Retro Raunch Revisit

JUN 4, 1913: British suffragette Emily Davison runs out in front of King George V's horse at the Epsom Derby in Surrey where she is trampled and dies 4 days later in hospital from a fractured skull. The collision was captured on newsreel cameras with the race finishing to completion even as a rush of spectators had run onto the field to help the injured woman. A staunch activist fighting for the right of women to vote, she joined the WSPU (Women's Social and Political Union) formed by Emmeline Pankhurst in Oct 1903, and in the course of her cause would be arrested multiple times for disorderly conduct, went on hunger strikes several times, was punished with hard labor, and was force-fed while behind bars. Her other tactics included interrupting public meetings where women were barred from attendance, throwing rocks, smashing windows, attacking a Baptist minister with a whip, setting post office boxes on fire, and planting bombs. Prior to stepping onto the horsetrack, Davison had told no one of her plans or left any note explaining herself. Speculation has long been that she may have been attempting to place a banner/ribbon around the horse's neck and as she was completely bowled over, debate has persisted in theories as to whether what happened was an accident or suicide. Her funeral procession in London was led by 5000 women marching in disciplined ranks passing nearly 50,000 people lining the route. Her death was a major turning point of the militant suffragette campaign that became a symbol of their struggle, garnered them increased world attention and fueled their legal battle. During WWI, the government released imprisoned women & gave them amnesty as they were recruited for vitally needed war work in factories. In Nov 1918, Parliament allowed women over the age of 30 the right to vote (which was changed from an earlier Feb eligibility that said only if they met certain property qualifications). In Jul 1928, the vote was extended to all women over 21 regardless of property ownership. In Aug 1920, women gained the right to vote in America after the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.