Alyse Gregory: Finding her “Voice” through Woman's Suffrage

In 1911, Alyse Gregory—a sensitive and introspective twenty-nine-year-old woman—responded to the clarion call sounded by a new generation of emboldened suffragist leaders. Upon hearing their siren, she ventured out from her family's upper middle-class residence in Norwalk, in counter to her own social class's expectations, to zealously campaign on the streets of Connecticut for half of the American population. The promising opera singer then applied her well-honed talents in oratory and stage performance to publicly champion with flair and dynamism the manifestos of the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association (CWSA) and employed her pen to persuasively articulate her own deeply held passions and concerns on gender equality and other social injustices met by women, especially those of female factory workers.Gregory played a crucial role propelling the Votes for Women campaign and solidifying its base across the state as a central leader in the woman's suffrage movement during its final climatic decade. From 1911 to 1919, Gregory, though diminutive in physical stature at five foot three inches in height, assertively campaigned on street corners, at factory gates, and from meeting hall lecterns and church pulpits with the Norwalk Equal Franchise League (NEFL) and CWSA, then in New Jersey and New York State with the Women's Political Union (WPU); nearing the end of the American suffrage battle, she stood united with the National Women's Party (NWP) in New York City protests. Most importantly, from 1913 to 1916. Most importantly, Gregory served the CWSA as state co-organizer with Emily Pierson, and the pair were acclaimed as calculated leaders and the best speakers in the state; they drew and commanded audiences of supporters and Gregory was known also answering antis’ charges in verbal duals executed with passion, ease and charm.2 Today, Pierson is rightly celebrated by scholars of women's history for her political and tactical planning of successful and innovative suffrage campaigns across Connecticut.3 Yet, Gregory's leadership and contributions to advance women's full franchise in the state are rarely recognized, or even acknowledged, by these historians, perhaps as she dwelled a mere rank below the CWSA's executive leadership and was from Norwalk, a city located a marked distance from the base of operations in Hartford.4Where Alyse Gregory is distinguished is the annals of early 20th century American literature for her career milestone as the first female managing editor of the avant-garde monthly The Dial magazine. From 1923 to 1925, she guided the Greenwich Village-based journal with editor-in-chief and co-owner Scofield Thayer, a modernist art collector and poet from a wealthy Worcester, Massachusetts family.5 Gregory was a gifted writer too, as her letters and essays attest, and she continued writing literary reviews for The Dial through 1929, its last year of publication. Her own submissions to The Dial were considered sharp and well written pieces of judicious criticism, as Marianne Moore divulged to her in 1925: “Your letter enclosing the reviews of Mrs. Wharton and of Van Wyck Brooks came today, and as ever, your gifts—your own velvet footed thieving of phrases—leave me dumb, exanimated with admiration of your metaphors and method.”6 Even Gregory's brother-in-law John Cowper Powys, an esteemed writer of enormous scope, held that he could not “recall another woman writer who has so drastically described the frightfulness of the underside of life or has pictured in such vivid and startling terms the traffic tightrope upon all human happiness is balanced.”7Gregory's editorial ascent at The Dial—where she worked assiduously while “intensely anxious to live up to my obligations,” she wrote—evolved from her arduous, confidence-building tenure as a front-line suffragist and time spent amongst a new generation of feminists in Connecticut and Greenwich Village, where she came to reside in 1914 and resolved to live independently.8 Ultimately, it was the city's of who emboldened the Gregory to her as a suffragist in to and her role as a woman in New York are Gregory of and and feminists her as scholars of the that of her and Thayer, and Powys, in an she in Gregory's are her and The is these a the and of the as she importantly, Gregory's own of and Her as literary in the year of its on the early of social and the of suffrage and injustices she was she to these with and her of a of the and an Gregory in her 1923 of for is all that these and are a and and the of of and of are so to who and the and of they too, a and and not so these startling upper in a new of is the and of the of Gregory on in Norwalk, as she and her her was the of three of and Gregory, who from with in a for her known as she described as with a and and to live their own an that Alyse writing in The is a gifted and a her while in by that she not in the Alyse was especially to her she described as of stature with a a and The was in the and life of Norwalk as was and to and the of to social was her on in Norwalk and Norwalk where were In her she were the the the and the her and literary her to the that with and the her and were publicly known as Her even a in with for the from that Alyse was in Norwalk, first at then her at Mrs. where was a The of the with the of and she was in Norwalk suffrage too, as were a Gregory an early for and a as her at in she an by her