Maud Wood Park

Key strategist in the women's suffrage movement and first president of the League of Women Voters

Maud Wood Park (1871–1955) was a pivotal figure in the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. As a founding member of the College Equal Suffrage League, she mobilized educated women to advocate for voting rights. Park’s strategic brilliance was instrumental in securing the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

After suffrage was achieved, Park became the first president of the League of Women Voters, focusing on voter education and legislative reform. She lobbied for laws addressing child labor, public health, and women’s legal rights. Her ability to build bipartisan coalitions ensured lasting policy impacts, such as the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Protection Act of 1921.

Park’s later work included chronicling the suffrage movement’s history, ensuring its lessons were preserved. Her emphasis on civic engagement and pragmatic activism set a precedent for future generations of advocates.