It took more than 150 years for American and British suffragists to gain women’s right to vote—decades filled with struggle, sacrifice, and fervent attempts to sway public opinion. And those efforts at persuasion didn’t always involve speeches or personal appeals.

Suffragists used visual symbolism to help the public envision a world in which women could participate in the political process. Some emblems were savvy ways to help suffragists stick out in a crowd. Others signified the value that women would bring to public life if given the right to vote—although sometimes they obscured the contributions women of color made to the suffrage movement.

From angry cats to women in white dresses, here’s your guide to some of the most potent symbols of