College Women Picketing in front of the White House

The National Woman’s Party (NWP) was the first organization ever to protest outside of the White House. Members of the NWP wore tricolor sashes of purple, gold, and cream to convey that the picketers stood in solidarity with one another in their cause, the vote for women. The NWP organized the picket line into themed groups for newly designated occasions, including Patriot Day, College Day, and State Day.

On College Day, women wore sashes emblazoned with the name of their alma mater. To counter assumptions that they were of ill repute, they emphasized their high degree of education. Representative graduates of Bryn Mawr, Oberlin, Smith, Stanford, Swarthmore, the University of Kansas, and Washington College of Law participated, carrying banners with the slogans: “Mr. President How Long Must Women Wait for Their Liberty” and “Mr. President What Will You Do for Woman Suffrage.”