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Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote
A New York Times Bestseller!
In collaboration with the New York Times, Finish the Fight! reveals untold stories of diverse heroines who fought for the 19th amendment--celebrate the historic win for women's rights and voting rights that changed the fabric of America.
Who was at the forefront of women's right to vote? We know a few famous names, like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but what about so many others from diverse backgrounds--black, Asian, Latinx, Native American, and more--who helped lead the fight for suffrage? On the hundredth anniversary of the historic win for women's rights, it's time to celebrate the names and stories of the women whose stories have yet to be told.
Gorgeous portraits accompany biographies of such fierce but forgotten women as Yankton Dakota Sioux writer and advocate Zitk�la-S�, Mary Eliza Church Terrell, who cofounded the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), and Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, who, at just sixteen years old, helped lead the biggest parade in history to promote the cause of suffrage.
Finish the Fight! will fit alongside important collections that tell the full story of America's fiercest women.
In collaboration with the New York Times, Finish the Fight! reveals untold stories of diverse heroines who fought for the 19th amendment--celebrate the historic win for women's rights and voting rights that changed the fabric of America.
Who was at the forefront of women's right to vote? We know a few famous names, like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but what about so many others from diverse backgrounds--black, Asian, Latinx, Native American, and more--who helped lead the fight for suffrage? On the hundredth anniversary of the historic win for women's rights, it's time to celebrate the names and stories of the women whose stories have yet to be told.
Gorgeous portraits accompany biographies of such fierce but forgotten women as Yankton Dakota Sioux writer and advocate Zitk�la-S�, Mary Eliza Church Terrell, who cofounded the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), and Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, who, at just sixteen years old, helped lead the biggest parade in history to promote the cause of suffrage.
Finish the Fight! will fit alongside important collections that tell the full story of America's fiercest women.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2020
59 people are currently reading
3531 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Chambers
63 books282 followersVeronica Chambers is a prolific author, best known for her critically acclaimed memoir, Mama’s Girl, which has been course adopted by hundreds of high schools and colleges throughout the country. The New Yorker called Mama’s Girl “a troubling testament to grit and mother love… one of the finest and most evenhanded in the genre in recent years.” Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, Ms. Chambers' work often reflects her Afro-Latina heritage.
Her most recent non-fiction book was Kickboxing Geishas: How Japanese Women are Changing their Nation. Her other non-fiction books include The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl’s Guide to Love, Life, and Foolish Bravery. She has also written more than a dozen books for children, most recently Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa and the body confidence Y/A novel, Plus. Her teen series, Amigas, is a collaboration between Chambers, producer Jane Startz, and Jennifer Lopez.
Veronica spent two seasons as an executive story editor for CW’s hit series Girlfriends, and earned a BET Comedy Award for her script work on that series. She has also written and developed projects for Fox and the N.
Veronica has contributed to several anthologies, including the best-selling Bitch in the House, edited by Cathi Hanuaer, and Mommy Wars, edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner.
A graduate of Simon’s Rock College at Bard, she and her husband have endowed three scholarships at the college in the fields of music and literature. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Hodder fellowship for emerging novelists at Princeton University and a National Endowment for the Arts fiction award. She speaks, reads and writes Spanish, but she is truly fluent in Spanglish. She lives with her husband and daughter in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Her most recent non-fiction book was Kickboxing Geishas: How Japanese Women are Changing their Nation. Her other non-fiction books include The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl’s Guide to Love, Life, and Foolish Bravery. She has also written more than a dozen books for children, most recently Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa and the body confidence Y/A novel, Plus. Her teen series, Amigas, is a collaboration between Chambers, producer Jane Startz, and Jennifer Lopez.
Veronica spent two seasons as an executive story editor for CW’s hit series Girlfriends, and earned a BET Comedy Award for her script work on that series. She has also written and developed projects for Fox and the N.
Veronica has contributed to several anthologies, including the best-selling Bitch in the House, edited by Cathi Hanuaer, and Mommy Wars, edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner.
