Emmeline Pankhurst
- Born:
- 14 July 1858, Manchester, England
- Died:
- 14 June 1928, London, England
- Nationality:
- British
- Profession(s):
- Political Activist, Suffragette Leader
Early Life and Education
- Born Emmeline Goulden into a politically active family.
- Attended the École Normale Supérieure in Paris for a year.
- Early exposure to women's suffrage movement through her mother.
Career and Major Achievements
- Founded the Women's Franchise League in 1889, advocating for married women's right to vote in local elections.
- Co-founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903 with her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia.
- Led the WSPU's militant campaign for women's suffrage, employing tactics such as civil disobedience, property damage, and hunger strikes.
- Imprisoned multiple times for her activism.
- Played a role in securing the Representation of the People Act 1918, granting voting rights to women over 30 who met certain property qualifications.
- Continued to advocate for women's rights after the initial suffrage victory.
Notable Works
- My Own Story (Autobiography, 1914)
- Speeches and pamphlets advocating for women's suffrage. Her compelling arguments about equality often included what now are widely known as Emmeline Pankhurst quotes about life and justice.
Legacy and Impact
Emmeline Pankhurst is remembered as a pivotal figure in the British women's suffrage movement. Her leadership and the WSPU's militant tactics brought the issue of women's suffrage to the forefront of national attention, ultimately contributing to the achievement of voting rights for women in the United Kingdom.