Mock Belva Lockwood Mother Hubbard Parade

Some suffragists were opposed to Belva Lockwood's run for the Presidency, fearing that it would expose the movement to further ridicule. Whether her run ultimately helped the cause or not is a subject for debate. However, it certainly became the subject of popular ridicule just as some had feared. All over the United States, men formed mock "Belva Lockwood Clubs," put on what were then called "Mother Hubbard" dresses, and paraded up and down city streets, "promoting" Lockwood's cause. The illustration here is of such a parade in Rahway, New Jersey. Parades, particularly torchlight parades at night, were a popular method of campaigning in the 19th century.