The Maryland Woman Suffrage Association (MWSA) was a woman's suffrage organization in Maryland, USA, founded in 1889.
The MWSA was created to fight for women's suffrage in Maryland.[1] Carolyn Hallowell Miller started the group on January 11, 1889.[2][3] The group included both men and women.[4] MWSA met in members' homes and worked to plan statewide conventions and conferences.[1]
The first president was Miller, though only for a short time. She was followed by Mary Bentley Thomas.[2][5] In 1902, MWSA opened a headquarters in Baltimore.[2] In 1904, Emma Maddox Funck became president.[6] MWSA invited the National American Woman Suffrage Association to hold its 1906 conference in Baltimore.[1]
In 1910, MWSA worked closely with Elizabeth King Ellicott and presented a bill for suffrage for all to the Maryland House of Delegates.[7] The bill was soundly rejected by the delegates.[7] In 1911, there was a split in the group, with some leaving MWSA to form the State Equal Franchise League of Maryland.[8] MWSA continued to provide an amendment for women's suffrage in the Maryland Constitution in 1912, 1914 and 1916, with no success.[1]