Stirring Change: How Suffrage Cookbooks Contributed to the Movement for Women's Rights
“The Domestic Class of the Peoria Women's Club was organized on October 17, 1911, by Miss Mary White and a small group of women who believed it would be both interesting and beneficial to exchange their tested recipes and experiment with newer methods. The demonstrations initially featured one dish, later accompanied by coffee served at five cents per cup. Gradually, the menu expanded, and now a full luncheon is served by committees from the class to two hundred and fifty members at the moderate cost of forty cents per plate.”
– Forward of the 1926 PWC Domestic Science Class Cookbook
Good Things to Eat compiled and published by The Domestic Science Class of Peoria Women’s Club (from the PWC archive)
The Role of Cookbooks in the Suffrage Movement
Suffrage cookbooks blended culinary tradition with political strategy, offering women a platform to showcase their skills while advocating for their right to vote. Descendants of post-Civil War charity cookbooks, these publications aimed to raise funds for war victims and church-related initiatives. Recipes often credited specific suffragists, linking individual contributions to the broader movement and countering claims that women could not balance domestic responsibilities with political aspirations.
For example, The Woman Suffrage Cook Book, published in 1886—the same year the Peoria Women’s Club was founded—featured recipes from notable suffragists, highlighting their talents as skilled cooks and dedicated activists. Similarly, in 1891, the Equal Suffrage Association of Rockford, Illinois, released The Holiday Gift Cook Book, pairing recipes with pro-suffrage quotes to illustrate how women’s domestic skills supported their political claims. Newspapers hailed these cookbooks as powerful counterarguments to the stereotype that suffragists neglected their household duties, noting that “there is scarcely a suffragist of note in the country who isn't represented,” thus celebrating the culinary contributions of women committed to the movement.
Cookbooks were not merely fundraising tools; they also served as instruments of persuasion. Incorporating humor into recipes—such as “Anti's Favorite Hash” or “Pie for a Suffragist's Doubting Husband”—allowed suffragists to address political issues in a non-threatening manner. The 1926 PWC Cookbook includes a recipe titled “To Preserve a Husband,” stating that “even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender, and good by garnishing them with patience.” This approach made the suffrage movement more palatable to those who might otherwise reject its ideals.
Domestic Science and Home Economics
In addition to cookbooks, the suffrage movement benefited from the rise of domestic science clubs and home economics departments in schools, such as Bradley University’s, established in the early 1900s to prepare women for homemaking and community leadership roles. Reflecting the societal emphasis on domestic skills, the curriculum included cooking, sewing, child development, and household management courses, evolving over the decades to adapt to changing views on women’s roles. These educational initiatives aimed to elevate women’s positions within the home while promoting scientific cooking and household management approaches. Domestic science classes educated women about nutrition and food safety while empowering them.
Suffragists often connected their activism to the principles taught in these programs, arguing that women needed the vote to influence public health and safety. By emphasizing their expertise in household management, they framed their demands for suffrage as an extension of their responsibilities as wives and mothers. This connection between education and activism helped strengthen their arguments for political rights.
Tactics for Image Repair
Facing fierce opposition, suffragists needed to counter the narrative that enfranchisement would destabilize the home. Opponents claimed that voting would masculinize women, jeopardizing their roles as caregivers. Editorials in prominent newspapers articulated fears that suffrage would undermine traditional gender roles.
In response, suffragists cleverly reframed their activism within the context of domesticity. They organized bake sales, established suffrage cafés, and conducted cooking demonstrations that highlighted their capabilities as homemakers and community members. One account noted, “This Woman Can Cook, Tend Children, and Work for [the] Ballot, All at Once.” Such anecdotes illustrated the compatibility of political activism with traditional femininity.
A Legacy of Domestic Empowerment
Ultimately, suffrage cookbooks and food events transcended mere displays of culinary skill; they were strategic responses to societal expectations of women. By embracing and redefining domesticity, suffragists cultivated a more socially acceptable image of their movement, blending their domestic roles with demands for civil rights. As societal views on gender evolved, the suffrage movement adeptly navigated these complexities, using food to connect and persuade. In this way, cookbooks filled with recipes attributed to individual women became a testament to their dedication to both home and activism. In a society grappling with evolving gender roles, these cookbooks symbolized empowerment, proving that women could engage in public life without abandoning their domestic identities.
Try Your Hand at PWC Recipes
The following recipes are from the 1926 PWC Cookbook. No times nor temperatures are listed.
Two Pumpkin Pies
by Mrs. David Forney
Ingredients:1 ½ cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin
2 level tablespoons corn starch
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
A little salt
4 eggs beaten very light and added last
Pumpkin Pie
by Mrs. Charles J. Walter
Ingredients:2 egg yolks
¾ cup of sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon of ginger
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
Beat yolk and sugar to a cream, then add pumpkin and, milk and spices, then last, the whites of the eggs beaten stiff and sitr in lightly.
Cranberries
by Mrs. Charles Wilis Lucas
Ingredients:2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 lb. cranberries
Cook sugar and water until it is a syrup. Then add the cranberries. Let stand 5 minutes off the fire. Return to fire and cook 5 minutes. Let them cool in vessel in which they are cooked.
Speaking of cooking…
We are currently in the middle of a fundraising campaign to garner funds for the restoration of our kitchen. We’ve partnered with Café Santa Rosa to develop our very own signature coffee called Cosecheras Coffee to help us reach our goal. One day, we hope to open our kitchen back up for educational classes and for women entrepreneurs to use as a commissary kitchen.
Written by Lynette Woelfle Steger for Peoria Women's Club, November 2024
Resource: Derleth, J. (2018). “KNEADING POLITICS”: COOKERY AND THE AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT. The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.