A graduate of Simon’s Rock College at Bard, she and her husband have endowed three scholarships at the college in the fields of music and literature. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Hodder fellowship for emerging novelists at Princeton University and a National Endowment for the Arts fiction award. She speaks, reads and writes Spanish, but she is truly fluent in Spanglish. She lives with her husband and daughter in Hoboken, New Jersey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
August 5, 2020
We wrote this book to be part of the remembering--of the importance of this decades-long struggle for equality and the inspiring women who changed the course of history by fighting tirelessly for the rights of American citizenship.
Enjoyed reading this informative book written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. We've come a long way, baby!
Thank you to Verity, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin, and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Enjoyed reading this informative book written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. We've come a long way, baby!
Thank you to Verity, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin, and Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2020
Although this book is written for middle school and high school readers, adults would learn a lot from reading this book as well!
Finish the Fight traces the history of the fight for women’s suffrage from the convention held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 through the present. Not only was the convention about voting, but it encompassed the larger issues of women’s rights as well.
Throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, women organized and demanded legislation giving equal rights to women. It wasn’t until 1919 that Congress voted to extend voting rights to women. But it still had to be ratified by thirty six states. This wasn’t accomplished until 1920. Most people believe that with this law, the issue of women’s suffrage was put to rest.
However, this Constitutional Amendment did not include African American, Latino, Chinese, or Native American women. Their fight to win the vote continued on much longer.
This interesting and informative book brings to life the stories of the many women who agitated and fought to give all women the same rights as men had. Short biographical sketches of them provide an intimate, close up account of the history of this issue which is still being debated today. In fact, in 1972 Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment which has moved to the states for ratification….and even today its fate has still not been determined.
Finish the Fight should be required reading for anyone interested in American history, and the ongoing fight for equal rights for all of its citizens under the law.
Finish the Fight traces the history of the fight for women’s suffrage from the convention held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 through the present. Not only was the convention about voting, but it encompassed the larger issues of women’s rights as well.
Throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, women organized and demanded legislation giving equal rights to women. It wasn’t until 1919 that Congress voted to extend voting rights to women. But it still had to be ratified by thirty six states. This wasn’t accomplished until 1920. Most people believe that with this law, the issue of women’s suffrage was put to rest.
However, this Constitutional Amendment did not include African American, Latino, Chinese, or Native American women. Their fight to win the vote continued on much longer.
This interesting and informative book brings to life the stories of the many women who agitated and fought to give all women the same rights as men had. Short biographical sketches of them provide an intimate, close up account of the history of this issue which is still being debated today. In fact, in 1972 Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment which has moved to the states for ratification….and even today its fate has still not been determined.
Finish the Fight should be required reading for anyone interested in American history, and the ongoing fight for equal rights for all of its citizens under the law.
June 11, 2020
This rating/review is based on an advanced reading copy from Netgalley and Versify books.
I can't wait to recommend this to young readers at my library. This book presents short biographies of some lesser known suffragists. The book covers the fight for black women's votes, the influence of Native governance and Native women's fight for the vote, the role of queer women in the movement, and the contributions and suffrage struggles of Asian and Mexican immigrants. Some of the chapters are more robust than others (the chapter on queer women is particularly weak), but overall the book presents a clear and tremendously readable deeper (than usual) dive into the movement. The text deepened my knowledge of the women I had already heard of, but definitely introduced me to a lot of women I hadn't! I'm definitely going to download some of the books these women have published (in the public domain!), specifically the poetry of Frances E.W. Harper and the memoir & stories of Zitkála-Šá. I am also really excited to read the finished book because most of the illustrations are there (and flippin stellar!!) but there are a few missing that I really want to see.
I can't wait to recommend this to young readers at my library. This book presents short biographies of some lesser known suffragists. The book covers the fight for black women's votes, the influence of Native governance and Native women's fight for the vote, the role of queer women in the movement, and the contributions and suffrage struggles of Asian and Mexican immigrants. Some of the chapters are more robust than others (the chapter on queer women is particularly weak), but overall the book presents a clear and tremendously readable deeper (than usual) dive into the movement. The text deepened my knowledge of the women I had already heard of, but definitely introduced me to a lot of women I hadn't! I'm definitely going to download some of the books these women have published (in the public domain!), specifically the poetry of Frances E.W. Harper and the memoir & stories of Zitkála-Šá. I am also really excited to read the finished book because most of the illustrations are there (and flippin stellar!!) but there are a few missing that I really want to see.
