Feminist to Know: Emmeline Pankhurst

Born on July 15, 1858 in Manchester, England, Emmeline Pankhurst was a large part of the UK suffragette movement involved in founding the Women’s Franchise League, The Women’s Social and Political Union, and emphasized militant politics.

Pankhurst grew up in a politically active family. Her father was self-made, going from an errand boy to a manufacturer; her mother was a working woman that contributed to the Anti-Corn Law League which would have raised the price of bread. Her family included all their children in social activism. The most prominent activism for Pankhurst as a child being that during the movement to end US slavery Pankhurst father worked with American abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher. When Pankhurst was 14 her mother was already joining the women's suffrage movement quickly enrolling Pankhurst a year later to attend the Ecole Normale de Neuilly where the school skilled female students in chemistry, bookkeeping, as well as traditionally “feminine” arts during that time. Where her appeal of activism grew.

Pankhurst was a large part of the UK suffragette movement involved in founding the Women’s Franchise League which was used to secure the vote for married and single women in local elections before being frustrated with the ILP party (independent labor party) which was established in 1893 to take interest of the majority that being the working class which would than during that time period prioritize working class men. Pankurst was frustrated that the party was not being there for women in retaliation she helped found The Women’s Social and Political Union which used militant strategy to campaign for women's suffrage taking direct action toward politicians.

As WWI started Pankhurst paused their militant strategies to support the British against German forces. Pankhurst then led a massive procession known as the Women’s Right to Serve demonstration to emphasize women's contribution to the war effort and encouraging women to aid in industrial production in the war.