Silent Sentinels

Silent Sentinels were a group of women protesters in the early 20th century advocating for women’s suffrage in the United States. Organized by the National Woman’s Party, they stood silently outside the White House, holding signs demanding the right to vote. Their peaceful demonstrations, which began in 1917, aimed to draw public attention to women’s suffrage and challenge government inaction. Despite facing arrests, imprisonment, and sometimes harsh treatment, their nonviolent protests played a significant role in raising awareness and ultimately helping to secure the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote in 1920.