Women joining the labor force at the turn of the 19th century played a major role in turning the public tide in favor of women’s suffrage. Among them were women who worked for the circus where, unlike other fields, their pay was commensurate with that of male performers. In 1912, at the same time women staged a massive march in New York City to promote the 19th Amendment, the Barnum & Bailey’s Circus Women’s Equal Rights Society was founded. The circus was then the most popular form of entertainment in America which magnified the volume and reach of their voices. Read more about the fight for women’s suffrage in On the Shore (see NOVELS).
