Ed Vebell (American, 1921 - 2018) "Women's Suffrage" Signed lower right. Original Acrylic painting on Illustration Board.Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwoodmemorative Cover for Epic Events in American History series issued in 1985.In 1840 two intrepid abolitionists, Lucretia Mott and Elisabeth Cady Stanton, sailed to England to attend a world abolitionist convention, only to find themselves excluded from any participation and banished to the gallery. Outraged, they returned to America, determined not only to free Blacks from slavery, but women from semi-slavery as well. They organized the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention which resolved, quite simply, that "woman is man's equal and the highest good of the race demands that she be recognized as such." That was the formal beginning of what proved a century-long crusade. In 1869, Wyoming Territory led the way to reform by granting women the vote and gradually other states, mostly in the West, followed her example. By the time of World War I, thirteen states had adopted women's suffrage, and when in 1918, New York joined in, victory seemed in sight. Now the "suffragettes" concentrated on Congress; following the English example they paraded, demonstrated, went on hunger strikes and chained themselves to the White House fence. Belatedly (and reluctantly) President Wilson came out for women's suffrage as a war measure, and in the summer of 1919, Congress passed the 19th Amendment providing that "the right of a citizen of the United States to vote shall not be abridged on account of sex." Notwithstanding implacable hostility from the South, the Amendment was ratified by three-fourths of the states on August 18, 1920.Image Size: 20 x 21 in.Overall Size: 26.5 x 26.5 in.Unframed.(B05609)