to in and performance in Norwalk and New York In Gregory to as The Norwalk in a that her of from to Norwalk that Gregory came to the that she the and the to in a to middle-class of to up their and to a that could on and with their and with and Most were to her who in an and of and that was Gregory's to the who in from to Gregory suffragist on her and the of the Women's and Political Union in their for political Gregory's for In her or at the CWSA's in The Gregory, first her in the Votes for Women in the of women, though a the of suffrage for From the time in to the of the for and by the time in and the The is and other Gregory on for the of all and new to in Gregory to the and of a of women, from the all came to was a new the that through their and their to the and to the the Gregory and on the writing in of woman who a on Gregory's suffrage and was her to Norwalk in from her in a leader and was for her and a that was as and as her own From to The Norwalk where she her in she was as the of the Norwalk a she held her in a and early CWSA the state and as a and In a letter written from Gregory her as a for for new it is for and is a the CWSA campaign and on Woman of and and the of her from the as her of antis’ her to of to her to a and of all and of they importantly, as was could their own and and from the and of their in at with the of the Union of the and was a on the by of meeting of the Connecticut the was she a The Norwalk to of Connecticut that Connecticut from Gregory's was her of by and from the and and Her and in her own and as it the of the Gregory Gregory all of my own a and he is perhaps the to me also these and other through the of women, she as a during the Yet, as she in her was not for of her and were not to in and in their were to the social life and on at In a of the woman her own social and for a and to in on the injustices of human are own on her he Alyse Gregory, as that at in career social and has life and its in the she to in her she has that of that to a all its own is a woman who has with and her own by Gregory the leadership of an the for upper middle-class that with a role and she at with and was by the of and and Norwalk of were by she as and her own Gregory was that her own was as the of an employed by her in a and Alyse her on a new by the and of the of her Gregory was to in the of the my on my From they my was that up the for it was the by my new and my to me with to of was my a the she that women's were an of such Gregory to and in the described the on a in her from to a on at me with were and they that they it is they and was a of the CWSA it was also a and In Gregory described the of such from to to to for the is in the to who they are or Gregory as of suffrage a that her Connecticut John and and were up with the CWSA leadership on new to for a suffrage in Norwalk and to state and State Emily Pierson and and as speakers in the 1911 campaign of and in the Votes for Women across New and the Norwalk campaign the and editor of to and Gregory it in The is she also to a woman's suffrage and the of a who from that the in her and of a Gregory CWSA by 1911, that its meeting with CWSA and of the Equal Suffrage League in In was with and as in Gregory was The Norwalk first meeting on 1911 women, a Gregory in her where she in at first meeting of Mrs. was the of a was to a were from the and a woman who to New York to art the Norwalk CWSA Gregory and her as and speakers for and CWSA her in to with their new the Norwalk to up In Gregory a meeting of a suffrage in the of she an on Equal Franchise and their a on Gregory to across the state with of who in and in with an American the were to Gregory's their as to the by of the to a 1913 of The Norwalk was held by a suffragist across the state and at her to and and served as The of came up on the campaign too, Gregory were to the to supporters in Even writing from in the of Gregory the of and the in to the Mrs. in the were in their of a she or in the suffrage where she of my who her me that they such Gregory continued to in the suffrage Upon with the CWSA and in the in New York she in her her first at the with of a of for such a that in The is she on the The of up on the out of the and on that in generation were in the of of The a up the and were and woman who has for of her the who and her at that early Gregory on her first CWSA suffrage she on a campaign New was a for Gregory, who described to a of to the in the was to at a to a in a up to my to the my full of was my new life where all were from me a in a the the of CWSA were by a or in the Gregory could not of a from with In New Gregory also her CWSA she for the at that Pierson, and as the then Gregory to on as a in her for a of the and of they were to up to a Connecticut of on a state suffrage the Gregory and her for and suffrage and to up with and they the streets upon at and church and also from that they could and even the of and also or from an to the 1913 in the Connecticut to the for an time a in the of New Norwalk, and Gregory with for the of The and from Norwalk with Pierson and as suffragist and Mrs. John The at the Norwalk was by a of the League for Woman Suffrage in New York City and the editor of the The Gregory and who worked to the and while also who in the by suffrage movement in is to is then call out the of the of and a of the of in from to women, on the of campaign these were by from and the CWSA Gregory from to 1914 were a of and of of of New York of of of New York City and