Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage was a political organization founded in 1913 by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns to advocate for women’s right to vote. It aimed to influence Congress to pass a constitutional amendment granting women suffrage. Unlike earlier, more moderate groups, it used direct action, petitions, protests, and even picketing to press for change. The organization was part of the broader women’s suffrage movement but distinguished itself with more aggressive tactics and a focus on federal legislation, playing a key role in the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.