10 Martyrs That Furthered The Civil Rights Cause

When we speak of martyrs ‘giving their life’ for a cause, this is sometimes meant in a symbolic way. For Emily Davidson, however, it could not have had a more literal meaning

A member of the Women’s Social and Political Union, she was a British life-long advocate for women’s suffrage. Scorched earth tactics were never applied so greatly, with seven hunger strikes, 49 force-feeding occasions and nine arrests, all things she saw as means to an end. But she was also a mischief-maker, vexing the authorities on a number of occasions including by breaking windows and even hiding overnight in Westminster Palace three times.

The WSPU’s activism would often fall on deaf ears, however, and promises made in meetings with government officials would often be broken. 4 June 1913 marked a turning point, however, when Davidson travelled to the Derby Stakes, a horse race attended by the king. Desperate to spread the women’s suffrage message, she ducked under the guard rail and ran onto the course, purple flags in hand, aiming for the king’s horse. Caught on camera, the horse was travelling at 56km/hour and she was crushed.

Whilst Churchill had it right about the RAF’s role in the history of human conflict, never in the history of the struggle for women’s suffrage, was so much owed by so many to one individual. The publicity from her ‘suicide’ was huge and, despite being interrupted by WWI, would lead to women being given voting rights in 1918.