Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9
Ida B. Wells, women’s suffragette and prominent civil rights advocate, attended the Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C., on this day in 1913. The parade was organized by suffragist Alice Paul and her organization called the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage. It was the first national suffrage parade to be held in the U.S. Over 5,000 marchers attended, and Susan B. Anthony and Anna Howard Shaw were in attendance. Ida Wells was one of few African American women in attendance and was told that she and the others would be segregated from the main group, to march at the end. However, Wells refused and her participation and presence highlighted the interconnectivity of suffrage and civil rights. As you pray for governing officials to be mindful of the importance of liberty and equality, remember that your freedom comes first from belief in Christ!
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For the president and his Cabinet members as they pursue and promote equity and diversity.
- For wisdom for U.S. officials tasked with running programs that benefit and protect women and children.
