Riding Into History

Mabel was born around 1896 in Guangzhou (gwahng-joh), China. In 1905, at about age 9, she immigrated to the U.S. with her family.

At the time, it was rare for Chinese immigrants to be allowed into the U.S. In 1882, Congress had passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which put strict limits on immigration. In the decades before, thousands of Chinese immigrants had come to the U.S. to work in gold mines and help build railroads. Many Americans back then worried that these immigrants were taking away jobs. In response, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned nearly everyone from China from entering the country.

There were exceptions to the law for small numbers of people with certain jobs. The Lee family was allowed to come to the U.S. because Mabel’s father was a Christian missionary who had been assigned to a church in Chinatown. But under the Exclusion Act, they were barred from becoming U.S. citizens.

Mabel was born around 1896 in Guangzhou (gwahng-joh), China. In 1905, she immigrated to the U.S. with her family. She was about 9 years old.

At the time, it was rare for Chinese immigrants to be allowed into the U.S. In 1882, Congress had passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. That law put strict limits on immigration. In the decades before, thousands of Chinese immigrants had come to the U.S. to work in gold mines and help build railroads. Back then, many Americans had worried that these immigrants were taking away jobs. In response, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned nearly everyone from China from entering the country.

The law had exceptions for small numbers of people with certain jobs. The Lee family was allowed to come to the U.S. because Mabel’s father was a Christian missionary. He had been assigned to a church in Chinatown. But under the Exclusion Act, the Lees were barred from becoming U.S. citizens.

The Lees thrived in Chinatown, a neighborhood made up almost entirely of people of Chinese heritage. Because Mabel’s father was the local minister, many people thought of him as the unofficial mayor of the community.

Mabel’s parents encouraged her to get an education from a young age. She had started to learn English in China, and by 1912, she excelled at her New York City high school. Mabel also volunteered at her father’s church and followed current events in the U.S. and in China.

Around this time, a revolution was taking place in China, and some women there gained voting rights as a result. U.S. suffrage leaders, frustrated by their own slow progress, reached out to women in Chinatown for advice. Mabel jumped at the chance to speak with them.

“Mabel was fighting for voting rights but also for her community,” says Cathleen Cahill, a historian of the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. “She wanted to advocate for them.”

That’s how Mabel found herself at a meeting of national suffrage leaders at the Peking Restaurant in New York City in the spring of 1912. With some of the most powerful women in the country seated before her, the high school student addressed the room. She spoke about the rights of women and immigrants and the need for more education opportunities for girls, which were limited at the time.

The suffragists were so impressed with Mabel, historians say, that they asked her to help lead their upcoming parade. As the day drew near, several newspapers wrote articles about Mabel. The New York Tribune described her as “the symbol of the new era, when all young women will be free and unhampered.”

The Lee family did well in Chinatown. That neighborhood was made up almost entirely of people of Chinese heritage. Mabel’s father was the local minister. Many people thought of him as the unofficial mayor of the community.

Mabel’s parents encouraged her to get an education from a young age. She had started to learn English in China. By 1912, she excelled at her New York City high school. Mabel also volunteered at her father’s church. And she followed current events in the U.S. and in China.

Around this time, a revolution was taking place in China. Some women there gained voting rights as a result. U.S. suffrage leaders were frustrated by their own slow progress. They reached out to women in Chinatown, asking for advice. Mabel jumped at the chance to speak with them.

“Mabel was fighting for voting rights but also for her community,” says Cathleen Cahill. Cahill is a historian of the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. “She wanted to advocate for them.”

That is how Mabel found herself at a meeting of national suffrage leaders in spring 1912. They met at the Peking Restaurant in New York City. Some of the most powerful women in the country were seated before the high school student. Mabel addressed the room. She spoke about the rights of women and immigrants and the need for more education opportunities for girls. These things were limited at the time.

According to historians, the suffragists were very impressed with Mabel. That is why they asked her to help lead their upcoming parade. As the day drew near, several newspapers wrote articles about Mabel. The New York Tribune described her as “the symbol of the new era, when all young women will be free and unhampered.”

On the day of the parade, marchers, spectators, and even some hecklers turned out. They “took every inch of the sidewalk . . . filled all the steps and crowded all the windows” along the route, according to a 1912 article in The New York Times. Mabel and the other horseback riders led the marchers for about 3 miles up 5th Avenue to Carnegie Hall. There, the crowd listened as famous suffragists, including Anna Howard Shaw, gave speeches calling for voting rights for women.

Carrying the energy of that day with her, Mabel continued her work as a suffragist and a student. In the fall of 1912, she began attending Barnard College in New York City. She joined the school’s Chinese Students’ Association, a national organization for students from China studying in the U.S. She wrote several articles for the association’s monthly magazine, including an essay titled “The Meaning of Woman Suffrage” in 1914.

“We all believe in the idea of democracy,” she wrote. “Woman suffrage… is the application of democracy to women.”

Mabel also gave speeches to suffrage groups. During one 1915 speech, the teen said that without the equality of women, “no nation can ever make real and lasting progress in civilization.”

