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Finding Aid of the Amy C. Ransome collection on Women's Suffrage
0001
0001
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Title: Amy C. Ransome collection on Women's Suffrage
Collection number: 0001
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
3.38 Linear feet
7 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1884-1949
Abstract: The Amy C. Ransome collection contains material related to women's suffrage from 1884-1949. There is a large amount of correspondence
and printed material connected with Sarah Ware Whitney, editor of the Women's Standard in Waterloo, Iowa. In addition, there
is correspondence and organizational material from the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association and other state organizations; equal
rights and temperance pamphlets, ca. 1890-1900; World Woman's Party correspondence and clippings, ca. 1940; and National Suffrage
Bulletins, 1897-1901.
creator:
Ransome, Amy Cordoba Rock, 1872-1942
Amy Cordoba Rock Ransome (1872-1942) was a well-known suffragist and leader in the National Woman's Party who spent much of
her life promoting equal rights for women. Ransome was born in Cordoba, Argentina (the inspiration for her middle name) where
her father, Miles Rock, was working at the newly-established Argentine National Observatory. She spent most of her childhood
in Washington, D.C. where her parents were well established members of that city's scientific community. They encouraged their
two children, ACR (as she was known to family and friends) and her brother Alfred Mayer Rock, to pursue educational opportunities
and political activism. ACR attended Bryn Mawr (BA '93), the University of Heidelberg (Chemistry MA '96), and the University
of Berlin ('96-7, Ph.D. studies in Chemistry cut short by international friction with Germany over the Spanish-American War).
When Ransome returned to Washington, she left her chemistry career behind and shifted her studies to geology. While working
as an assistant at the USGS in D.C., she met her future husband, Frederick Leslie Ransome (FLR to family and friends), whom
she married in 1899. FLR was a well-known American geologist who helped found the journal
Economic Geology in 1905 and was associate editor of the
Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. Together, they had four children, Janet, Susan, Violet, and Alfred. Both before and after her marriage, Ransome was actively
involved in politics and lobbying for progressive women's causes. When she married, she left civil service to raise her family,
but she continued her political activities.
In the 1920s and 1930s, as FLR's teaching career took them to Princeton, Tucson and Pasadena, the Ransomes kept their Washington
residence. The house in D.C. allowed FLR to continue working as a consultant for the USGS and to participate in the national
scientific community. It also gave Ransome a base from which she could further her political work. Ransome maintained the
house in Washington after FLR died in 1935 and regularly traveled between California and D.C. to continue her lobbying activities.
When FLR accepted a position at Cal Tech, ACR turned her considerable political skills and expertise to work at the grassroots
level in her new place of residence, Pasadena. Since she already had extensive experience and a network of friends who were
active on the national level, such as Alice Paul, the relocation to Pasadena made Ransome an obvious candidate for the position
of Western Regional Chairman for the National Woman's Party. She also served as Treasurer for the World Woman's Party and
Chairman for the American Association of University Women.
One of the highlights of Ransome's career occurred in 1937 when Alice Paul, the Head of the National Woman's Party, asked
her to attend the 37th annual assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. This assembly was of historical significance
because it was the first time in history where women from around the world met to discuss women's suffrage on a worldwide
level and propose various amendments to address the inequalities that existed. One amendment provided for universal suffrage,
another stated that there shall be no distinction based on sex in law and practice regarding nationality, a third guaranteed
equal rights to men and women in all fields, and a fourth provided that men and women shall both be members with full voting
powers of all delegations to the Council and Assembly of the League and to all conferences under auspices of the League. In
addition to the amendments, the league appointed a committee to make an extensive study on the status of women throughout
the world. The report of the committee's findings would be returned within a two year period, and Ransome was responsible
for lobbying within Latin America.
Amy Ransome died suddenly on August 13, 1942.
[Much of this information is courtesy of Ransome's great-grandson, David H. Grace.]
The Amy C. Ransome Collection was donated to USC by Una R. Winter, former Director of the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Committee.
The collection was given to USC in 1948-1949. Other relevant collections were added to this one including the personal papers
of Harriet Howe and the biographies of Elizabeth and William Kent.
The Amy C. Ransome collection on Women's Suffrage includes correspondence, clippings, bulletins, photographs, and articles
related to women's suffrage from 1884-1949. There is a large amount of correspondence and printed material connected with
Sarah Ware Whitney, editor of the Women's Standard in Waterloo, Iowa. In addition, there is correspondence and organizational
material from the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association and other state organizations; equal rights and temperance pamphlets, ca.
1890-1900; World Woman's Party correspondence and clippings, ca. 1940; and National Suffrage Bulletins, 1897-1901.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access. Consult finding aid for additional information.
The collection contains published articles; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on
reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers when
reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish,
quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
[Box/folder# or item name], Amy C. Ransome collection on Women's Suffrage, Collection no. 0001, Regional History Collections,
Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Alice Paul Papers, 1785-1985, Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America Radcliffe College,
MC 399.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Anthony, Susan B., (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906 -- Archives
Callanan, Martha C. -- Archives
Catt, Carrie Chapman, 1859-1947 -- Archives
Iowa Equal Suffrage Association. -- Archives
National Woman's Party. -- Archives
Paul, Alice, 1885-1977 -- Archives
Ransome, Amy Cordoba Rock, 1872-1942 -- Archives
Whitney, Sarah Ware -- Correspondence
World Woman's Party. -- Archives
Clippings
Correspondence
Feminists--United States--Archival resources
Manuscripts
Pamphlets
Suffragists--United State--Biography--Archival resources
Women political activists--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Women--Suffrage--United States--Archival resources
Women--United States--History--19th century-_Archival resources
Women--United States--History--20th century--Archival resources