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Primary sourcePhotograph

Kaiser Wilson Suffragette Banner Photograph

Harris & Ewing, Washington, D.C.

A photograph of a National Woman's Party picket holding a banner comparing Wilson's resistance to suffrage to German autocracy.

This protest photograph criticizes Wilson's early resistance to women's suffrage despite his wartime rhetoric about democracy.

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Black and white photograph of a woman in a dark hat with a fur collar and dark coat, standing outdoors beside a large white banner on a pole. The banner reads 'KAISER WILSON' and includes several lines of text protesting women's lack of self-government. Trees and a fence are behind her.
Harris & Ewing, Virginia Arnold with 'Kaiser Wilson' banner, National Woman's Party picket of the White House.

About this source

What it is

This photograph by Harris & Ewing of Washington, D.C. shows Virginia Arnold, a member of the National Woman's Party, posing with a large banner reading 'KAISER WILSON' during a picket of the White House.

Why it matters

The banner directly challenged President Woodrow Wilson, accusing him of hypocrisy for fighting a war for democracy abroad while denying American women the vote at home. It is part of the record of the suffrage movement's confrontational tactics, including picketing the White House, which met resistance from authorities and the public.

Look closer

  • Why do you think the protesters chose to compare Wilson to the German Kaiser?
  • What does picketing the White House suggest about the tactics of the National Woman's Party?
  • How might Wilson and his supporters have reacted to being compared to an enemy wartime leader?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Woodrow Wilson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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