January 27, 2021
Having read about this book in the New York Times Book Review, I thought it was going to be a history of the fight for women’s suffrage and women's rights told in a series of biographical vignettes, starting with the 1848 convention held in Seneca Falls, NY. I was disappointed that it skipped all of the high profile (white) suffragettes in favor of the lesser known African American, Latina, Chinese, and Native American women, whose fight continued for many years beyond the 19th amendment, because I wanted to hear about all of these women's trials, tribulations and triumphs for equality.
June 29, 2020
This is a beautifully inclusive nonfiction about women fighting for rights, especially to vote, and are not the stories we hear in history and NEED to hear. The group putting this together looked and found Chinese, Native American, and Black women who changed how people looked at suffrage and to their own detriment kept fighting.
It’s powerful and specific biographies that works for an upper elementary, lower middle audience but anyone can pull rich information especially as we celebrate the ratification of the 19th amendment.
"Shirley Chisholm, who- in a tribute to the suffragists- wore white on the day in 1968 when she became the first African American woman elected to Congress, reportedly said, 'If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.' We hope that this book helps set a place at the table for some of the many incredible women who played their part in the battle for suffrage and equal rights for women."
It’s powerful and specific biographies that works for an upper elementary, lower middle audience but anyone can pull rich information especially as we celebrate the ratification of the 19th amendment.
"Shirley Chisholm, who- in a tribute to the suffragists- wore white on the day in 1968 when she became the first African American woman elected to Congress, reportedly said, 'If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.' We hope that this book helps set a place at the table for some of the many incredible women who played their part in the battle for suffrage and equal rights for women."
May 17, 2024
Brilliant. Refreshing. Inspiring.
The first chapter is about WOMEN IN AMERICA WHO COULD VOTE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS before it ever became an issue in the United States. These women were members of the "Haudenosaunee, a confederacy of six Native American nations" (who lived across the area of NY state). The "Haudenosaunee society was matrilineal"--women owned property and "made decisions about the land and farmed it" (p. 7). They "held veto power over decisions about war and peace." (Can you imagine!!!!!;) The clan mothers nominated each clan's chief and had the "power to remove him, too" (p. 8). AND some of the women at the famous 1848 Seneca Falls convention knew about the Haudenosaunee model of government including Lucretia Mott who spent a few weeks with the Haudenosaunee about a month before the convention. This model had to have influenced their thinking, the rights they proposed for women. (The sad thing is that when the Native American nations agreed to write constitutions similar to the United States, the women in those groups LOST many of the rights they'd had.)
This first chapter frames the rest of the book which really aims to enlighten the reader about aspects of this movement we do not typically read about in the history books. The authors introduce the reader to suffragettes from all walks of life who fought for this cause (in addition to many other causes). The authors are straightforward about how these women had to fight racism within the movement along the way. Readers meet women of many different races and cultures as well as members of the LGBTQ community and women who just felt more comfortable in "men's clothes." I just felt like my prior knowledge on this topic expanded in so many beautiful ways.
The quality of the writing and the design and layout will draw our middle grade and middle school students in as readers--even high school students. I've been reading several books for middle grade students on this topic and this is at the top of the list for digging deeper and helping us answer the question "What don't we know about suffrage?" (a questions the authors posed for their own inquiry into this topic). At the end of the book, there's additional information about 46 other suffragettes.
I'd BOOK TALK, READ ALOUD EXCERPTS and then leave to be grabbed up by a student for independent reading or shared for small group discussions. You might book talk by saying, "Did you know there were women in America who could vote for hundreds of years before it became an issue with the suffragettes?"
The first chapter is about WOMEN IN AMERICA WHO COULD VOTE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS before it ever became an issue in the United States. These women were members of the "Haudenosaunee, a confederacy of six Native American nations" (who lived across the area of NY state). The "Haudenosaunee society was matrilineal"--women owned property and "made decisions about the land and farmed it" (p. 7). They "held veto power over decisions about war and peace." (Can you imagine!!!!!;) The clan mothers nominated each clan's chief and had the "power to remove him, too" (p. 8). AND some of the women at the famous 1848 Seneca Falls convention knew about the Haudenosaunee model of government including Lucretia Mott who spent a few weeks with the Haudenosaunee about a month before the convention. This model had to have influenced their thinking, the rights they proposed for women. (The sad thing is that when the Native American nations agreed to write constitutions similar to the United States, the women in those groups LOST many of the rights they'd had.)
