clubs with discussions of independence for women as envisioned by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, or civil disobedience as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. Clarence Lexow, Caroline’s Father, was a New York attorney who served as a state senator from 1894 to 1898 and became chairman of the Tammany-smashing Lexow Commission. (One result of the Commission’s disclosures was to project Theodore Roosevelt to national attention, first as a courageous police commissioner and later as governor of New York.)”[1] Having her Father be such an important man, Babcock was always exposed to the political atmosphere that surrounded her childhood and adolescence. However she never understood why although her mother was just as educated on current issues as her father why her mother could not vote. “It struck me, very young, that it was extraordinary my father could vote and my mother could not. I thought it was an indignity. I couldn’t endure the thought that she was denied such a basic right of citizenship”1. When lexow was old enough to make a platform for her own opinions they seemed to contradict her fathers, he being very …show more content…
conservative for the time and herself being liberal. Eventually she severed ties with him on a main bases that he did not agree with what she was fighting for; Women’s Suffrage. Babcock decided to take a step forward towards independence by enrolling in Barnard Collage in New York, just a train ride from her house.
Although she was attending collage her father had one condition; that she must come home for all of his political events; so even when she was away at collage, politics were still a main part of her life. This did not help her relationship with Clarence. As she progressed in school Babcock formed more of her own opinions that were more and more in opposition to her father’s. “While in school Caroline’s interest in suffrage was starting to peek due to influences that surrounded her. Babcock sighed up for an economics class through Columbia. The coerce was taught by future President Woodrow Wilson. After attending the first two classes Babcock was in for a sexist roadblock, as she went to attend her 3rd class, and a sign was there to meet her reading “NO WOMEN ALOUD” ” 2. This incident was one of Babcock’s first encounters with true sexism facing woman of that time period; and peeked her interest in the cause of woman’s rights in America. Being such an educated woman in ways of Politics, Babcock knew the way of the game. This was a tremendous advantage when she started her work in suffrage. “In 1908, she was invited by Miss M. Carey Thomas, president of Bryn Mawr, to become executive secretary of the National College Equal Suffrage League of which Miss Thomas was
president”1.
Being executive secretary of the National College Equal Suffrage League was one her first organizational jobs, which helped her, prepare for her later role as field secretary for the Women’s Political Union; where she did most of her work. In 1910, Harriot Stanton Blatch (A renowned suffragist and close collage friend and “dynamic daughter” of Elizabeth Cady Stanton: one of the United States original suffragists) started the soon to be “powerhouse” organization of suffrage; The Women’s Political Union. Caroline became executive secretary and later field secretary. “As field secretary of the union, Caroline set out to organize branches in those areas from Albany to Buffalo and along the Southern Tier not already covered by the New York Sate Woman Suffrage Association. Her letters home during that period are a litany of one-nighters, rushing for trains, sometimes missing them, trudging through heat and snow and ice to find an audience who would listen. She sometimes found gracious, sympathetic women who opened their homes to her, but more often she moved from hotel to hotel, town to town: Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga-the list was seemingly endless. ”1. Babcock was the engine behind the organization of the cause. By traveling across New York, Caroline spread Suffrage and raised awareness of the issue. Most importantly Babcock set up branches of the Women’s Political Union across the state; and by doing this she increased the political cloud of the organization. In one of Babcock’s field reports she states that her goals for these branches were, 1. To increase the membership in the city 2. To organize the county 3. To develop workers and speakers 4. That stuffiest there were responsible for the women of New York State. 3
Babcock was able to achieve these goals in many cities and towns during a five-year period. Through the implementation of these objectives of suffrage was empowered by women across the state, causing awareness and support to boom. Ultimately Babcock’s goal as was the Women’s Political Union, was the passage of Suffrage in the 1915 election. The legislature voted to put the question of women’s suffrage on the ballot. However when it came down to the vote of the people, it failed to pass; crushing the hopes of millions including Babcock. After almost ten years of ruthless work for her cause Caroline retired from suffrage in order to have a family, even after having the Presidency of the Women’s Political Union offered to her. Most would have expected her to go on and canter through another 3 years into victory of the election of 1917. Some would look at Caroline Lexow Babcock and in some respects call her a failure, she did not complete the task that was given to her, and when given the chance, she did not follow up on the cause. In a private letter from Harriot Stanton Blatch to Caroline she writes, “In a way we