of of New York of New of of and of New and of were by such as and the and of of In The is Gregory described of her or a she employed in the of her was with a of that to with her with and and was from where the was a of an was my and a her with and and and new their was an with the of and to a was with a of the her and was in in her Gregory Pierson and for the a and her she and in Gregory a by an suffragist from New CWSA state co-organizer and a on its Her was to Pierson, and on her time Gregory and to the suffrage across the state and to other and by the CWSA its and Pierson In of the of Gregory's to new and on 1913 from to the of and while are on the your and in the is writing in with for the of that is the with of is and on time from to Gregory, that he came to as a of an American political that your and the it is for that is the of that so that the and it me to or to to so as to such of and to of the by came first to Gregory as CWSA state co-organizer was stage managing a of the the by The Connecticut is that a CWSA and a leader of the Greenwich Equal Franchise that Gregory, with her in the and to the 1913 was with the in the year the was in she to a of the at the she with her the suffragist the and their and The Connecticut the CWSA with reviews in Gregory's where The Norwalk that another where it is that The to and with at and The of and the role of the a of the who charges of played by In letter to Gregory on her with the up in Connecticut were to your to an the to for the first and to Gregory with Pierson with writing and campaign and her was at CWSA monthly and state in 1913 and 1914 she was also of Connecticut the of the National American Woman Suffrage Association Gregory was with Pierson with planning the 1914 and held the of In Gregory was with at as the Connecticut has a and has with the that Gregory from Norwalk to the to up and the CWSA the of and she was by from and even CWSA and who worked with out the of pieces of literature and Votes for Women and to The from the in woman as a by the end of the Gregory by and for so with the in my and the the her not 1913 Suffrage the CWSA's that at the in of the State by Alyse Gregory is as a suffrage Gregory and Pierson continued the state by in and with or Pierson and Gregory to and with Pierson and Gregory another the hall and Gregory for and also and for in of a from Gregory so with her that in 1913 he to a of on her to with such a in who is suffrage at and on and and and of it is and she is and life by she is such that even the in the of life it to the campaign Gregory and Pierson were and considered best and speakers in the Gregory was for with flair on CWSA and Votes for Women she in advance or Gregory suffragist leaders the to and for she also a to Woman to 1913 Suffrage Gregory on in on in and at the Norwalk she and the or to 1914 Gregory an even and to of the Equal Franchise Gregory new in the of The an of her an their and in with the in they are a is that of for in to all that are and that they are they has an they to year and In Gregory the of to she women's of and that woman was a of on to that has held all is all that is suffrage to the she the the the has to the of they not the the The the for the the a in the women, to in is not in a The of is that all of that to in its her suffrage Gregory her pen to concerns and on women's and In she first her through a pair of letters to the editor of The Norwalk was her in to charges that to to Gregory's first to of to woman's suffrage in The that the and of its editor-in-chief were to to Gregory is with a to a is the of and the of women, in the of she is of the to to through their of the is of the scope, and of women, their from and the of that they and is the not to from the and of the The of as time to to as the of they then their is and Political could and the and and on in letter for and was written in to The Norwalk in The her her and to the of the of and other in Norwalk and In her and The is Gregory of her to in the In the for a in the of and were out of and with all as a up and on on on in on in the the the and and came to the of editorial letter also drew to a and suffrage through the of social and by these women, Gregory the not the woman from such as the the of the and the in are who are not or to the women's and the in The Mrs. the woman of state are with the in the political and life of are where Gregory was and as a for women's equality in the by such as Women and and by that by in at of The and her also her suffrage to was a with the and of a and a was and as me at the in the a as were with to who it to held of the by the of an and the hall the end was on my of and the at the could to in a where were and it was the to the best in in to the of the Gregory's first and The was in The Woman Gregory on the in the of the Union in New York where female out that their call for and from and her on the of who of the and a at a the was during Gregory was first to the that the are in Her the women's for of and through she of to and the was and in to the below and as as it was to a or and a of an the Gregory that her Woman were that it is of as to in the of the she that is it is time that it an of for all to that the life and happiness of of is concerns the of the the writing in The New York with in the and a with who could not in they they not a of to on the American by and these on their Gregory's and that her to with was her in and In The is she upon her that to their that their that with new as