After being introduced to Congress in 1878, the 19th Amendment giving American women the constitutional right to vote was not approved until 1919 and ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. Due to governmental and geographical circumstances, the right was not extended to Virgin Islands’ women until 1935.
Elizabeth A. Novara, historian in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress, wrote in 2020 that some women across the country could vote by 1919 — property owners of a certain age and with other qualifications. Others who were deemed eligible voted in local and state elections and women in the Wyoming territory voted in 1869 before Wyoming gained statehood.
In 1917, the Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark by the United States for $25 million and the U.S. Navy governed the islands until 1931. The Navy followed Danish law until a local government was formed.
In 1932, Virgin Islanders were granted citizenship and men were allowed to vote if they met certain requirements — if they were at least 25 years old, owned property, demonstrated income to support a family and were “of good moral character.”
Edith Williams, a school principal on St. Thomas who was known for her community involvement and starting the school lunch program, was “highly respected in the community,” said her great-niece, Janice Brooks of St. Croix. A statue of Williams — “the mother of education” — stands in downtown Charlotte Amalie.
Williams, along with Anna Vessup and Eulalie Stevens, as members of the teachers’ union, advocated for women’s issues, educational reform and funding for local schools. The three suffragists (also called suffragettes) and about 50 other Virgin Islanders attempted to register to vote in the 1930s. They were rebuffed until 1935. They all were qualified to vote under the general rules — each was a property owner, supported a family and were known for their “good moral characters.”
Jennifer Johnson, curator for Museum Programs at the National Archives in Kansas City, wrote in 2020 that help to push for the vote came with the federal appointment to the Virgin Islands of Judge Albert Levitt. His wife, Elsie Hill, who had been involved in the New York suffrage movement, joined and advised the local women, the curator wrote.
Edith Williams was the first to try to register in December 1935, followed by 23 others within the week. The St Thomas Board of Elections rejected the applications, citing Danish law.
With the help of a lawyer, Williams, Vessup and Stevens filed a writ of mandamus and on Dec. 27, Levitt ordered the electoral board to register the women. The board appealed the decision but lost. In the end, Levitt directed the board to submit the voting rolls to him.
In 2019, Ruby Simmonds-Esannason and Nadine Marchena Kean led a walking tour of St. Thomas, following the footsteps of the V.I. suffragettes. Simmonds-Esannason’s grandmother was Hildred Simmonds, and Kean’s great-aunt was Ilva Smith, a teacher and business owner who was qualified to vote. “The only thing is she was a woman,” Kean said.
Simmonds-Esannason provided a list of the original Virgin Islands suffrages. Click here to view list.
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