This first chapter frames the rest of the book which really aims to enlighten the reader about aspects of this movement we do not typically read about in the history books. The authors introduce the reader to suffragettes from all walks of life who fought for this cause (in addition to many other causes). The authors are straightforward about how these women had to fight racism within the movement along the way. Readers meet women of many different races and cultures as well as members of the LGBTQ community and women who just felt more comfortable in "men's clothes." I just felt like my prior knowledge on this topic expanded in so many beautiful ways.
The quality of the writing and the design and layout will draw our middle grade and middle school students in as readers--even high school students. I've been reading several books for middle grade students on this topic and this is at the top of the list for digging deeper and helping us answer the question "What don't we know about suffrage?" (a questions the authors posed for their own inquiry into this topic). At the end of the book, there's additional information about 46 other suffragettes.
I'd BOOK TALK, READ ALOUD EXCERPTS and then leave to be grabbed up by a student for independent reading or shared for small group discussions. You might book talk by saying, "Did you know there were women in America who could vote for hundreds of years before it became an issue with the suffragettes?"
September 10, 2020
Excellent book for older children and YA's about women's suffrage. Love this book because it does not only focus on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's accomplishments, but looks at the suffrage movement and the contributions of black and brown women as well. I've read many scholarly books on this subject and still learned many things from this book. The illustrations are gorgeous and the bibliography for youth and adults is excellent. If I were still teaching US history, I would have a classroom set of this book!
August 29, 2020
An important book chronicling the women who helped bring the vote to all women in the United States. Written for middle schoolers but it needs to be read by all. We all need to Finish the Fight.
September 21, 2020
Just loved it. Gorgeous illustrations. I learned a lot. A good positive and motivational read for these scary times. Give a copy to a young or old or medium age lady (or lad!) in your life.
July 31, 2022
Must-read!
November 29, 2022
I listened to Finish the Fight!, my book club book, as an audiobook that I checked out from my local library and I absolutely loved listening to it in this format. The various different voices kept me engaged, and I assume would do the same for students as well! One thing I noticed instantly that was maintained throughout the entire nonfiction text was the description of words that the reader may not know. For example, the authors explained the meaning of suffrage, abolitionist, and finishing school. Page 295 of our textbook mentions the importance of support tools for the reader when reading nonfiction. Although the table of contents does not include a specific glossary, the authors do an excellent job of a within text glossary that provides definitions of challenging words that are important to comprehension of the text as they arise within the chapters. This is almost easier for the reader, as they do not have to flip to the end of the book to check the glossary! Page 295 of our textbook mentions another support tool, which is a timeline. The authors included another support tool to aid in comprehension, which is a timeline towards the end of the text. There are many dates scattered throughout the book, and the timeline helps make all of the important dates cohesive in an easy to read visual format. My favorite chapter of this book was chapter 3, which explained the contributions of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. As a reading interventionist, I love when books stress the importance of literacy. This chapter explained how Frances used her knowledge of literacy to help write persuasive speeches and letters to voice her opinions in an academic manner that was convincing to others. As a student, this chapter may be the launching point to seeing the value and importance of literacy outside of the school day in real life!
March 27, 2021
I really wanted to like this book. To be completely honest, I do really like it, but it did not do what I wanted it to do which was a comprehensive look at the suffragist movement for middle grade readers. The illustrations are phenomenal and I absolutely loved the diversity. Unfortunately, I think Chambers spent the majority of her time focusing on diverse voices instead of the main subject matter which was fighting for the right to vote. It was also rather dry, skipped around quite a bit and completely missed huge portions of what women did--parades, hunger strikes, protests in front of the white house. There were hints of it, but Chambers was almost tripping over herself trying to do biographical sketches of civil rights activists. Nothing wrong with that, but I thought this book was going to be about the amendment to vote...?
