Not-So-Sweet Valentines in the Victorian Era

Not all valentines were sweet! This visual presentation will introduce you to two varieties of lesser-known valentines… “Vinegar Valentines” and Suffrage Valentines, and contrast them with the lacy, love-filled variety.

February 14th isn’t just Valentine’s Day – it’s also League of Women Voters’ Day! The League was founded by suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt on February 14, 1920. Catt was instrumental in helping pass the 19th Amendment, which secured women the right to vote. Prior to passage of the 19th Amendment, suffragists used holidays like Valentine’s Day to promote the cause of “Votes for Women.”  We’ll take a look at both pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage cards.

In the Victorian era, there was no better way to let someone know they were unwanted than with the ultimate insult: the vinegar valentine. Also called “comic valentines,” these unwelcome notes were sometimes crass and always a bit emotionally damaging in the anti-spirit of Valentine’s Day.