35+ Best Emmeline Pankhurst Quotes From The British Activist
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Born in Manchester, England on 14 July, Emmeline Pankhurst was part of a politically engaged family which helped her become involved with the issues regarding women's rights in her country.
Emmeline married a lawyer named Richard Pankhurst, who was also a supporter of women's suffrage, with whom she had five children. Richard supported her in all her endeavors including her support for the Women's Franchise League which fought for the rights of all women, irrespective of being single or married, to vote in local office elections.
In the year 1898, Richard Pankhurst died of stomach ulcers. Emmeline Pankhurst was struck by grief due to his death, yet she kept fighting for equality.
In 1903, she founded the Women's Social and Political Union whose members were only women and were famously known as the Suffragettes. This group led protests differently compared to other groups. They used militant tactics which gained them a lot of attention.
They resorted to arson, damaging public property and hunger strikes. Many members of the Suffragettes on different occasions were arrested including both Emmeline and her daughter Christabel.
Later in her life, she traveled to many different countries to raise awareness regarding the industrial mobilization of women. She returned back to England in 1926 where her health began to deteriorate.
Emmeline Pankhurst died on 14 June 1928 of ill health. Just weeks after her death, The Representation of the People Act was passed, the Act for which Emmeline is famously known for now, which allowed equal voting rights for men and women above the age of 21.
We hope you find a favorite Emmeline Pankhurst quote from the activist quotes below. If you're looking for more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out our Alice Paul quotes and Unity quotes too.
Emmeline Pankhurst Quotes About Women's Rights
These famous women's rights quotes show Emmeline's belief in the importance of equal rights in the world. These inspirational quotes by Emmeline Pankhurst are still important today.
1. "We have to free half of the human race, the women, so that they can help to free the other half."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
2. "You must make women count as much as men; you must have an equal standard of morals."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
3. "Men make the moral code and they expect women to accept it. They have decided that it is entirely right and proper for men to fight for their liberties and their rights, but that it is not right and proper for women to fight for theirs."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
4. "I have made speeches urging women to adopt methods of rebellion such as have been adopted by men in every revolution."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
5. "It is right for women to fight for their freedom and the freedom of the children they bear."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
6. "Every man with a vote was considered a foe to woman suffrage unless he was prepared to be actively a friend."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
7. "As long as women consent to be unjustly governed, they will be; but directly women say: 'We withhold our consent, we will not be governed any longer as long as government is unjust'."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
8. "How different the reasoning is that men adopt when they are discussing the cases of men and those of women."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
9. "Women are very slow to rouse, but once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
10. "I want to say to you who think women cannot succeed, we have brought the government of England to this position."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
Emmeline Pankhurst Quotes About Suffragettes
As one of the leaders of the Suffragettes, Emmeline saw life as a choice between freedom or death. Here are some of Emmeline Pankhurst's famous Suffragette quotes, including inspirational quotes from Suffragettes slogans.
11. "The whole argument with the anti-suffragists, or even the critical suffragist man, is this: that you can govern human beings without their consent."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
12. "The moving spirit of militancy is deep and abiding reverence for human life."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
13. "I was fourteen years old when I went to my first suffrage meeting. Returning from school one day, I met my mother just setting out for the meeting, and I begged her to let me go along."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
14. "The argument of the broken window pane is the most valuable argument in modern politics"
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
15. "We were called militant, and we were quite willing to accept the name. We were determined to press this question of the enfranchisement of women to the point where we were no longer to be ignored by the politicians."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
16. "We are here, not because we are law-breakers; we are here in our efforts to become law-makers."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
17. "You have to make more noise than anybody else, you have to make yourself more obtrusive than anybody else, you have to fill all the papers more than anybody else."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
18. "You have to be there all the time and see that they do not show you under, if you are really going to get your reform realised."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
19. "The militancy of men, through all the centuries, has drenched the world with blood. The militancy of women has harmed no human life save the lives of those who fought the battle of righteousness."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
20. "I am what you call a hooligan."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
Inspirational Quotes From 'My Own Story'
Emmeline Pankhurst's book 'My Own Story' describes the struggle for equality in her own words and includes some famous feminist quotes.
21. "I thought I had been a suffragist before I became a Poor Law Guardian, but now I began to think about the vote in women's hands not only as a right but as a desperate necessity."
-Emmeline Pankhurst, 'My Own Story'.
22. "Governments have always tried to crush reform movements, to destroy ideas, to kill the thing that cannot die. Without regard to history, which shows that no Government have ever succeeded in doing this, they go on trying in the old, senseless way."
-Emmeline Pankhurst, 'My Own Story'.
23. "I had to get a close-hand view of the misery and unhappiness of a man made world, before I reached the point where I could successfully revolt against it."
-Emmeline Pankhurst, 'My Own Story'.
24. "It is obvious to you that the struggle will be an unequal one, but I shall make it - I shall make it as long as I have an ounce of strength left in me, or any life left in me."
-Emmeline Pankhurst, 'My Own Story'.
25. "I do not remember a time when I could not read, nor any time when reading was not a joy and a solace."
-Emmeline Pankhurst, 'My Own Story'.
Famous Emmeline Pankhurst Quotes
Here are some of the most inspirational Emmeline Pankhurst quotes which are well known among all.
26. "Justice and judgment lie often a world apart"
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
27. "Women had always fought for men, and for their children. Now they were ready to fight for their own human rights."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
28. "I would rather be a rebel than a slave."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
29. "Trust in God – she will provide."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
30. "I suppose I had always been an unconscious suffragist."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
31. "Better that we should die fighting than be outraged and dishonored."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
32. "The way to reform has always led through prison."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
33. "A defiant deed has greater value than innumerable thousands of words."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
34. "What is the use of fighting for a vote if we have not got a country to vote in?"
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
35. "Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours."
-Emmeline Pankhurst.
At Kidadl, we have created lots of family-friendly, inspirational quotes for everyone! If you liked our suggestions for Emmeline Pankhurst quotes, why not check out these Alice Walker quotes and Toni Morrison quotes for more inspirational quotes?
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Article image credit: Luziana5588 / Shutterstock.com
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A professional content writer hailing from Kolkata, India, with extensive experience in the corporate sector, Writvik Gupta has worked with several reputed companies, including ITC WelcomHotel Jodhpur, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, Aryan Imaging, and Eduquity. He also serves as a consultant for a startup based in Bangalore. With a passion for the outdoors, Writvik enjoys trekking and traveling to remote destinations. He also has a keen interest in exploring various cuisines and regularly volunteers for social causes.
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