There is a chapter about women who had "Boston Marriages". It was towards the front, and as far as I could tell, had little to do with getting women the right to vote. In fact, it spends so much time on talking about their relationships, that it barely mentions what those women did for the cause--and they did do a lot! They should be included! And maybe even a discussion on how it was a stepping stone to being recognized by society as couples! But no. Instead we get a washed down version of their relationships and oh yeah, they were activists. smh. I appreciate that it isn't hidden inside the book (like other middle grade books I've read recently), but it feels patronizing rather than inclusive.
I'm still on the hunt for a good suffragist book for my rising 6th grader. This would be a good add on. Something to read in addition to something more comprehensive.
There is a chapter about women who had "Boston Marriages". It was towards the front, and as far as I could tell, had little to do with getting women the right to vote. In fact, it spends so much time on talking about their relationships, that it barely mentions what those women did for the cause--and they did do a lot! They should be included! And maybe even a discussion on how it was a stepping stone to being recognized by society as couples! But no. Instead we get a washed down version of their relationships and oh yeah, they were activists. smh. I appreciate that it isn't hidden inside the book (like other middle grade books I've read recently), but it feels patronizing rather than inclusive.
I'm still on the hunt for a good suffragist book for my rising 6th grader. This would be a good add on. Something to read in addition to something more comprehensive.
October 17, 2022
I read Finish the Fight by Veronica Chambers as an E-book/audiobook through Hoopla. I liked how there were speakers that took turns reading the different chapters since each chapter was written for a specific person.
"Frances wrote, 'the shadows bear the promise/Of a brighter coming day,'" (Chambers, 20).
I read Finish the Fight because it was an Honor Book for the Jane Addams Children's Book Award in 2021. This award goes to a book with literary excellence and engages children in conversations about peace and equity.
Finish the Fight is an excellent book for high school students or adults who want to learn more about women who made a difference in the fight for suffrage. The author discusses the strides many African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans made during the 19th century.
Finish the Fight is an excellent example of diverse children's literature because it shows many women's experiences during the 19th century. Readers will learn about Frances Ellen, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, and Elizabeth Piper Ensley. It also provides readers with authentic experiences of how each person in the book fought for equal rights. The author shares quotes from each person which helps readers to understand their views on women's suffrage. The pictures and captains in the story also help the reader identify the person discussed, and they help enhance the reader's understanding.
Teachers can use this book to help students learn about the suffrage movement and women's rights. Teachers can also use this book to discuss nonfiction and biographies.
"Frances wrote, 'the shadows bear the promise/Of a brighter coming day,'" (Chambers, 20).
I read Finish the Fight because it was an Honor Book for the Jane Addams Children's Book Award in 2021. This award goes to a book with literary excellence and engages children in conversations about peace and equity.
Finish the Fight is an excellent book for high school students or adults who want to learn more about women who made a difference in the fight for suffrage. The author discusses the strides many African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans made during the 19th century.
Finish the Fight is an excellent example of diverse children's literature because it shows many women's experiences during the 19th century. Readers will learn about Frances Ellen, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, and Elizabeth Piper Ensley. It also provides readers with authentic experiences of how each person in the book fought for equal rights. The author shares quotes from each person which helps readers to understand their views on women's suffrage. The pictures and captains in the story also help the reader identify the person discussed, and they help enhance the reader's understanding.
Teachers can use this book to help students learn about the suffrage movement and women's rights. Teachers can also use this book to discuss nonfiction and biographies.
June 7, 2020
Finish the Fight is a beautiful book for school-aged children about the women who helped the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution come into existence. Even as an adult reader, I was familiar with some who spearheaded the suffragette movement like Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Staton but this book highlighted many more who played an integral role whom I wasn't familiar with.
The book discusses specifically how Native American Women played a part and inspired what equality should look like, and how women of all backgrounds, especially Black and Asian women joined the fight to get women the right to vote... and how the fight continued until ALL women were guaranteed that right.
The illustrations in this book are simply stunning and incorporate mixed media with photographs and drawings. This is sure to help make the history of our country's women more engaged as they learn, and there is even a game board included for interactive learning.
