Catt, Carrie Chapman

Catt, Carrie Chapman
orig. Carrie Lane

born Jan. 9, 1859, Ripon, Wis., U.S.
died March 9, 1947, New Rochelle, N.Y.

U.S. advocate of woman suffrage.

A graduate of Iowa State College (1880), she became a high-school principal in Mason City, Iowa, in 1881 and superintendent of schools two years later; she was one of the first U.S. women to hold such a post. She married Leo Chapman in 1884. After his untimely death in 1886 she devoted herself to organizing the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association (1887–90). Her marriage to George W. Catt, an engineer, in 1890, was unusual in its prenuptial legal contract providing her with four months of free time each year to work exclusively for woman suffrage. In 1900 she was elected to succeed Susan B. Anthony as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Between 1905 and 1915 Catt reorganized the NAWSA along political district lines. By then an accomplished public speaker, she served as the group's president from 1915 until her death. After ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted voting rights to women, she reorganized the NAWSA as the League of Women Voters to work for progressive legislation, including the cause of world peace. See also woman suffrage movement.

Carrie Chapman Catt.

By courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Illinois

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▪ American feminist leader
née  Carrie Lane 
born Jan. 9, 1859, Ripon, Wis., U.S.
died March 9, 1947, New Rochelle, N.Y.
 American feminist leader who led the women's rights movement (women's movement) for more than 25 years, culminating in the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment (for woman suffrage) to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.

      Carrie Lane grew up in Ripon, Wisconsin, and from 1866 in Charles City, Iowa. She worked her way through Iowa State College (now University), graduated in 1880, and after a short time spent reading law became a high-school principal in Mason City, Iowa, in 1881. Two years later she was appointed superintendent of schools, one of the first women to hold such a position. Her first marriage (1884), to Leo Chapman, an editor, ended with his untimely death in 1886. From 1887 to 1890 she devoted herself to organizing the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association (woman suffrage). Her marriage to George W. Catt, an engineer, in 1890, was unusual in its prenuptial legal contract providing her with four months of free time each year to work exclusively for woman suffrage. George Catt encouraged and supported his wife's dedication until his death, in 1905, at which time he left her financially independent to devote the rest of her life to reform activities.

 As an organizer, Catt was highly effective. In 1900 she was elected to succeed Susan B. Anthony (Anthony, Susan B.) as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). She resigned the presidency in 1904 to care for her ailing husband. Between 1905 and 1915 Catt reorganized the NAWSA along political-district lines. By then an accomplished public speaker, she served as the group's president from 1915 until her death. In the meantime, she trained women for direct political action and marshaled seasoned campaigners. (Click here to hear Catt speaking about the fight for woman suffrage—>.)

      Buoyed by the nearly $1 million bequest of Miriam Leslie, the organization adopted Catt's “Winning Plan” and opened a massive drive for a constitutional amendment to provide national woman suffrage. The success of a second New York state referendum in 1917, followed by President Woodrow Wilson's conversion to the cause of suffrage in 1918 attested the effectiveness of Catt's flexible strategy of working at both federal and state levels to build support for woman suffrage. Tireless lobbying in Congress (directed by Maud Wood Park (Park, Maud Wood)) and then in state legislatures finally produced a ratified Nineteenth Amendment in August 1920. The final triumph was in large part a tribute to her imaginative and tactful leadership. After its adoption, Catt reorganized the suffrage association—two million strong—into the League of Women Voters in order to work for continuing progressive legislation throughout the nation.

      In the 1920s Catt embraced the peace movement, enlisting the cooperation of 11 national women's organizations in the Committee on the Cause and Cure of War (1925) to urge United States participation in a world organization for peace. She actively supported the League of Nations, relief for Jewish refugees from Germany, and a child labour amendment. She was also a strong advocate of international disarmament and of Prohibition. Following World War II she was keenly interested in the United Nations and used her influence to have qualified women placed on certain commissions.

      Catt's works include Woman Suffrage and Politics; The Inner Story of the Suffrage Movement (1923, written with Nettie Rogers Shuler) and, with others, Why Wars Must Cease (1935).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Catt, Carrie Chapman — orig. Carrie Lane (9 ene. 1859, Ripon, Wis., EE.UU.–9 mar. 1947, New Rochelle, N.Y.). Defensora estadounidense del sufragio femenino. Egresó del Iowa State College (1880), fue directora de un colegio secundario en Mason City, Iowa, en 1881, y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Carrie Chapman Catt — Carrie Chapman Catt. Carrie Chapman Catt (née le 9 janvier 1859 à Ripon, Wisconsin et morte le 9 mars 1947 à New Rochelle, New York) est une journaliste, professeur et suffragette américaine. Elle est passée à la postérité pour …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Carrie Chapman Catt — 1914 Carrie Chapman Catt (* 9. Januar 1859 als Carrie Clinton Lane in Ripon, Wisconsin/USA; † 9. März 1947 in New Rochelle, New York) war eine Kämpferin für das Frauenwahlrecht in Amerika …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Carrie Chapman Catt — Infobox Person name = Carrie Chapman Catt caption = birth date = birth date|1859|1|9|mf=y birth place = Ripon, Wisconsin dead=dead death date = death date and age|1947|3|9|1859|1|9|mf=y death place = New Rochelle, New YorkCarrie Chapman Catt… …   Wikipedia

  • Catt, Carrie (Lane)Chapman — Catt (kăt), Carrie (Lane) Chapman. 1859 1947. American suffragist who was an organizer and president (1900 1904 and 1915 1947) of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. She organized the League of Women Voters in 1919, the year before… …   Universalium

  • Chapman — Chapman, George * * * (as used in expressions) Andrews, Roy Chapman Catt, Carrie Chapman Chapman, Frank Michler Chapman, Maria Weston …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • chapman — chapmanship, n. /chap meuhn/, n., pl. chapmen. 1. Brit. a peddler. 2. Archaic. a merchant. [bef. 900; ME; OE ceapman (ceap buying and selling + man MAN1); c. D koopman, G Kaufmann; see CHEAP] * * * (as used in expressions) Andrews Roy Chapman… …   Universalium

  • Chapman — /chap meuhn/, n. 1. Frank Michler /mik leuhr/, 1864 1945, U.S. ornithologist, museum curator, and author. 2. George, 1559 1634, English poet, dramatist, and translator. 3. John. See Appleseed, Johnny. * * * (as used in expressions) Andrews Roy… …   Universalium

  • Catt — may be:*Carrie Chapman Catt (1859 1947), American women s rights activist *Ian Catt (fl. 1990s), British record producer musician *Ivor Catt (born 1935), British electronics engineer *Mike Catt (born 1971), English rugby player *CATT, Campaign… …   Wikipedia

  • Catt — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres   Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

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