History

20 Vintage Photos That Show The Battle For Women’s Right To Vote

Published March 31, 2025•Updated April 17, 2025

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Left: A woman in early 20th-century attire holds an American flag and a broom, symbolizing domestic roles. Right: A woman in historical costume holds a flag in front of a building with columns, suggesting a patriotic performance.

Women’s suffrage was one of the most important chapters in the long struggle for women’s rights. These powerful images capture the activists, protests, and personal moments behind a movement that permanently changed political and social life. They show the determination of women who refused to remain silent and continued pushing for the right to vote despite resistance, arrests, and public hostility.

Each photograph offers a glimpse into the courage and persistence that helped drive the suffrage movement forward. Together, they serve as a reminder of how hard-won those rights were and how deeply the movement reshaped society.

1. Voting for the first time

A black and white photo shows five women standing at a table with two large boxes. A man, seated on the left, is processing paperwork. The women are dressed in early 20th-century attire with hats. Papers are visible on the table.
sayknow

This photo was taken in 1920.

2. The march for women’s suffrage, 1917.

A historical black-and-white photo shows a large group of women marching in a suffrage parade. They wear sashes and hold flags, accompanied by people in horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles in a city square.
nineteeneighty9

It’s incredible to see so many people come together to fight for what they think is right.

3. This suffragette is showing off her pants in 1916.

A woman wearing a suffragette marching costume stands with one foot on a vehicle step. She's dressed in a long coat, pants, and a wide-brimmed hat. The setting is a cobblestone street, suggesting an early 20th-century scene.
moviebuffman

Women wearing pants was considered immoral at the time.

4. This is a suffrage committee meeting in 1920.

A group of women in early 20th-century attire gather around a table with a "Votes for Women" banner. They appear to be part of a suffrage committee meeting, with paper and documents on the table. The setting has floral wallpaper and a wooden door.
lollyhutzenklutz

5. Susan B. Anthony, abolitionist and champion of women’s suffrage.

An elderly woman in a dark, long-sleeved dress with lace cuffs sits in a wooden chair, reading a book. Her hair is pinned up neatly, and she is facing right in a calm, focused manner. The image is black and white.
hedabla99

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6. Suffragette posing with an American flag attached to a broom handle.

Vintage black-and-white photo of a woman holding a broom and a large American flag. She wears an early 20th-century dress and hat, gazing pensively to the side, symbolizing themes of patriotism and social change.
userdeleted

This photo was taken 3 years before the right to vote.

7. Suffrage leaders Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Women's suffrage. Two older women in historical dress are reviewing a document. One is seated, wearing a light shawl and dark patterned skirt, and the other stands beside her in a long dark dress, reading over her shoulder. Both have white hair styled up.
rockystl

8. Mrs. Herbert Carpenter bearing the American flag.

A woman in a white dress and hat holds a large American flag during a parade on a city street. A crowd of men and women are in the background, along with a street sign for 5th Avenue and 42nd Street.
anoelr1963

She is marching proudly at the head of a parade for women’s suffrage in New York City in 1914.

9. Inez Milholland, 1916.

A historical photo shows a woman in a flowing white gown and hat riding a white horse in a parade. She holds a flag, while a crowd watches from the side. Leafless trees and buildings are visible in the background.
gutbucketblues

Inez Milholland was an American Suffragette, a lawyer, and a peace activist.

10. A suffrage meeting in Carnegie Hall, 1910.

A historic black-and-white photo of a large audience in an ornate theater. People are seated both on stage and in the audience. The stage has a group of individuals, some seated at tables, suggesting an event or assembly.
memorylanepr

Carrie Chapman Catt is the woman standing at the front giving her speech.

11. Mary Maloney and others protesting 34-year-old Winston Churchill.

A black-and-white photo showing a historical scene with a crowd gathered around two speakers standing on elevated platforms. The crowd, wearing early 20th-century clothing, listens attentively on a cobblestone street near large stone buildings.
dannydutch1

They were demanding that he apologize for insulting remarks he made about the women’s suffrage movement.

12. Civic leader and suffragist Elizabeth Selden White Rogers at the suffrage van.

A woman stands on a streetcar, holding a "Votes for Women" suffrage sign, addressing a large crowd of men in hats. The scene is set in a historical urban area with buildings in the background.
justsoinsane

The van was a mobile speakers platform and shop that promoted women’s suffrage.

13. The 1913 women’s suffrage parade.

A person dressed in a knight-like costume holds a large flag in front of a building with columns. In the background, several others in similar attire stand or walk on the steps.
userdeleted

Whatever she’s wearing is one of the coolest outfits I’ve ever seen.

14. Women on horseback in a suffrage parade.

A historic black-and-white photo shows a procession of women riding horses along a city street, each holding a flag. They are dressed in long coats and hats. Buildings and trees line the street, with onlookers observing the scene.
kindlylike

This photo is from Washington D.C., on May 9th, 1914.

15. This is an armed group of voting rights activists in 1918.

Four women in hats and dresses practice shooting with rifles indoors. They are positioned near a sign that reads "Brooklyn Woman's Suffrage Association" and a U.S. flag is in the background.
eaglemaxie

16. A colorized photo of Kate Sheppard.

Side-by-side images of the same woman. Left: a vintage black-and-white portrait. Right: the same woman in a colored, modern recreation. She has a high-collared dress and an ornate brooch. Backgrounds differ in tone.
idoartforyou

Sheppard was a leading figure in women’s suffrage in New Zealand.

17. Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor.

An elderly person sits confidently in a wooden chair wearing glasses and a dark suit with a medal on the lapel. The backdrop is plain, enhancing the formal and historical tone of the portrait.
weirdwallace75

She was a surgeon in the Civil War and an abolitionist who fought for women’s dress reform and women’s suffrage.

18. Carrie Chapman Catt, a feminist leader of the early 20th century.

Black and white portrait of an older woman with curly hair, wearing a dark jacket over a light, lace blouse. The background is blurred, highlighting her serene expression and direct gaze at the camera.
oldschoolrob8

She signed a clause in her wedding prenup guaranteeing her four months of free time a year to fight for women’s suffrage.

19. Surrfagists protesting their right to vote.

A group of six women in early 20th-century attire stand in front of a building, holding a banner that reads, "No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex." Two flags hang beside them.
katchoo1

20. The Alabama Women’s Suffrage Association.

Four women from the early 20th century pose in a sepia-toned photograph. They are wearing period hats and dresses. A sign with partially visible text is in the background.
xtinctioncheerleader

They don’t look strong in numbers, but they helped get women in Alabama the right to vote.

In the mood for more?

You can check out 17 Vintage Photos of Women Who Served During the World Wars, 17 Vintage Photos of Women in Careers Everyone Said They Couldn’t Have or 15 Women Who Ran the Wild West and Inspired Hollywood Legends.

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Meet the Writer


Patrick Nichols

Patrick is a writer based in upstate New York, where he grew up and still calls home. Over the past year, he’s been diving deep into storytelling, especially tales rooted in history, the Wild West, lost treasures, and ancient artifacts. He’s also drawn to unsolved mysteries and whatever the internet can’t stop talking about.

Whether it’s a centuries-old legend or a bizarre internet rabbit hole, Patrick is always chasing the threads of a compelling story. When he’s not chasing stories, Pat’s probably hiking mountain trails with his dog, exploring new corners of the U.S., or doom-scrolling between hangouts with friends and family. He finds inspiration in nature, forgotten places, and random conversations—anything that sparks curiosity. Whether it’s city streets or backcountry paths, Patrick’s always on the lookout for the next great story.



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