Virginia’s Composition and the Early Temperance Movement (WCTU)
At the turn of the 20th century, the population of Virginia was largely rural, native-born, and protestant. Even though there was a portion of this population that consisted of immigrants, Virginia had a smaller amount of these immigrants compared to the United States average.[1] Just over 1% of the Virginian population consisted of immigrants, while the national average was roughly 14%. According to the 1910 census, the most common ethnic groups for these immigrants were German and Celtic, which is notable as these groups would often be anti-prohibition. However, when you combine the fact that the average number of immigrants was low for Virginia with the fact that most Virginians were protestant and native-born, it is not hard to see how these two factors played a role in Virginia passing state-wide Prohibition years ahead of the national 18th amendment.
Movements against alcohol were growing rapidly by the late 19th century. In fact, during the “Progressive Era”, from 1890-1920, temperance really took off. This is the era that also brought us women’s suffrage, which is important as women were the first major supporters of implementing Prohibition.
The Women’s Christian Temperance Union was known for being anti-alcohol and being one of the first major women’s social reform groups, founded in 1873. A Virginia chapter of the WCTU was founded in 1883.[4] By 1908, the Virginia chapter of the WCTU was the largest one in the South, and it was constantly lobbying our state’s government for more dry laws.[1] This group was known for various anti-alcohol tactics, and one of the most well-known examples was members praying outside of saloons for the men inside. The poster below helps to explain how many women either inside or outside the WTCU felt about alcohol.
This is a broadside poster from the 1910s, and it is related to women and the temperance movement. The authors wished to convince the public to vote a “dry” ticket. They wanted to stop husbands from spending money on alcohol and giving it so much attention, as well as spending so much time in saloons. Instead, they hoped to encourage these husbands to spend more time and money on their families, and this was a common belief for women who were fighting for prohibition at this time. Even though there isn’t any concrete information regarding if this poster was made by the WCTU, it isn’t hard to imagine that it was, or that it was at least made by WCTU supporters. This feeling is especially prominent when looking at the last line. Not only was the WCTU bigger than ever in the 1910s, but this final line exclaims, “And thus we pray,”. This may have possibly related to their tactics of praying for the men who were in these saloons.
[1] Benbow, Mark. The Old Dominion Goes Dry: Prohibition in Virginia. Journal of the Brewery History Society. http://www.breweryhistory.com/journal/archive/138/Bendow.pdf
[4] Heinemann, Ronald L. Old Dominion, New Commonwealth a History of Virginia, 1607-2007 Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, pg. 283, 304, 315. 2007. https://www-jstor-org.mutex.gmu.edu/stable/j.ctt6wrjzn