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Mary Eliza Project

@maryelizaproject.bsky.social

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that time in 1920 when 56k+ women in Boston claimed their right to vote history, data, maps, stories linktr.ee/maryelizaproject

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Dec 15

The Mary Eliza Project is a collaborative public humanities initiative that uses historic records to illuminate diverse women’s political engagement in Boston. We focus on the historical moment of 1920. 🧵

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

While we might expect that a female minister would primarily speak to women's groups, the Cambridge Chronicle reported that she was speaking not only to mixed gender of men and women, but specifically to groups of young men.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

Eva returned to the US and moved to Boston where she
began conducting a mission in the city's First Methodist Episcopal Church in about 1918. By 1920, the year she registered to vote, she was speaking at
evangelistic meetings in the Greater Boston area.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

The Harvard Crimson referred to her as “the most popular woman speaker to troops while in Paris. Eva's story took an intriguing turn when she was arrested by Scotland Yard on suspicion of espionage!

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

After her ordination, Ludgate founded the Women’s
International Prayer Battalion. During World War I, she traveled to France, the Netherlands, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, and England. She preached and
ministered to both military members and civilians.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

Ludgate embarked on her journey to ministry at a
young age, recounting that as a child she heard her father, also a Congregational minister, state that "when he was an old man, he hoped to see his daughters in the pulpit proclaiming the gospel."

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 2d

When Eva Ryerson Ludgate registered to vote on October 13, 1920, she gave her occupation as "Congregational Minister." One newspaper account claimed that she was the youngest ordained Congregational minister in the United States! Image: Library of Congress

Black and white image of woman staring at camera wearing black with crosses.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 6d

It may not be a coincidence that Lili registered to vote on a Saturday evening! Could it be that the Saturday Evening Girls registered to vote in lieu of their usual gathering?

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 6d

The Saturday Evening Girls had close ties to the Paul Revere Pottery where club members learned how to fashion and decorate ceramics of various types. Lili was one of many women who connected the club and the pottery, even overseeing the pottery for its last five years of operation in 1942.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 6d

On the evening of Saturday, October 9, 1920, Lili Shapiro registered to vote at the North End's Prince Street School in Boston. Lili was an artist who designed and crafted original ceramics. She was also an active participant in the North End’s Saturday Evening Girls. Image: Historic New England

Women seated around a table, painting ceramics

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 10d

Over 1K of the 1920 New Boston Women Voters worked as Teachers and/or Instructors. #WorldTeachersDay

Map Identifying birth nations of teachers and Instructors listed in the Mary Eliza Project. 1,134 are identified as born in the United States, 30 in Canada, 1 born in China, and others born elsewhere.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 21d

In 1916, Barbara Einstein performed at the opening of a Union Park Forum meeting discussing the vital work of infant welfare nurses. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to German immigrant parents, she and her husband were boarders on Commonwealth Ave. in 1920 and later moved to Longwood Ave.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 21d

Barbara Einstein registered to vote on Oct. 11, 1920. She repeatedly performed in concerts held at Pilgrim Church in Dorchester, including a performance of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah." Image from Historic New England.

The front facade of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, located at 540 Columbia Road in Uphams Corner, Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, is visible from across the street. Ivy-like vines cover most of the facade.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 21d

Jessie Nute Bennett registered to vote on August 19, 1920. In addition to multiple appearances as a contralto at churches and other events around Boston, her 1923 obituary lists her as a member of the Professional Women’s Club.

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · 21d

For #ClassicalMusicMonth, we feature two new voters, Jessie Nute Bennett and Barbara (Loewenstein) Einstein, who performed as soloists in classical music concerts throughout Boston. Image: The Boston Globe, Mon, Jan 08, 1923, Page 4.

Black and White newspaper head and shoulders portrait identified as “The Late Jessie Nute Bennett”

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Sep 15

Chelsea-born Mary S. Keene's career included teaching at Chelsea High School, then serving as director of the High School of Practical Arts until 1928. In 1917, she presented on Food brands to the Roxbury Mothers’ Club. She registered to vote on Oct. 5, 1920. Image The Boston Globe, 1926

Head and shoulders portrait of Mary S. Keene

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Sep 15

Born in Birmingham, United Kingdom, teacher Marion Midgley was raised in Rhode Island, graduating from Brown University in 1905. Her father, silversmith Henry A. Midgley, immigrated to Rhode Island in 1890 and became a naturalized citizen in 1896. She registered to vote on Oct. 11th, 1920.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Sep 15

As many of us head back to school, we recognize two of the nine voters who worked at High School for the Practical Arts in Roxbury. The school opened in 1913 to teach girls home and work skills, including nursing and home economics. Image from Boston Women’s
Heritage Trail

Black and white image of the corner of the former High School for the Practical Arts

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Aug 2

By looking back at these historical sources that preserve both the struggles and the determination of American immigrant women to have their voices heard, we can shine a light on the challenges facing our democratic process today

Thread by Erin Wiebe

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Aug 2

The 1920 Boston Register of Women Voters contains multiple success stories like Josephine’s — but also hundreds of women whose entries stayed crossed out. In 1920, immigrant women residing in the United States faced, and continue to face today, barriers to exercising their rights.

Women Voter Register spreadsheet with two highlighted entries with notes that the entry was crossed out

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Aug 2

But just one day later, Josephine returned — and was successful! This image shows her accepted registration entry listing her father’s 1888 naturalization papers.

Screenshots from Josephine Bowen's second entry in 1920 Boston Register of Woman voters, showing her name and "Single / Fathers papers John / U.S. Circuit Court Boston, Massachusetts, Oct. 15 1888." Top image says "Register of Women Voters."

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Aug 2

As an Irish immigrant and an unmarried woman, Josephine’s citizenship was tied to her closest male relative. When she first tried to register, she didn’t have all of the papers needed to satisfy the complicated and confusing requirements many women faced when registering for the first time.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Aug 2

Why was this woman’s voter registration crossed out? When Josephine Bowen tried to register to vote in Boston on September 8, 1920, her attempt was rejected because of the clerk’s note: “no papers.” At that time in the United States, a woman’s citizenship status was tenuous. @universalhub.com

Screenshots from Josephine Bowen's first entry in 1920 Boston Register of Woman voters, showing her name crossed out and "no papers." Top image says "Register of Women Voters."

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Jul 13

Check out the dataset for yourself! data.boston.gov/dataset/1920...

1920 Women's Voter Register - Analyze Boston

The Women's Voter Register Dataset is created from Election Department registers used to register women voters in 1920 after the passage of the 19th Amendment. The dataset contains information...

data.boston.gov

Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Jul 13

Forelady Ida D. Cohen (age 25), immigrated with her Yiddish-speaking parents before 1900, likely from what is now Poland. Her father became a naturalized citizen in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1905. She registered to vote on November 24th, 1920, after the 1920 national election.

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Mary Eliza Project @maryelizaproject.bsky.social · Jul 13

The Boston born voters included Cracker Packer Catherine Savage (age 27), who registered to vote on October 13th, 1920 with her Cork County, Ireland born mother Elizabeth (Walsh) Savage (age 55). Elizabeth immigrated in 1887, prior to her 1891 marriage. The two women lived at 11 Tremont Place.

scan of women's voter register showing handwritten registration entries for Catherine and Elizabeth Savage