The Temperance Movement

Frances Willard of the Women's Christian Temperance Union
Photograph courtesy of the Arkansas History Commission

An issue that grew up in tandem with the suffrage movement was temperance. In fact, many women who were involved in one issue were involved in the other. Temperance had even greater respectability, however, as it was clearly more within the traditional women's sphere. Home and family were regarded as the legitimate terrain ruled by women. Because drinking men made poor husbands, fathers, and providers, women became actively involved in attempting to curtail the consumption of "demon rum". A national organization, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded in 1874. Arkansas women became active in the WCTU as early as 1876, but it was 1878 before its state chapter was recognized by the national organization.

The newsletter of the national organization, The White Ribboner, was widely subscribed to, and a white ribbon became the badge of the WCTU.

Wearing ribbons and carrying the organization's trademark banner, Arkansas women began to attend state and national meetings of the WCTU in the 1880s in order to map strategy. The state meetings were held in towns throughout Arkansas, demonstrating the statewide support of the organization.

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