20 thoughts on “Top Five Suffragists Who Need Movies Made About Them

  1. Well we have The Famous Five in Canada, who had to go from Alberta to Westminster (English Parliament) to get us declared “Persons’ and thus eligible to vote.

  2. I nominate Rosa May Billinghurst, polio survivor who decked her wheelchair in “Votes for Women” banners and rammed police during demonstrations.

    Also the suffrajutsu practioners.

  3. Fun fact: Lucy Stone kept her maiden name. A “Lucy Stoner” is a woman who does just that.

  4. To be honest,all of them deserve to have movies made on them.Maybe an entire show for all our suffragettes?I think miniseries handle such productions more aptly than Hollywood.
    Not technically a suffragette in timeline,Olympe de gouges did have an immense contribution to the cause,the ensuing tragedy notwithstanding.Hollywood has not made one decent production on her life.

      1. As I said above: “in previous Forgotten History posts, we’ve written about Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, Jovita Idár, Victoria Woodhull, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.”

  5. I am 100% here for this! These are all definitely worthy candidates and I’d watch all these movies. Also, Blackwell prompted a google–he’s the brother of Elizabeth Blackwell, who is I believe the first American woman to become a doctor, and probably worthy of a biopic herself. Sounds like a good family and evidence that families can teach equal treatment.

  6. I would love to know more about Mary Wollenstonecraft (sp? Mary Shelley’s mum)

  7. I vote for all of these women’s stories to be explored in-depth on film. Sadly, I can’t think of any other real-life women by name who I could suggest adding to your list. The legacy of the19th Amendment is a mixed bag in the sense that part of the reason it took sooo long to come to pass was entrenched racism. As an African-American woman, I fully recognize that the 19th Amendment is important, but it just doesn’t make me jump up and down with joy.

    Tangential answers to your question. 1. This is a work of fiction: I would LOVE to see a good adaptation of Tracey Chevalier’s novel Falling Angels–in which one of the protagonists becomes very involved in the London suffrage movement at the dawn of the Edwardian era. That book screams for a Masterpiece-level adaptation!! 2. Moving forward in time: I would love to see a movie about Eleanor Roosevelt’s role in the UN, specifically her work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (A few years ago there was a low-budget, cutesy movie called Dear Eleanor about 2 teen girls in the early 60s who run away on a quest to get Eleanor Roosevelt’s autograph.) 3. Are there any movies or TV shows that focus on Nancy Astor in Parliament? I’d be interested in that.

  8. May I make an off topic comment? Today I discovered that Escrava Mãe/Slave Mother a Brazilian telenovela that is actually being repeated by Record TV in my country Brazil has costumes by Tirelli Costumi (You know Luchino Visconti’s favorite) what explains the gorgeousness of the dresses and other costumes if you may try a Brazilian Telenovela that is a beautiful beginning if you can please give a try
    (Before I forget it is set in the early 19th century)

  9. These women all need biopics and miniseries. I find it hard to choose one or two, but if i had to my choices would be Sojourner Truth and Mabel Ping-Hua Lee.

  10. Alice Paul! She introduced an Equal Rights Amendment to the constitution in 1920.

  11. If they do make anything about Susan b. Anthony the first and most important thing they should do is make her racism and hate front and center.

    We’ve moved from acting like every white suffragate was also an abolitionist and and care for African American women as well as themselves. No reason why our history should be smothered so she can look good

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