All history books should be like Finish the Fight! It's perfect to teach kids history or for adults who want to add a beautifully illustrated and approachable book to their feminist collection.
The book discusses specifically how Native American Women played a part and inspired what equality should look like, and how women of all backgrounds, especially Black and Asian women joined the fight to get women the right to vote... and how the fight continued until ALL women were guaranteed that right.
The illustrations in this book are simply stunning and incorporate mixed media with photographs and drawings. This is sure to help make the history of our country's women more engaged as they learn, and there is even a game board included for interactive learning.
All history books should be like Finish the Fight! It's perfect to teach kids history or for adults who want to add a beautifully illustrated and approachable book to their feminist collection.
September 13, 2020
Finish the Fight belongs in every library and everyone should read it. I might have to buy it for my own collection. The illustrations were fantastic, and the stories made me proud of the women I was learning about and horrified of how recent some of the injustices were. Sadly, North and South Dakota were two of those offenders - way too close to home. My two favorites were Ida B. Wells and Zitkala-Sa. I can't wait to learn more about them. The powerful last few pages of the book compared 1920 to 2020 in terms of female representation, and boy, do we have a long way to go.
It made me think about the sexism that I have confronted in my life and how frustrated I was (having to pay more for health insurance because I was a female of childbearing age, finding a will template that said I would give up everything to my husband's family instead of my beneficiary if we died simultaneously, customers at work asking for a guy to help them with their tablets, etc.). I can't imagine living during a time when it was worse. Three cheers for the historical fighters and the women who wrote this book!
It made me think about the sexism that I have confronted in my life and how frustrated I was (having to pay more for health insurance because I was a female of childbearing age, finding a will template that said I would give up everything to my husband's family instead of my beneficiary if we died simultaneously, customers at work asking for a guy to help them with their tablets, etc.). I can't imagine living during a time when it was worse. Three cheers for the historical fighters and the women who wrote this book!
May 14, 2021
I haven't even finished the "conclusion" chapter (I will tonight). But after reading every single chapter, I wanted to tell someone about the amazing history I was reading. I think we could call this "the badass women who wouldn't give up on the vote - or on equality". I knew it was true that there were women whose stories had vanished or never been told. But I didn't have the names and stories to match. I really think anyone interested in the *full story* of suffrage read this (not for the sake of suffrage, but for the sake of your own learning and growing - and for honoring their real, true moments in history).
September 11, 2020
I'm a sucker for an anthology-of-amazing-women book, and this one ranked pretty high for me! Finish the Fight addresses that we mostly learn about the work of white women when we think of suffrage but there are many deserving women of color who we need to know about. This book was well done with the art and old photos and has a compelling format. This is the perfect book for an election year or any time!
October 24, 2020
Love the inclusivity of this book. I am glad that it is around now to round out the information that everyone needs to understand how very important it is to vote. The battle has been hard fought and continues to be so. I love this book because it gives young female readers of all colors agency. To know that no matter your race or the color of your skin or even your age that you can affect change. Not always and immediately for yourself and just maybe for others in your community.
May 16, 2021
I loved this gorgeous illustrated edition that showcases lesser-known suffragists throughout US history. I only knew a couple names, which is astounding considering how badass these women were! I learned a ton and am eager to keep exploring. I expect I'll flip through this book a lot - the bold colors, images and photos are really riveting, and I loved how each chapter's flower decor was chosen based on meaning. So clever! My only complaint is that it was too short - more, please!
March 2, 2021
This book is absolutely beautiful! Beautifully written, and wonderful to look at as well. I am so glad that it was brought to my attention. I learned a great deal from this book, and it is information that I think will continue to be useful to me in the future. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
July 6, 2022
I'm not sure what it was but I found the book to be hard to keep interest. It wasn't the topic but rather it felt very academic and impersonal. Listening to it instead of reading it may have played a part but I felt like it was stiff and didn't really give the heart and soul of the women and their fight.
November 6, 2020
Read this book!!! The current issues that plague our nation came from somewhere and this book does a great job highlighting the injustices that our ancestors fought against and unfortunately, we are still fighting.
November 11, 2020
A wonderful introduction to a variety of women who fought for suffrage and equality.
