MILITANCY, POWER, AND IDENTITY: THE SILENT SENTINELS AS WOMEN FIGHTING FOR POLITICAL VOICE

Headnote

In 1917, National Woman's Party members waged a silent protest outside the White House for woman suffrage. This essay argues that these protesters, the "Silent Sentinels," drew strength from restricting ideological forces to constitute a militant identity. First, the Sentinels enacted early twentieth-century gender ideology and provided political voice to women. Second, the Sentinels appropriated the authority of the rhetorical presidency and constituted themselves and American women as part of the U.S. democratic process. Last, the Sentinels incorporated President Wilson's militaristic doctrine into their militant logic, motivating their fight for woman suffrage as soldiers liberating the oppressed.

On January 9, 1917, members of the National Woman's Party (NWP) departed the White House after a disheartening meeting with President Woodrow Wilson. One member recalled his parting words: "Ladies, concert public opinion on behalf of woman suffrage."1 After crossing Lafayette Square to their headquarters, the dejected NWP members brainstormed their next move. Harriot Stanton Blatch, daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, hatched a plan. Her words were recorded in the NWP's weekly organ, The Suffragist. She declared:

We must go to him every day, we must have a continuous delegation to the President of the United States, if he is to realize the never-ceasing, insistent demand of women that he take action where he is responsible.

We may not be admitted within the doors, but we can at least stand at the gates.We may not be allowed to raise our voices and speak to the President, but we can address him just the same, because our message to him will be inscribed upon the banners which we will carry in our hands. Let us post our silent sentinels at the gates of the White House.2

The following day at 10:00 AM, a dozen women planted themselves before the White House gates, stood silently, and held up banners asking, "MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE?" and "MR. PRESIDENT, HOW LONG MUST WOMEN WAIT FOR LIBERTY?"3 After years of defeat, the NWP emerged with silent strength to bolster the fight for woman suffrage.

The "Silent Sentinels," as the protesters were christened by the NWP, stood firmly day after day throughout 1917 and 1918.4 Most protesters were dressed in proper ladies' attire of the day-long sleeves, long...