Fargo (and all of North Dakota) should be proud of their suffragist daughter, Beulah Amidon. She was born in 1895 to United States District Judge for North Dakota Charles Freemont Amidon and his wife, Beulah.
Her father served as Fargo city attorney from 1890 to 1894. Beulah graduated from Barnard College—Phi Beta Kappa—and later studied law at the University of Southern California. But she was a suffragist who believed in the fight to ensure that the vote could not be denied based on sex (the 19th Amendment).
She was one of the Silent Sentinels that picketed the Wilson White House demanding that the president support a constitutional amendment empowering women with the right to vote. She stood with women committed to the principles of our republic. In the words of President Lincoln, our government is "of, by, and for [all] the people."
Serving as the press secretary for the National Woman's Party, she actively campaigned for suffrage referendums in North Dakota and New York. She organized and spoke for the federal suffrage amendment in eleven states and worked to defeat those who opposed women suffrage.
According to the Turning Point National Suffragist Memorial Association, she was called the "prettiest suffragist" by the other women, she was jailed after picketing on Aug. 15, 1917. On that day, 50 purple, white and gold flags were destroyed by a mob led by sailors in uniform. Amidon was knocked down by one of the sailors. She encouraged the other suffragists and told them the "big world is watching - and learning - and admiring, and pretty soon the job will be done."
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Yes, Fargo should be proud of her and what she accomplished. She went to prison for her beliefs. The question is are you willing to stand up and be counted in 2020? will you vote? Let's remember Beulah and stand together for freedom by voting in 2020..
Celebrate North Dakota's ratification Dec. 1, 2019, and the National Centennial on August 26, 2020.
