The National Votes for Women Trail Marker honoring the Alpha Suffrage Club was dedicated on October 1. Founded in 1913 by Ida B. Wells-Barnett and several other suffragists in Chicago, the Club played a significant role in motivating Black women to support women’s suffrage.

During her remarkable career, Ida B. Wells was an educator, journalist, anti-lynching crusader, civil rights activist and suffragist. On January 30, 1913, she founded the Alpha Suffrage Club, the first organization to promote suffrage for Black women in Illinois.

The League jumped into action to honor Ida B. Wells with a downtown street, and Congress Parkway was chosen to be renamed. Here’s how we did it.

Ask your alderman to support O2018-4176, which calls for East Balbo Drive to be renamed as "Ida B. Wells Drive." LWV Chicago has been leading efforts to make this change.