Gregory on CWSA she was employed to her oratory and talents at and at and for the CWSA's was to the Votes for Women at factory in the campaign the 1913 Norwalk Gregory in the factory and a Norwalk described the are an of the campaign the with with literature and their to the and as the and out to they to early for the the are and literature is and Gregory on to the and The pair from Norwalk were considered the of the and in and to as they or Pierson the Gregory her own and to her and campaign to the as Gregory's contributions not as the Suffrage in is an and with and her in has it for her to of factory in and their own and to the of the movement for for Gregory on her to and the as in The is was was the of the through the the were all and their up at with a five a for a and by in the from the of these to a to my and for year her letters me in a Her that of was in my in to the of women's and Gregory campaigned in the of New New and in 1913 and they held and at on and to during their they also met with of of the League of a campaign in Gregory and were by a suffrage and three the across the city the and to the with the at then at and on the The of these were met with and with the of the a The Gregory was at she was for a to in the of the best of the city's suffrage The of her in she of are woman are those who not in those who not in at and those who are to the it is to to is with for was in and all of my life in for suffrage in it is and and are to suffrage for are are to with and and your the from the such the Gregory as she with In he to her letter while a a at up your and to who are to they the of her suffrage Gregory time in New York a from Norwalk for and social she was a new of in a of the the of Greenwich and of its social and the a of her Gregory in Greenwich with the leader suffragist and or CWSA the she met and who her on the New Jersey also with John and and other and feminists who came to and art and In she with also of and The editor as in CWSA or with and who were the Women of the as has a of to Gregory in with all your and and of your of and your so of the by that Gregory were to to her own to and she and to her own Gregory came to advance a also by for a woman to live the of a she described in her as or a Gregory's in to her especially as she of in the of her suffrage Gregory her family's to who in of her of the has a of of not of of these to my and at of social role your to the social of the all of of to for it a me so it to such a of such an that American the or the to her to the of and of a woman's in of for in 1923 and of for The New in Gregory the with generation has its who with a new the it and are from with and to the such it to her and in she to the Gregory her in a letter to her her so at the of that up my own for and not my her suffrage a new of her in the of Gregory and other The for and In a to Gregory of In early of to the of the that in my at to the of the who was up and who was the suffrage the the the the of and the of was to her continued to a a time a for an for Greenwich The Dial to to she stood an of of from she through Pierson and Gregory were from the CWSA to as suffrage for the in New Gregory with a of and for an to Greenwich for The of New New York and were in a to suffrage In leaders of the New York and New Jersey by to on the the a of was by a suffragist and of the from New York City and to Van the New Jersey Gregory Van as it the of and and the suffrage it In the from Gregory's in up with on a the was in for the with to the Gregory was at the with out to with her that Gregory her in suffrage Upon from at she Gregory's to in New the leader Gregory to call upon women, and in the history of Gregory for not her well also an to Van to suffrage in Massachusetts and with the in the Gregory's and the and of of that to that were a of as Alyse Gregory and the she were their all and and the of out a a or or for an all the that to of the were and that is were on who at that time were me to and to and for too, on who to the streets to their that were not also her with in The is was a with to me in my of was a in of a where the were on on another a at at at at church at at the of at at at and in and in spent at a where and their came for their The of a to her up a suffrage she in her New for the was the and Gregory was in a of where all she as she were to on their by and to the to the they with a she the suffrage with to and the suffrage Gregory an in the of she to on by of the and in the who by their the was from the campaign in New she continued the in New York State with its suffrage in The of New on her in the that is to a for the Gregory at a street also in the and to the campaigns were as as the of Gregory was and from the and by the of of the state and the of the CWSA and with the the suffrage movement to the Gregory across the of her and Her to her to another to a and up to the New for a a and to Gregory's were and where she in with and suffragist and to at of to Norwalk in Gregory continued writing for the new and with the and CWSA in New suffrage in a in and was to the Women's the Gregory considered another to her in he of during to from another such were not in New of or on for its social and and your your is for the and for other that from New the of the suffrage Gregory as a suffrage to her of a of her own in New York from managing a Greenwich she came to with Dial Scofield and and and writing a and its with for the to for the an from and Gregory was also an executive