Our “Sources and Strategies” article in the October 2026 issue of Social Education, the journal of the National Council for the Social Studies, features the official 20-page program of the 1913 Woman’s Suffrage Procession as well as testimony from a subsequent congressional investigation into events during the march. It includes teaching ideas to help students explore the sources.
The program represents the many people and perspectives involved in the organization and execution of the parade. It also offers a glimpse into the careful crafting of the parade’s message through imagery and language. Yet, like many careful acts of civic engagement, it does not capture the enormous challenge of making the procession a reality.
Organizers encountered opposition to the proposed route and timing of the parade. They lobbied leaders in the U.S. Congress to gain their support. On March 1, two days before the parade, Congress issued a resolution that the parade should run along the requested route and directed District of Columbia police to protect the event.
Overall, the parade was a huge success. Large crowds — at least 25,000 according to newspaper accounts at the time — came to view the procession of more than 5,000 marchers. All went well for the first few blocks of the route; however, once crowds began piling into the street, the women’s marching became nearly impossible. Despite the presence of the police, little was done to protect the order of the parade.
The press reported on the mistreatment of the marchers by the crowd and the police, leading to congressional hearings. Senate Resolution 499 directed an investigation to be made into the conduct of the police and the police department toward the women’s parade. More than 150 witnesses testified about their experiences that day.
The teaching ideas in the article begin with a warm-up activity in which students examine a page from the procession program and develop observations, reflections, and questions from it.
After examining the program, students turn to a related primary source: an excerpt (pages 447 and 448) from testimony before the U.S. Senate describing what occurred during the parade. The article offers ideas for helping students generate and refine questions that might lead them to further inquiry.
The article closes by offering additional resources from the Library of Congress, including:
- Resource Guide and Essay, Women’s Suffrage Parade
- Women’s Suffrage Primary Source Set
- Online Exhibit: Shall Not Be Denied
Let us know in the comments if you have read the article and how you might incorporate it and the teaching ideas into your classroom.
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