The Artist as a Social Reformer
O'Neill never hesitated to become involved with difficult politics or women's issues and eagerly used her artistic talent to illustrate programs, posters, or political cartoons to express her support of worthy causes . . . and often found her artistic fame came in handy to draw attention to the injustice of the treatment of women and minorities . . .
- Susan K. Scott, from "Rose Cecil O'Neill: A Woman Ahead of Her Time"
"New Women" were not only interested in winning the vote. Many suffragists worked on other causes, such as the temperance movement, labor reform, child welfare, education reform, and the settlement house movement. Like her peers, O'Neill was concerned about people who were not noticed by society. She helped people see other people who were poor and homeless through her art.