This book is "for" young readers but seeing as adults don't know half of these women's accomplishments, you should read it, too.
This book is "for" young readers but seeing as adults don't know half of these women's accomplishments, you should read it, too.
November 28, 2020
YA nonfiction should be read regularly by adults. There, I said it. This was filled with a ton of history I never learned in school, and it was gorgeously presented. Upper elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms should all have this book as available and encouraged reading.
August 25, 2020
An excellent overview of the less known women of the suffrage mkvemt. I can't wait to read some of the books recommended by this book. It made me want to learn more.
May 4, 2021
5 Stars - Non Fiction
I really think every person should read this book. Such a good compilation of the history of women’s suffrage
I really think every person should read this book. Such a good compilation of the history of women’s suffrage
September 21, 2022
CW: Racism, misogyny, incarceration, grief
October 28, 2024
Reviewed for THC Reviews
In Finish the Fight, Veronica Chambers and The Staff of The New York Times explore many lesser known figures in the women’s suffrage movement for a middle grade audience. It begins with the Haudenosaunee, a group of Native American tribes in upstate New York, where women were active participants in their government. Famous suffragist Lucretia Mott spent time amongst these people and brought some of their ideas back to the white women who were just beginning their fight for the right to vote. The next chapter takes a look at how bias against women of color affected the suffragist movement. From there, the authors give full-chapter summaries of the lives of many women of color who were actively involved in fighting for women’s rights.
There is Frances Ellen Watkins Harper who’s experience of prejudice while riding a street car, which predated Rosa Parks’ similar experience by over a century, helped spur her to speak out for both abolition and suffrage. Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin started The Woman’s Era, the first newspaper by and for black women in the U. S. Elizabeth Piper Ensley wrote for The Woman’s Era and co-founded the Colorado Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage Association. Mary Church Terrell was highly educated and traveled around the world, including to Berlin, Germany, where she addressed the International Congress of Women. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee became the first woman to earn a PhD from Columbia University and as a teenager led a suffrage parade on horseback. Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a freed slave who became a writer, documenting the injustices of racial violence, eventually helping to found the National Negro Committee which later became the NAACP, and she saw suffrage as an extension of her work. Tovita Idar was a journalist who fought for both women’s rights and the fair treatment of Mexican Americans, helping found the league of Mexican Women. Juno Frankie Pierce partnered with white suffragists in the fight to get Tennessee to become the final state needed to ratify the nineteenth amendment. Susette La Flesche Tibbles fought for Native American suffrage, which extended beyond the ratification of the nineteenth amendment because Native Americans still weren’t yet recognized as American citizens. Zitkala-Sa, another accomplished Native American woman was instrumental in getting the Indian Citizenship Act passed. There is also a chapter dedicated to the queer women of the movement including Angelina Weld Grimke, Mary Burrill, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Mary Garrett Hay.
I think most of us can recall learning in school about suffragist leaders such a Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, but as Finish the Fight shows, there were many women of all races and backgrounds who were involved in the decades-long fight, not only for the right of women to vote, but also for women’s rights in general since they had very few, especially after marrying. I believe out of all the women mentioned in the book, the only one I had previously heard of was Ida B. Wells-Barnett, so it was exciting to learn about all the other women from widely varying backgrounds who were instrumental in getting the nineteenth amendment passed, as well as other pieces of civil rights legislation, which finally recognized the rights Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans. It was interesting to discover how the abolitionist movement and the suffrage movement had a lot of overlap. I was intrigued to learn that Frederick Douglass was a big proponent of women’s suffrage. There are several interesting sidebars throughout the book that discuss other aspects of the women’s rights movement, including how it also overlapped with workers’ rights following the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which killed many workers, mostly women and girls. The book concludes by discussing how far women have come, but how far we have left to go and how the fight isn’t yet over. There’s also an informative timeline of events, a mini dictionary of all the brave female revolutionaries who were an important part of the suffrage movement, a comparison of 1920 (the year the nineteenth amendment was passed) vs. 2020 (the year the book was published), and a list of further suggested reading. Additionally the book includes beautiful and colorful illustrated portraits of all the women detailed inside. I learned a great deal from Finish the Fight and highly recommend it to middle grade students and their parents and educators who want to expand their knowledge of this important piece of American history. Given that our country may be on the cusp of finally electing our first female president, I found this to be very timely reading.
