Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (CU) served as the crucible for the movement, forging the revolutionary, confrontational tactics that would ultimately secure the vote. Under the leadership of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, the CU rapidly evolved into its successor, the National Woman's Party (NWP), but it was in the CU that the modern suffrage strategy was born.

🏛️ The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (CU): A New Era of American Suffrage

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (CU), active between 1913 and 1916, was the critical incubator for the militant, non-violent tactics that ultimately secured the 19th Amendment. Founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, the CU represented a radical departure from the conservative, state-by-state approach. This had dominated the American movement for decades.

🇺🇸 Genesis and Ideological Split (1913–1914)

The CU’s formation was a direct result of ideological and strategic conflicts within the established National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).

• The Federal Focus: Alice Paul, after her radicalizing time with the British Pankhursts, returned to the US convinced that the only efficient way to win the vote was through a single federal constitutional amendment. This was a stark contrast to NAWSA's strategy of slowly achieving suffrage through individual state referendums.
• Initial Appointment: Paul and Burns were appointed to lead NAWSA's dormant Congressional Committee in late 1912. They quickly revitalized the committee by launching the massive Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C., in March 1913. This success, however, confirmed the vast difference in approach.
• Separation: NAWSA leadership viewed Paul’s confrontational methods and her relentless focus on the federal amendment as too radical and financially irresponsible. By early 1914, the separation was finalized. Paul and Burns transformed the committee into the independent, single-issue organization known as the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage.

⚙️ Revolutionary Political Strategy

The CU pioneered two key strategies that forever changed the landscape of American political protest. The "Party in Power" doctrine and the aggressive use of public spectacle.

1. The "Party in Power" Doctrine

This was the CU's most controversial and effective political innovation.

• The Principle: The CU declared that it would hold the Democratic Party—as the party controlling the presidency (Woodrow Wilson) and both houses of Congress—entirely responsible for the failure to pass the Susan B Anthony Amendment. Regardless of individual party members’ opinions.
• The Rationale: Paul argued that lobbying individual congressmen was a waste of time. The only way to force action was to make the ruling party fear losing elections. By threatening to mobilize the existing female vote against the Democrats. Even in the dozen or so states where women could already vote, the CU aimed to create powerful national political pressure.
• Action: This strategy was immediately put to the test during the 1914 state and congressional elections. The CU actively campaigned against every Democrat. Often causing significant backlash and further alienating NAWSA, which supported individual candidates who backed suffrage.

The History of Women's Suffrage

2. Spectacle and Non-Violent Confrontation

The CU employed tactics designed for maximum media visibility and public attention:

• Massive Public Demonstrations: Following the success of the 1913 parade, the CU continued to organize large, highly visible marches, rallies, and conventions, many held close to the Capitol or the White House.
• Targeting the President: They adopted the British focus on publicly confronting the head of state. Paul recognized that President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, was the ultimate gatekeeper. Confrontation was designed to shame Wilson into action.

➡️ Transition to the National Woman's Party (NWP)

As the 1916 election approached, the CU, consequently, needed to expand its reach. It needed to solidify its identity as a fully national political force capable of carrying out the "Party in Power" strategy in every relevant state.

Therefore, the CU was reorganized and renamed the National Woman's Party (NWP) in 1916. Nevertheless, while the name changed, the core leadership, radical philosophy, and the central goal of achieving a federal amendment remained the same.

Immediately thereafter, it was under the banner of the NWP that the CU's most famous tactic—the Silent Sentinels—was launched in January 1917. Permanently picketing the White House. Ultimately, this campaign led to the arrests, imprisonment, and force-feeding of hundreds of women. Thereby generating the public sympathy and political crisis needed to force the passage of the 19th Amendment.

In essence, then, the Congressional Union served as the foundational engine for the militant wing of American women's suffrage. Forging the political strategy and public identity that the NWP used to achieve final victory in 1920.