"Let Us... Take Our Places in Public Affairs:" Black Women's Political Activism in the Pacific Northwest, 1870–1920.

This article focuses on the political activism and suffrage efforts of African American women in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) from 1870 to 1920, highlighting their significant yet often overlooked contributions to securing women's voting rights and advancing civil rights. Despite being a small and marginalized population, Black women in Washington and Oregon formed partisan clubs, engaged in voter education, and collaborated with both Black and White suffragists to influence state suffrage campaigns, culminating in the election campaign of Alice S. Presto, the first documented Black woman to run for elective office in the United States. Their activism extended beyond suffrage to include founding local chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), advocating against racial discrimination and lynching, and promoting progressive reforms tied to maternalist and racial justice politics. The article also discusses the challenges Black women faced, including racial exclusion laws, economic limitations, and racialized opposition such as minstrel shows mocking Black suffragists, while emphasizing their strategic coalition-building and leadership within the Republican Party. Ultimately, these women laid foundational work for future generations of activists by asserting their political agency and shaping the region’s social and political landscape.