Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928) British suffragette leader and founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), 1903. Using protests, starving themselves and breaking the law, the WSPU became notorious for its militant measures to win women over the vote. Pankhurst would go on to be imprisoned many times, but remained a prominent part of the movement. This ultimately resulted in women being allowed to vote in 1918 (albeit only those who were aged over 30 and met certain property requirements) but not until after she died on the year before, granted full votes just shortly eight years later in 1928. Pankhurst is a well-known figure in the history of voting rights and gender equality.
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928) was a British political activist and a key figure in the suffrage movement, which sought to secure voting rights for women in the United Kingdom. She is best known for founding the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903, an organization that employed militant tactics to draw attention to the cause of women’s suffrage. The WSPU’s motto, “Deeds, not words,” reflected their belief that direct action, including protests, demonstrations, and civil disobedience, was necessary to achieve their goals.
Pankhurst and the WSPU engaged in activities such as hunger strikes, window smashing, and arson, which led to her frequent imprisonment. Despite the controversy surrounding these tactics, Pankhurst’s work significantly advanced the women’s suffrage movement, and her efforts culminated in the partial enfranchisement of women in 1918, when women over the age of 30 who met certain property qualifications were granted the right to vote. Full suffrage, granting equal voting rights to all women over 21, was achieved in 1928, the year of her death.
Emmeline Pankhurst’s legacy endures as a symbol of the fight for gender equality and women’s rights.