lost…but we won in so many other ways, and with out you, there is no doubt in my mind, it would have never been possible”4. Like Blatch said, the election was not a failure, but a success. Thomas Edison in trying to make the light bulb “failed” approximately 1,000 times, and when asked about it he said, “"I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."5 The same principle applies here. Although women’s suffrage did not pass in the election of 1915, it was because of the woman who worked towards it from 1910 to 1915 that made it possible. They laid the foundation for those who followed in their footsteps in order to get it passed in 1917. Caroline spread the ideas of suffrage through her rallies, speeches, and branches of the Women’s Political Union. She trained those who would follow up and make suffrage a success. With out Caroline Lexow Babcock suffrage would have had no future because she created its past. Babcock’s Work Effected more than just suffragist, by allowing women to vote, it opened numerous doors in the ways of Politics. Suffrage empowered women on a local, state and national level. “Women in Politics” said Harriot Cornell, Chair of the Rockland County Legislature, “Bring whole new issues to the table such as Child Care, Health care, domestic violence, and education. And I believe that Caroline’s work and the work of the other suffragists allowed woman that chance, allowed me that chance to rise issues that, with out women would never be brought up”6 Another woman affected greatly by Caroline’s Work is state Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee representative of the 95th Assembly District in Rockland County. Jaffee was more closely touched by Babcock being the recipient of NOW’s Caroline Lexow Babcock Award. “ The award is given out to an “unsung” hero of women’s rights and who empowering women. I feel this award is truly the embodiment of Caroline, because she was the unsung hero of suffrage. She was more of a behind the scenes type of women, but that does not make her work less important. In fact it is those who are not seen sometimes who are the invisible gust of wind pushing the cause forward, and for me, getting the award was the utmost honor because I hold Caroline in the highest of respects because what she did for suffrage allows me to do what I do today.”7 Caroline Lexow Babcock was truly the unsung hero of the suffrage movement. She fought for her cause, touching the lives, minds, and opinions of both women and men, along the way. Although women did not get the vote in the 1915 election, Caroline set the platform and laid a base for women to build upon, and shortly two years later, get the vote for New York State. On a broader scale by giving women the vote, opportunities were opened; and a new era began for the country, with new people and new ideas, and Caroline Lexow Babcock did that for America.
Works Cited
Babcock, Caroline L. Women's Political Union Report. Tech. 1913. 1-1. This report showed me what Caroline wanted to achieve with woman across New York in suffrage Blatch, Harriot S. "Letter From Blatch to Babcock." Letter to Caroline Lexow Babcock. 29 Nov. 1915. Vassar Collage. In this letter Blatch tells Caroline how with out her, everything that the Women's Political Union accomplished could not have happened. "Ellen Jaffee." Personal interview. 2 Dec. 2008. Assembly Woman Ellen Jaffee of the 95th district in Rockland County. She gave me a greater understanding for how Caroline's work effects women in politics today. "Harriot Cornell." Personal interview. 17 Nov. 2008. Harriot Cornell is the Chair of the legislature of Rockland County. She gave me a greater understanding for how Caroline's work effects women in politics today. "Kathrine Fulmoure." Telephone interview. 6 Oct. 2008. Kathrine was the granddaughter of Caroline Lexow Babcock. She gave me a more personal understanding of her along with many rare sources of information. Savell, Isabelle K. Ladies' Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote. New City: The Historical Society of Rockland, NY. This book was my first and main research on Caroline Lexow Babcock. It aloud me to have greater understanding of her and suffrage.
-----------------------
1Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
1 Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
2 Interview with Kathrine Fulmure (Caroline Lexow’s Daughter)
1 Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
3 Field report, Caroline Lexow Babcock (Vassar Collage)
4 Letter from Harriot Stanton Blatch to Caroline Lexow Babcock-1915
5 Famousquotes.com
6 Personal Interview: Valerie Champeau with Harriot Cornell
7 Personal Interview: Valerie Champeau with Ellen Jaffee
In the perambulatory clause of the United States Constitution it states that “All men are created equal”, however this statement is extremely false. Up until the election of 1920, national Woman’s suffrage was not found in the United Sates. Many women across the country fought for this cause of equality; such as Caroline Lexow Babcock, a Nyack suffragist. Babcock fought in the name of Suffrage for nearly a decade. Although she did not succeed in gaining suffrage for woman in the 1915 New York State referendum her actions were not in vein. By fighting for woman’s right to vote, through The Women’s Political Union (of which she was the field secretary) she paved the way for woman’s suffragists to …show more content…
follow in her footsteps; gain the vote in the 1917 election and enhanced the opportunities of future woman in politics’. Caroline Lexow Babcock’s family and early life influenced her later actions and involvement in the women’s suffrage movement.
