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On August 26, we celebrate Women's Equality Day. We marked the occasion by honoring inspirational women from DC history who fought for suffrage and equal treatment for women - under the law and in society. You can find more details about these women and others in our historical study, The Women's Suffrage Movement in Washington, DC.
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Polly Shackleton - From the late 1950s, when she emerged on the political scene, until her death in 1997, Shackleton was a tireless advocate and political leader in DC. She fought for women's rights, home rule, and the better of communities, especially neglected and underserved neighborhoods in the city. Shackleton was part of the "Second Wave" of feminism, which sought equal participation of women in politics and society. She was widely popular for her volunteerism and efforts to lift up communities, and was elected to be a leader in the Democratic Party and the first publicly elected DC Council. In recognition of Shackleton's contributions to DC history, we are also nominating her home at 3232 Reservoir Rd. NW for designation as a historic landmark.
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Sofia Reyes de Veyra - A Filipina woman who moved to DC with her diplomat husband and their children in 1917, she was active and influential in the US women's suffrage movement during her six years in the city. De Veyra leveraged her diplomatic hostess responsibilities to host meetings, fundraise for, and educate leaders about the need for women's suffrage. Upon returning to the Philippines, she used her experience working with the women's movement in DC to help secure women's right to vote in her home country. Our Historic Preservation Office has prepared a nomination to designate the first DC home of Sofia Reyes de Veyra, at 2610 Cathedral Ave NW, as a historic landmark.
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Nannie Helen Burroughs was as a dynamic orator, outspoken activist, and labor advocate for the African American women. Burroughs' brilliance was balanced by her faith and driven by her unyielding vision to empower women through a blend of education, faith, and labor. In 1909, Burroughs opened the first vocational and educational training institution for Black women and girls above the Mason Dixon line. The National Training School for Women and Girls became one of the premier educational campuses for African American women in the 20th century.
The D.C. Historic Preservation Office created a StoryMap detailing the story of the National Training School for Women and Girls and Nannie Helen Burroughs’ perseverance as the school’s founder and president for over 40 years. The StoryMap will accompany the DC register nomination of the historic campus located in the Deanwood neighborhood.
View the StoryMap of the Nannie Helen Burroughs historic campus.
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