Suffragette Mrs. Jessie Belle Hardy Stubbs MacKaye, 1917 Photo

In this remarkable photograph from 1917, Mrs. Jessie Belle Hardy Stubbs MacKaye of Washington, D.C., a dedicated member of the National Advisory Council of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, proudly stands with a banner bearing a powerful message: "Forward Out Of Error, Leave Behind The Night, Forward Throughout The Darkness, Forward Into Light."

Mrs. MacKaye's passion for social change extended beyond suffrage advocacy. She pursued her education at Columbia University and assumed the role of legislative chair for the Women's Peace Society in New York City. Notably, she advocated for women to delay marriage and childbirth until effective measures were established to safeguard against the devastation of war.

In 1915, she married Benton MacKaye, and their union marked a significant turning point in both their lives. Tragically, Jessie Stubbs met an untimely end, choosing to take her own life by drowning herself in the East River in 1921. Her passing left her husband grieving, but it also ignited within him a transformative idea that would shape the future—the conception of what would become the Appalachian Trail.

In the face of personal tragedy, Benton MacKaye found solace and purpose by dedicating himself to the realization of the Appalachian Trail, a renowned trail that has since provided countless adventurers with a connection to nature and a sense of shared experience.

Through this captivating photograph and the poignant story surrounding Mrs. Jessie Belle Hardy Stubbs MacKaye, we are reminded of the complex and multifaceted journeys undertaken by individuals who have shaped history. May her memory serve as a reminder of the enduring power of activism, resilience, and the transformative impact that can emerge from even the darkest of circumstances. 

Read more about suffragettes here.