▁women ▁in ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁and ▁the ▁federal ▁territ ories . ▁▁ ▁Another ▁of ▁its ▁early ▁initi atives ▁was ▁the ▁collection ▁of ▁ 8 0 0 0 ▁sign atures ▁on ▁pet itions ▁to ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁legisl ature ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁in ▁that ▁state , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁annual ▁public ▁hear ings ▁on ▁that ▁question ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature . ▁ ▁The ▁NE WS A ' s ▁work ▁in ▁subsequent ▁years ▁included ▁fund - ra ising ▁baz a ars , ▁lect ures , ▁pet itions ▁and ▁legisl ative ▁hear ings . ▁ ▁The ▁split ▁in ▁the ▁women ' s ▁movement ▁was ▁formal ized ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁when ▁Susan ▁B . ▁Anthony ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁C ady ▁St anton ▁created ▁the ▁National ▁Woman ▁Su ff rage ▁Association ▁to ▁represent ▁their ▁wing . ▁The ▁executive ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁NE WS A ▁respond ed ▁by ▁lay ing ▁the ▁ground work ▁for ▁a ▁rival ▁organization ▁called ▁the ▁American ▁Woman ▁Su ff rage ▁Association ▁( A WS A ), ▁which ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁Henry ▁Ward ▁Be e cher , ▁a ▁prominent ▁minister , ▁agreed ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁AWS A , ▁but ▁NE WS A ▁leaders ▁Lucy ▁Stone ▁and ▁Julia ▁Ward ▁How e ▁played ▁key ▁roles ▁both ▁in ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁AWS A ▁and ▁in ▁its ▁leadership ▁in ▁subsequent ▁years . ▁ ▁Julia ▁Ward ▁How e ▁served ▁as ▁president