Carrie
Lane was born in Wisconsin in 1860. She studied law at Iowa State
College and after graduating became a superintendent of schools in
Mason City (1883-84). She married the publisher, Lee Chapman, in 1884
but he died two years later.
Carrie had gradually developed feminist views and in 1890 became a
state organizer for the Iowa Women's Suffrage Association. Soon after
this she married George Catt, an engineer from Seattle.
Catt agreed with Carrie's political views and signed a contract agreeing
that she could devote half of each year to the campaign for women's
suffrage.
At the end of the 19th century Catt emerged as one of the leaders
of the women's suffrage movement and
in 1900 was elected president of the National
Woman Suffrage Association. A committed pacifist,
Catt with her friend, Jane Addams, formed
the Women's Peace Party.
Catt's dynamic leadership helped to bring about the 19th Amendment
in 1920 that secured the vote for women. Carrie Chapman Catt continued
to campaign for women's rights and world peace until her death in
1947.
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