"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." - 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

coloring book coverThe year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women in the U.S. the right to vote. Passed by Congress in 1919, the amendment was ratified August 18, 1920, and certified August 26. The journey had been long and arduous and, for many women of color, the fight to exercise their voting rights was far from over. Passage of the amendment, however, forever changed the path of women in our nation.

In observance of the centennial, the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections has produced this coloring book profiling local women who took part in the struggle for voting rights.

Explore more in our digital collections or by visiting us in the Missouri Valley Room at the Central Library.

About the Project

Illustrations: Joanna Marsh, Special Collections Librarian

Research and Content: Missouri Valley Special Collections Staff

Production and Publication: Kansas City Public Library Public Affairs Department

Production of this project was made possible by a gift from The Kansas City Athenaeum and through the generosity of supporters of the Kansas City Public Library and of the Missouri Valley Special Collections.

Download the Coloring Book

Ida Bowman Becks (1880-1953)

As a renowned lecturer and suffragist, Ida Bowman Becks led the local African American community in the pursuit of equality. Born in Armstrong, Missouri, she showed promise as a student and graduated as class valedictorian. In 1908, she moved to Kansas City and became involved in charities and women’s clubs. Ida’s work led to the establishment of the Yates YWCA and the Kansas City Urban League, and her passionate speeches on suffrage were praised for their eloquence. She went on to become a delegate to the 1921 NAACP convention, a board member of Wheatley-Provident Hospital, and chair of the Negro Women’s National Republican League.

Sarah Chandler Coates (1829-1897)

A progressive social leader known as the Queen of Quality Hill, Sarah Chandler Coates was one of Kansas City’s earliest suffragists. Originally from Pennsylvania, she moved to Kansas City with her husband Kersey in 1856. Sarah ran charities out of their home, promoted the arts and sciences, supported anti-slavery organizations, and founded the ’81 Club. In 1892, she organized and led the Equal Suffrage Association of Kansas City as a tireless advocate for women’s rights. She was also instrumental in bringing the Missouri Suffrage Association’s annual convention to Kansas City in 1896.

Phoebe Jane Ess (1850-1934)

Regarded as one of Kansas City’s most influential leaders, Phoebe Jane Ess was an outspoken suffragist and a dean of Missouri women’s clubs. Born in Kentucky, she moved to Kansas City at age 22 and taught at Washington School until she married. She then was involved in the establishment of the Kansas City Athenaeum, the Susan B. Anthony Civic Club, and the Missouri Federation of Women’s Clubs. She also served as president of the Equal Suffrage Association. With over 33 active affiliations, Phoebe Jane sought to protect the rights of women and children, supported Prohibition, and petitioned for disarmament. In 1932, the Athenaeum honored her for 50 years of exemplary service.

Mary Tiera Farrow (1880-1971)

As one of the first female lawyers in Missouri, Mary Tiera Farrow was a pioneer in the legal field. She graduated from the Kansas City School of Law in 1903 and opened the first women’s law practice in Kansas City, where she worked to protect the rights of women and children. Tiera was a member of the local Business Women’s Suffrage Club and, in 1925, co-founded the Women’s School of Law to educate women on legal matters. She also took the lead in organizing the Women’s Bar Association of Kansas City. Her remarkable career, which included appointments as a judge and city treasurer, spanned more than 54 years.

Emma Lard Longan (1854-1924)

Author, clubwoman, and city council member Emma Lard Longan sought to educate and inspire women to take an active role in government. In 1900, she founded the Longan Study Club to discuss current affairs, arts and culture, history, and law. She later published the book Parliamentary Rules Made Easy, which sold over 200,000 copies by the time of her death in 1924. Emma also served as president of the Equal Suffrage Association and Council of Women’s Clubs, and she was a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Kansas City Athenaeum. In 1922, she became the first woman elected to the upper house of the Kansas City Council.

Alma Nash (1883-1965)

Before Alma Nash became one of the most popular music teachers in Kansas City, she was known as the suffragist bandleader in Maryville, Missouri. There, she formed the Missouri Ladies Military Band—later called the Missouri Suffrage Band—and led it in the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C. Five years later, Alma moved to Kansas City and opened an in-home studio where she taught for 47 years. She also played with local orchestras, was honored by the Fretted Guild of America, and was a charter member of the Kansas City Music Teachers Association. By the end of her long career, Alma had trained an estimated 4,000 students.

Mathilde “Dolly” Dallmeyer Shelden (1885-1980)

Before moving to Kansas City in 1920, Mathilde Dallmeyer Shelden campaigned for women’s rights as a politician in her native Jefferson City, Missouri. There, she organized the Jefferson City Equal Suffrage League and became the first woman elected vice-president of the Missouri State Republican Club. Renowned for her skills as an orator, she gave speeches on suffrage in more than 20 Missouri counties. In Kansas City, Mathilde continued to be involved in civic life as a member of the Athenaeum, the Women’s City Club, and various arts and culture organizations. In 1924, she succeeded Emma Lard Longan as a member of the Kansas City Council’s upper house.

Emma Siggins White (1857-1936)

Known primarily as a philanthropist, Emma Siggins White used her societal platform to achieve women’s suffrage in Jackson County. The wife of a lumber baron, she led numerous charities and organizations, including the Boys Hotel and the Missouri Valley Historical Society, while also serving as chair of the Jackson County League of Women Voters. Emma oversaw the Suffrage Campaign Committee of Kansas City and, in 1918, distributed unofficial ballots allowing women to voice their demands to the Missouri legislature. In 1920, she organized a nonpartisan citizenship school at the Kansas City Public Library to help women prepare to participate in national elections.