Kearney, Belle (1863–1939)

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Kearney, Belle (1863–1939)

American temperance reformer and suffragist. Born Mar 6, 1863, near Flora, Madison Co., Mississippi; died Feb 27, 1939, in Jackson, MS; dau. of Walter Guston Kearney (planter) and Susannah Owens.

Became lecturer and organizer of national Woman's Christian Temperance Union (1891); elected president of state WCTU (1895); toured US and Europe lecturing on temperance and suffrage; served as president of Mississippi Woman Suffrage Association (1906–08); lobbied for WCTU in Washington, DC; had longstanding interest in "social purity movement" and published novel, Conqueror or Conquered? (1921), which promoted ideals of feminine sexuality and evils of male lust; ran unsuccessfully for US Senate (1922); won seat in state senate (1924), the 1st woman in South to hold office in state senate, and was reelected to 2nd term.