Ida Evangeline Prouty Iowa Suffrage Leader Original NEA Press Photo Stamp 1913 For Sale

Up for sale is a stunning, museum-quality piece of American political and women's history. This is an original working newspaper press photo of prominent Iowa suffragist Ida Evangeline Prouty (1889–1963). Born in Pella, Iowa, in 1889, Ida Evangeline grew up in a prominent, civically minded household alongside her three sisters: Emelia, Frances, and Mary. Her father was the highly respected Judge Solomon Francis Prouty, an Iowa attorney who went on to serve as a U.S. Congressman. Growing up in the halls of political influence allowed Evangeline to develop a keen sense of public service and a bold, progressive spirit from a very young age. Rather than sitting on the sidelines of politics, Evangeline dedicated her early adult years to the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association, aligning her efforts with the historic groundwork laid by icons like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She famously made history during the landmark September 1913 automobile suffrage tour. In a time when it was highly unusual and daring for women to drive long distances, Evangeline acted as the official campaign chauffeur, skillfully navigating an automobile across the rugged roads of Iowa twice. Her endurance allowed suffrage leaders to hold critical open-air rallies in over 30 towns, successfully mobilizing crucial rural midwestern support for the upcoming right to vote. The back of this photo serves as an incredible, chronological timeline of early 20th-century media archives: 1)"APR 7 1913" Date Stamp: Stamped right as the Iowa automobile suffrage tour momentum was building, indicating when N.E.A. initially prepared this image for publication. 2)"JAN 3 1919" N.E.A. Reference Dept. Stamp: From the Newspaper Enterprise Association, used again as the 19th Amendment neared national ratification.3) Handwritten Identifications: Features beautiful, clear ink markings reading "Miss Ida Evangeline Prouty" alongside a later pencil archival note identifying her as "Ida Evangeline Prouty of Iowa Suffrage leader. 4) "Original Filing Numbers: Features original editorial pencil markings and archival serial block "12094". In regard to condition, the front of the photo features a beautiful, crisp sepia profile portrait showing wonderful detail of her lace-patterned gown and classic Edwardian hairstyle. The photo is structurally sound with standard, light age-toning to the paper. The reverse side shows remnants of brown paper/adhesive residue along the top edge from its historical removal from a newspaper "morgue" file, which does not impact the front image. Please review the high-resolution images provided to inspect the exact condition. This item is a premier artifact perfect for collectors of Women's Suffrage ephemera, Iowa political history, or early American journalism photography. This item will be shipped flat, double-boarded, and fully insured to protect its historical value.