Ransome, Amy Cordoba Rock, 1872-1942

Amy Cordova Rock Ransome (1872-1942) was a well-known suffragist and leader in the National Woman's Party who spent much of her life promoting equal rights for women. Ransome began working as an activist at the grassroots level by joining organizations in her local city, Pasadena, California. Eventually she made her way up the hierarchy and served as the Western Regional Chairman for the National Woman's Party, Treasurer for the World Woman's Party, and Chairman for the American Association of University Women. One of the highlights in Ransome's career occurred in1937 when Alice Paul, the Head of the National Woman's Party, asked her to attend the 37th annual assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. This assembly was of historical significance because it was the first time in history where women from around the world met to discuss women's suffrage on a worldwide level and propose various amendments to address the inequalities that existed. One amendment provided for universal suffrage, another stated that there shall be no distinction based on sex in law and practice regarding nationality, a third guaranteed equal rights to men and women in all fields, and a fourth provided that men and women shall both be members with full voting powers of all delegations to the Council and Assembly of the League and to all conferences under auspices of the League. In addition to the amendments, the league appointed a committee to make an extensive study on the status of women throughout the world. The report of the committee's findings would be returned within a two year period, and Ransome was responsible for lobbying within Latin America. In her personal life, Amy married Frederick Leslie Ransome in 1899. Frederick was a well- known American geologist who helped found the journal Economic Geology in 1905 and was associate editor of the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. Together, they had a son, Alfred, and three daughters; Janet, Susan, and Violet. Amy Ransome died suddenly in September 1942 of unknown causes.

From the description of Amy C. Ransome collection on Women's Suffrage, 1884-1949. (San Leandro Community Library). WorldCat record id: 700514653

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