The media frequently covered Mabel’s speeches. People who heard her speak often walked away saying they had been “Mabelized.” It was a way to describe how they felt inspired by her words.

“She had charisma and presence,” Cahill says. “She impressed everyone who heard her speak.”

On the day of the parade, marchers, spectators, and even some hecklers turned out. They “took every inch of the sidewalk . . . filled all the steps and crowded all the windows” along the route. That is according to a 1912 article in The New York Times. Mabel and the other horseback riders led the marchers for about 3 miles up 5th Avenue to Carnegie Hall. There, the crowd listened to famous suffragists speak. That included Anna Howard Shaw. The suffragists gave speeches calling for voting rights for women.

Mabel carried the energy of that day with her as she continued her work as a suffragist and a student. In the fall of 1912, she began attending Barnard College in New York City. She joined the school’s Chinese Students’ Association, a national organization for students from China studying in the U.S. She wrote several articles for the association’s monthly magazine. That included a 1914 essay titled “The Meaning of Woman Suffrage.”

“We all believe in the idea of democracy,” Mabel wrote. “Woman suffrage… is the application of democracy to women.”

Mabel also gave speeches to suffrage groups. During one 1915 speech, the teen said that without the equality of women, “no nation can ever make real and lasting progress in civilization.”

The media often covered Mabel’s speeches. People who heard her speak often walked away saying they had been “Mabelized.” It was a way to describe how they felt inspired by her words.

“She had charisma and presence,” Cahill says. “She impressed everyone who heard her speak.”

By early 1917, women had full voting rights in 11 states, but it still wasn’t a nationwide right. That October, Mabel took part in another parade in New York City, leading a group of Chinese women among the marchers. Two weeks later, New York State guaranteed women the right to vote.

Meanwhile, suffragists kept up the work for nationwide voting rights. After two more years of parades and other demonstrations, Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1919. It was ratified, or approved, by three-fourths of the states in August 1920. Women across the U.S. now had the right to vote. People celebrated in the streets. And in the presidential election that November, millions of women cast ballots for the first time.

But Mabel was not one of them. Under the Chinese Exclusion Act, she couldn’t become a U.S. citizen— a requirement for voting.

By early 1917, women had full voting rights in 11 states. But it still was not a nationwide right. That October, Mabel took part in another parade in New York City. She led a group of Chinese women among the marchers. Two weeks later, New York State guaranteed women the right to vote.

Meanwhile, suffragists kept up the work for nationwide voting rights. After two more years of parades and other demonstrations, Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1919. It was ratified, or approved, by three-fourths of the states in August 1920. Women across the U.S. now had the right to vote. People celebrated in the streets. And in the presidential election that November, millions of women cast ballots for the first time.

But Mabel was not one of them. Under the Chinese Exclusion Act, she could not become a U.S. citizen—a requirement for voting.

Still, Mabel was committed to her education and her community. After graduating from Barnard, she went to Columbia University. In 1921, she became the first Chinese woman in the U.S. to earn a doctoral degree (known as a Ph.D.) in economics.

Around this time, Mabel considered moving back to China and opening a school for girls. But in 1924, her life took a different turn when her father died. Mabel decided she would carry on his work at his church. 

Under Mabel’s leadership, the church was renamed the First Chinese Baptist Church, and it still stands today. She also founded a community center in Chinatown, which offered a health clinic, a kindergarten, and English classes.

Still, Mabel was committed to her education and her community. After graduating from Barnard, she went to Columbia University. In 1921, she became the first Chinese woman in the U.S. to earn a doctoral degree (known as a Ph.D.) in economics.

Around this time, Mabel considered moving back to China and opening a school for girls. But in 1924, her father died and her life took a different turn. Mabel decided to carry on his work at his church.

Under Mabel’s leadership, the church was renamed the First Chinese Baptist Church. It still stands today. She also founded a community center in Chinatown. It offered a health clinic, a kindergarten, and English classes.

In 1943, Congress repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the Chinese population in the U.S. began to grow—and eventually to vote as citizens. In the decades to come, more laws were passed to expand the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That law prohibits racial discrimination at the polls.

Mabel died in 1966, around the age of 70, but her New York City neighborhood continues to honor her memory. In 2018, the Chinatown post office was officially named the Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office.

It is unknown whether Mabel ever became a U.S. citizen and exercised her right to vote. But the path she carved on horseback through New York City paved the way for countless other women to do so.

“Mabel reminds us that the U.S. suffrage movement was diverse and wide-reaching,” Cahill says. “So many people were doing this important work—including young people you might not expect.”

In 1943, Congress repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act. The Chinese population in the U.S. began to grow—and eventually to vote as citizens. In the decades to come, more laws were passed to expand the right to vote. That included the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It prohibits racial discrimination at the polls.

Mabel died in 1966 at about age 70. But her New York City neighborhood still honors her memory. In 2018, the Chinatown post office was officially named the Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office.

It is unknown whether Mabel ever became a U.S. citizen and exercised her right to vote. But the path she carved on horseback through New York City paved the way for countless other women to do so.

“Mabel reminds us that the U.S. suffrage movement was diverse and wide-reaching,” Cahill says. “So many people were doing this important work—including young people you might not expect.”