Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Annie Slade, 1864-
By Myrtle Castro and Sara English, MA students, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL.
Illinois Equal Suffrage Association
Mrs. Samuel Slade, birthname Annie Cosselow, was born in Chicago around the year 1864. She married Samuel Slade at the age of 17 on August 22, 1881 and was a resident of Highland Park in Chicago. Mrs. Slade was an active member of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association and was elected as their Recording Secretary in 1918. As a member, Slade was present during various events of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association. On February 17, 1919, Slade attended the 51st Annual Gathering of the National American Women Suffrage Association in Orchestra Hall. In October of 1919, she was elected as the recording secretary of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association and by February of 1920, Slade was appointed to chairman of the Finance Committee. Along with her committee, she helped raise funds which defrayed the cost of expenses for the Closing Convention of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association that was held at the Congress Hotel in Chicago. This convention was when the organization merged with the Illinois League of Women Voters. At this event, Slade presented a discussion titled "Significance of Women's Entry into Politics."
She was also an active member of the Woman's Emergency League. This league raised approximately $15,000 to help publish a vast array of educational literature urging people to display not only national patriotism, but State patriotism, by voting for a new Illinois Constitution. In 1917, a thrift shop in Highland Park, Illinois was opened, and Annie Slade was its first president. This thrift shop was one of the first in the country and was organized to raise money for the wounded French through the resale of articles. Slade and the group of 60 women who were active in its management began one of the first Army and Navy clubs in June of that same year.
In June of 1920 Annie Slade, along with her fellow suffragists prepared two weeks for the arrival of one thousand New York Democratic Women delegates as their train passed through Chicago en route to San Francisco. The plan was to entertain them during their stay. Unfortunately for Slade, the train never arrived and was reported lost. Many attempts were made to locate the women, but the disappearance was chalked up to being "absorbed" by the varying conventions going on throughout the United States. Annie Slade was reported to have said "I certainly did want to see that train... Someone has blundered - or maybe the railroad company lost its itinerary. It's my hard luck to have missed it." On May 24, 1922, Annie Slade arrived in Springfield, IL to attend a state meeting as a representative of the Federation of Woman's Clubs where she was to be a speaker at a banquet held at the Leland Hotel.
Sources:
"Annie Cosselow in the Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920." 1920 Census | 1920 US Federal Census Records | Ancestry.com.
Anthony, Susan B and Harper, Ida H. The History of the Women's Suffrage: .... Letters, Articles, Conference Reports, Speeches, Court Transcripts & Decisions) (Musaicum Books, 2017).
"Pre-Convention Activities." Women's Journal 2 (2, 1917): 28.
"State Legislators to Be Guests of Suffrage Leaders." Chicago Sunday Press and Women's Worker Press, 1919.
"Highland Park Party to Seek Togs for Vets," Chicago Daily Tribune, December 21, 1945.
J.W., McGraw. "Sees Victory for Suffrage in Senate Before Christmas." Chicago Sunday Press and Women's Worker Press, 1918.
Trout, Grace Wilbur. "Side Lights on Illinois Suffrage History." Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984) 13, no. 2 (1920): 145–79.
The Rock Island Argus and Daily Union. (Rock Island, Ill.), May 22, 1922.
The Topeka State Journal. (Topeka, Kan.), October 31, 1919.
The Sun and the New York Herald. (New York [N.Y.]), June 22, 1920.