On this month's cover, nurses march in a New York suffrage parade in 1913. It wasn't until seven years later, with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, that their vision became a reality and women were granted the right to vote. The tireless efforts of suffragists, including many nurses, preceded this achievement by decades.
As discussed in this month's Looking Back article, "Nurses Fight for the Right to Vote," nurses played a key role in leading the suffrage movement: they held rallies, picketed, gave speeches, wrote articles, and met with government officials. In the article, author Phoebe Pollitt shares the stories of four nurse activists (Lavinia Lloyd Dock, Mary Bartlett Dixon, Sarah Tarleton Colvin, and Hattie Frances Kruger) who put their lives on the line-often risking physical harm-to achieve equal voting rights. All four were arrested as a consequence of their activism.
The stories of these nurses and their fellow suffragists serve as a reminder of the value of our vote. Election Day is Tuesday, November 6. For more information on where to vote and voting requirements, visit http://www.usa.gov/election-day.-Diane Szulecki, editor