Women's political power in Maryland, 1920-1964

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the political role of women in Maryland during the years 1920-1964. This period spans the time between the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, and the beginnings of the women's liberation movement represented by the founding of the National Organization of Women in 1964. Many scholars have viewed these forty years as a dormant period in women's history; a time when there was little women's participation in public life.;This study of Maryland women demonstrated their active role in politics. The state had an energetic suffrage organization, and after achieving the right to vote, women leaders focused their attention on government participation. During these years twenty-seven women were elected to the state legislature. By examining their papers, their legislative programs, and newspaper articles, a program of political activity emerged. It was characterized by an expansion of women's legal rights in areas such as divorce, jury service and property rights, and the passage of legislation designed to benefit such groups as the elderly, children, and the unemployed.;Maryland women joined partisan and nonpartisan organizations and used the skills of petitioning, lobbying, educating and organizing to promote social legislation. The most important nonpartisan groups were the Maryland League of Women Voters and the Maryland Federation of Women. Through an examination of their papers, it is possible to trace the influence these two organizations had on the state government. Many effective women played a role in public life in Maryland, and this paper explored their contributions. Some were state legislators or political party leaders, others were club executives, and a few were private citizens. The two most important leaders in the civil rights movement were women.;As participants in Maryland politics, the women learned to work with the male political hierarchy in a state that did not ratify the Nineteenth Amendment until 1941. The women politicians were excluded from the power structure, and they developed methods to influence it from the outside. They had to be careful not to antagonize their male colleagues by appearing strident or weak. Most women learned their lessons well and brought a new dimension to Maryland government. These women's activities formed a bridge between the efforts of the suffrage movement before 1920 and the work of the women's liberation movement after 1964.