Babcock was born on February 5th, 1882 in Nyack, New York, to Katherine and Clarence Lexow. “Katharine Morton Ferris, was an energetic woman with a questing mind and sharp sense of justice who regularly challenged the serenity of the local women’s clubs with discussions of independence for women as envisioned by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, or civil disobedience as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi. Clarence Lexow, Caroline’s Father, was a New York attorney who served as a state senator from 1894 to 1898 and became chairman of the Tammany-smashing Lexow Commission. (One result of the Commission’s disclosures was to project Theodore Roosevelt to national attention, first as a courageous police commissioner and later as governor of New York.)”[1] Having her Father be such an important man, Babcock was always exposed to the political atmosphere that surrounded her childhood and adolescence. However she never understood why although her mother was just as educated on current issues as her father why her mother could not vote. “It struck me, very young, that it was extraordinary my father could vote and my mother could not. I thought it was an indignity. I couldn’t endure the thought that she was denied such a basic right of citizenship”1. When lexow was old enough to make a platform for her own opinions they seemed to contradict her fathers, he being very …show more content…
conservative for the time and herself being liberal. Eventually she severed ties with him on a main bases that he did not agree with what she was fighting for; Women’s Suffrage. Babcock decided to take a step forward towards independence by enrolling in Barnard Collage in New York, just a train ride from her house.
Although she was attending collage her father had one condition; that she must come home for all of his political events; so even when she was away at collage, politics were still a main part of her life. This did not help her relationship with Clarence. As she progressed in school Babcock formed more of her own opinions that were more and more in opposition to her father’s. “While in school Caroline’s interest in suffrage was starting to peek due to influences that surrounded her. Babcock sighed up for an economics class through Columbia. The coerce was taught by future President Woodrow Wilson. After attending the first two classes Babcock was in for a sexist roadblock, as she went to attend her 3rd class, and a sign was there to meet her reading “NO WOMEN ALOUD” ” 2. This incident was one of Babcock’s first encounters with true sexism facing woman of that time period; and peeked her interest in the cause of woman’s rights in America. Being such an educated woman in ways of Politics, Babcock knew the way of the game. This was a tremendous advantage when she started her work in suffrage. “In 1908, she was invited by Miss M. Carey Thomas, president of Bryn Mawr, to become executive secretary of the National College Equal Suffrage League of which Miss Thomas was
president”1.
Being executive secretary of the National College Equal Suffrage League was one her first organizational jobs, which helped her, prepare for her later role as field secretary for the Women’s Political Union; where she did most of her work. In 1910, Harriot Stanton Blatch (A renowned suffragist and close collage friend and “dynamic daughter” of Elizabeth Cady Stanton: one of the United States original suffragists) started the soon to be “powerhouse” organization of suffrage; The Women’s Political Union. Caroline became executive secretary and later field secretary. “As field secretary of the union, Caroline set out to organize branches in those areas from Albany to Buffalo and along the Southern Tier not already covered by the New York Sate Woman Suffrage Association. Her letters home during that period are a litany of one-nighters, rushing for trains, sometimes missing them, trudging through heat and snow and ice to find an audience who would listen. She sometimes found gracious, sympathetic women who opened their homes to her, but more often she moved from hotel to hotel, town to town: Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga-the list was seemingly endless. ”1. Babcock was the engine behind the organization of the cause. By traveling across New York, Caroline spread Suffrage and raised awareness of the issue. Most importantly Babcock set up branches of the Women’s Political Union across the state; and by doing this she increased the political cloud of the organization. In one of Babcock’s field reports she states that her goals for these branches were, 1. To increase the membership in the city 2. To organize the county 3. To develop workers and speakers 4. That stuffiest there were responsible for the women of New York State. 3