In Finish the Fight, Veronica Chambers and The Staff of The New York Times explore many lesser known figures in the women’s suffrage movement for a middle grade audience. It begins with the Haudenosaunee, a group of Native American tribes in upstate New York, where women were active participants in their government. Famous suffragist Lucretia Mott spent time amongst these people and brought some of their ideas back to the white women who were just beginning their fight for the right to vote. The next chapter takes a look at how bias against women of color affected the suffragist movement. From there, the authors give full-chapter summaries of the lives of many women of color who were actively involved in fighting for women’s rights.
There is Frances Ellen Watkins Harper who’s experience of prejudice while riding a street car, which predated Rosa Parks’ similar experience by over a century, helped spur her to speak out for both abolition and suffrage. Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin started The Woman’s Era, the first newspaper by and for black women in the U. S. Elizabeth Piper Ensley wrote for The Woman’s Era and co-founded the Colorado Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage Association. Mary Church Terrell was highly educated and traveled around the world, including to Berlin, Germany, where she addressed the International Congress of Women. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee became the first woman to earn a PhD from Columbia University and as a teenager led a suffrage parade on horseback. Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a freed slave who became a writer, documenting the injustices of racial violence, eventually helping to found the National Negro Committee which later became the NAACP, and she saw suffrage as an extension of her work. Tovita Idar was a journalist who fought for both women’s rights and the fair treatment of Mexican Americans, helping found the league of Mexican Women. Juno Frankie Pierce partnered with white suffragists in the fight to get Tennessee to become the final state needed to ratify the nineteenth amendment. Susette La Flesche Tibbles fought for Native American suffrage, which extended beyond the ratification of the nineteenth amendment because Native Americans still weren’t yet recognized as American citizens. Zitkala-Sa, another accomplished Native American woman was instrumental in getting the Indian Citizenship Act passed. There is also a chapter dedicated to the queer women of the movement including Angelina Weld Grimke, Mary Burrill, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Mary Garrett Hay.
I think most of us can recall learning in school about suffragist leaders such a Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, but as Finish the Fight shows, there were many women of all races and backgrounds who were involved in the decades-long fight, not only for the right of women to vote, but also for women’s rights in general since they had very few, especially after marrying. I believe out of all the women mentioned in the book, the only one I had previously heard of was Ida B. Wells-Barnett, so it was exciting to learn about all the other women from widely varying backgrounds who were instrumental in getting the nineteenth amendment passed, as well as other pieces of civil rights legislation, which finally recognized the rights Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans. It was interesting to discover how the abolitionist movement and the suffrage movement had a lot of overlap. I was intrigued to learn that Frederick Douglass was a big proponent of women’s suffrage. There are several interesting sidebars throughout the book that discuss other aspects of the women’s rights movement, including how it also overlapped with workers’ rights following the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which killed many workers, mostly women and girls. The book concludes by discussing how far women have come, but how far we have left to go and how the fight isn’t yet over. There’s also an informative timeline of events, a mini dictionary of all the brave female revolutionaries who were an important part of the suffrage movement, a comparison of 1920 (the year the nineteenth amendment was passed) vs. 2020 (the year the book was published), and a list of further suggested reading. Additionally the book includes beautiful and colorful illustrated portraits of all the women detailed inside. I learned a great deal from Finish the Fight and highly recommend it to middle grade students and their parents and educators who want to expand their knowledge of this important piece of American history. Given that our country may be on the cusp of finally electing our first female president, I found this to be very timely reading.
December 9, 2024
This book was so good! Definitely recommend! I loved the illustrations so much, they had great realistic images and full of color. I think it should be on bookshelves everywhere. I really enjoyed finding out that all women who are Black, white, Latinas, Asian women, Native American--gay, straight, married, single, Christian, Jewish, agnostics and the women have been fighting the establishment for many centuries for their right to vote. This book is great for all ages in my option and students can learn a lot.
December 28, 2024
This book is incredibly well written, engaging, and easy to understand. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
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