Edith M. Ainge (1873–1948) was an American

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

and a member of the activist group the

Silent Sentinels The Silent Sentinels, also known as the Sentinels of Liberty, were a group of over 2,000 women in favor of women's suffrage organized by Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party, who protested in front of the White House during Woodrow Wilson's ...

. Ainge joined the

National Woman's Party The National Woman's Party (NWP) was an American women's political organization formed in 1916 to fight for women's suffrage. After achieving this goal with the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the NW ...

(NWP) led by

Alice Paul Alice Stokes Paul (January 11, 1885 – July 9, 1977) was an American Quaker, suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist, and one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ...

to advocate for women's right to vote in the United States, which was established with the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920. Ainge was arrested approximately five times from September 1917 to January 1919 for "

unlawful assembly Unlawful assembly is a legal term to describe a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace. If the group is about to start an act of disturbance, it is termed a rout; if the disturbance is commenced, it is then ter ...

" (obstructing traffic) at NWP protests, and she later served as treasurer of the NWP.

Suffrage in New York

Ainge worked for the women's suffrage movement in New York state in 1915. She spearheaded participation in The

Torch of Liberty "Torch of Liberty" is a song by Japanese rock band Kana-Boon. It was released as the band's sixteenth major-label single, released on November 25, 2020, through Ki/oon Music. "Torch of Liberty" was used as the second opening theme song for the s ...

event where suffragists from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—organizing events to gather more participation and awareness about the cause, and to raise funding for the suffragist movement and for the political rallies.

Night of Terror

Following her work on New York State Suffrage, Ainge moved to New York to rally for National voting rights for women. On November 10, 1917 suffragists Edith Ainge and Eleanor Calnan were two of thirty three arrested after stationing themselves in protest in front of the White House in Washington D.C. The protest was peaceful, and 68 suffragists demonstrated for the passage of the 19th Amendment. Ainge and Calnan carried a sign that read, “How Long Must Woman Be Denied a Voice in a Government Which is Conscripting Their Sons.” Ainge, and other suffragists were sentenced to 60 days in jail at the

Occoquan Workhouse The Lorton Reformatory, also known as the Lorton Correctional Complex, is a former prison complex in Lorton, Virginia, established in 1910 for the District of Columbia, United States. The complex began as a prison farm called the Occoquan Wor ...

in Lorton, Virginia for obstructing traffic, referred to as "Unlawful Assembly.” Ainge was given solitary confinement, many of those arrested were tortured, and the event has been named the " Night of Terror."

1918 arrest

Ainge was again arrested for demonstrating in Lafayette Square on August 15, 1918.

Watch Fire Demonstration, 1919

At the Watch Fire Demonstrations, in Lafayette Square, members of the NWP burned copies of President Woodrow Wilson's speeches in urns. Ainge was the first to light her urn. The women, including Ainge were again arrested.

Personal life

Ainge was born in England and emigrated to the U.S. as a child in 1884. Her parents William and Susan Ainge had a total of ten children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ainge, Edith 1873 births 1948 deaths English emigrants to the United States National Woman's Party activists People from Jamestown, New York Suffragists from New York (state)