Selina Solomons

Selina Solomons was a California suffragist active in the 1911 campaign which resulted in the passage of Proposition 4. Solomons wrote a first hand account of the movement titled, "How We Won the Vote in California".[1]

Involvement with the California suffrage movement

Solomons worked with many notable California suffragists including Maud Younger and Lillian Coffin Harris.[2] These women all worked together in September 1911 to form an election committee.[3] This committee would serve as a coalition of a variety of suffrage groups active throughout the state.[4] Women won the vote in California in 1911.

Votes for Women Club

Solomons believed the 1896 defeat was due in part to a lack of emphasis on organizing working class women.[5] To address this, she opened the Votes for Women Club near Union Square in San Francisco. By 1910 the club was receiving publicity in local newspapers.[6] It was initially intended to appeal to shop girls and clerks.[7] Reading materials on the suffrage movement were widely available in the club.[8] Under Solomons leadership, in 1910 the Votes for Women Club also aimed to combat the "white slave trade" in girls which was a euphemism in this era for prostitution.[9] It was in 1910 that the Mann Act was passed. In 1912 Solomons attended the California Equal Suffrage Association convention in her role as president of the Votes for Women Club.[10]

Personal life

Solomons came from a sephardic jewish family with deep roots in the United States.[11] She died in 1921.[12]

References
  1. Solomons, Selina. "How We Won the Vote in California". Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  2. "San Francisco Call 14 September 1911 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  3. "San Francisco Call 14 September 1911 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  4. "San Francisco Call 14 September 1911 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  5. "Selina Solomons | Jewish Immigrants in San Francisco | American Jerusalem". www.americanjerusalem.com. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  6. "San Francisco Call 24 October 1910 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  7. Elinson, Elaine (2007-03-04). "Soup, salad, suffrage: How women won their right to vote in California". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  8. Elinson, Elaine (2007-03-04). "Soup, salad, suffrage: How women won their right to vote in California". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  9. "San Francisco Call 26 April 1910 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  10. "San Francisco Call 6 January 1912 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
  11. "Selina Solomons | Jewish Immigrants in San Francisco | American Jerusalem". www.americanjerusalem.com. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  12. "Selina Solomons papers, circa 1867-1921". oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
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