Babcock was able to achieve these goals in many cities and towns during a five-year period. Through the implementation of these objectives of suffrage was empowered by women across the state, causing awareness and support to boom. Ultimately Babcock’s goal as was the Women’s Political Union, was the passage of Suffrage in the 1915 election. The legislature voted to put the question of women’s suffrage on the ballot. However when it came down to the vote of the people, it failed to pass; crushing the hopes of millions including Babcock. After almost ten years of ruthless work for her cause Caroline retired from suffrage in order to have a family, even after having the Presidency of the Women’s Political Union offered to her. Most would have expected her to go on and canter through another 3 years into victory of the election of 1917. Some would look at Caroline Lexow Babcock and in some respects call her a failure, she did not complete the task that was given to her, and when given the chance, she did not follow up on the cause. In a private letter from Harriot Stanton Blatch to Caroline she writes, “In a way we lost…but we won in so many other ways, and with out you, there is no doubt in my mind, it would have never been possible”4. Like Blatch said, the election was not a failure, but a success. Thomas Edison in trying to make the light bulb “failed” approximately 1,000 times, and when asked about it he said, “"I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."5 The same principle applies here. Although women’s suffrage did not pass in the election of 1915, it was because of the woman who worked towards it from 1910 to 1915 that made it possible. They laid the foundation for those who followed in their footsteps in order to get it passed in 1917. Caroline spread the ideas of suffrage through her rallies, speeches, and branches of the Women’s Political Union. She trained those who would follow up and make suffrage a success. With out Caroline Lexow Babcock suffrage would have had no future because she created its past. Babcock’s Work Effected more than just suffragist, by allowing women to vote, it opened numerous doors in the ways of Politics. Suffrage empowered women on a local, state and national level. “Women in Politics” said Harriot Cornell, Chair of the Rockland County Legislature, “Bring whole new issues to the table such as Child Care, Health care, domestic violence, and education. And I believe that Caroline’s work and the work of the other suffragists allowed woman that chance, allowed me that chance to rise issues that, with out women would never be brought up”6 Another woman affected greatly by Caroline’s Work is state Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee representative of the 95th Assembly District in Rockland County. Jaffee was more closely touched by Babcock being the recipient of NOW’s Caroline Lexow Babcock Award. “ The award is given out to an “unsung” hero of women’s rights and who empowering women. I feel this award is truly the embodiment of Caroline, because she was the unsung hero of suffrage. She was more of a behind the scenes type of women, but that does not make her work less important. In fact it is those who are not seen sometimes who are the invisible gust of wind pushing the cause forward, and for me, getting the award was the utmost honor because I hold Caroline in the highest of respects because what she did for suffrage allows me to do what I do today.”7 Caroline Lexow Babcock was truly the unsung hero of the suffrage movement. She fought for her cause, touching the lives, minds, and opinions of both women and men, along the way. Although women did not get the vote in the 1915 election, Caroline set the platform and laid a base for women to build upon, and shortly two years later, get the vote for New York State. On a broader scale by giving women the vote, opportunities were opened; and a new era began for the country, with new people and new ideas, and Caroline Lexow Babcock did that for America.
Works Cited
Babcock, Caroline L. Women's Political Union Report. Tech. 1913. 1-1. This report showed me what Caroline wanted to achieve with woman across New York in suffrage Blatch, Harriot S. "Letter From Blatch to Babcock." Letter to Caroline Lexow Babcock. 29 Nov. 1915. Vassar Collage. In this letter Blatch tells Caroline how with out her, everything that the Women's Political Union accomplished could not have happened. "Ellen Jaffee." Personal interview. 2 Dec. 2008. Assembly Woman Ellen Jaffee of the 95th district in Rockland County. She gave me a greater understanding for how Caroline's work effects women in politics today. "Harriot Cornell." Personal interview. 17 Nov. 2008. Harriot Cornell is the Chair of the legislature of Rockland County. She gave me a greater understanding for how Caroline's work effects women in politics today. "Kathrine Fulmoure." Telephone interview. 6 Oct. 2008. Kathrine was the granddaughter of Caroline Lexow Babcock. She gave me a more personal understanding of her along with many rare sources of information. Savell, Isabelle K. Ladies' Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote. New City: The Historical Society of Rockland, NY. This book was my first and main research on Caroline Lexow Babcock. It aloud me to have greater understanding of her and suffrage.
-----------------------
1Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
1 Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
2 Interview with Kathrine Fulmure (Caroline Lexow’s Daughter)
1 Ladies Lib: How Rockland Women Got the Vote
By Isabelle K. Savell
3 Field report, Caroline Lexow Babcock (Vassar Collage)
4 Letter from Harriot Stanton Blatch to Caroline Lexow Babcock-1915
5 Famousquotes.com
6 Personal Interview: Valerie Champeau with Harriot Cornell
7 Personal Interview: Valerie Champeau with Ellen Jaffee