100 years ago, the long-fought battle for some women to vote was gained when the 19th Amendment was added to the constitution. It is an event that I know a lot of our readers have been looking forward to celebrating, though if you’re anything like me, you probably pictured a lot of photo ops and in-person events that may not be taking place.
Thank goodness that we live in the digital age! Museums, organizations, libraries, and other history enthusiasts have put together virtual events to allow us to still mark this special occasion. We will list them through the month – so make sure to let us know if you have an event you’d like us to include.
*Please note that the times of the events are listed in the time zone in which the organizer is. Make sure to double-check when adding them to your calendar!
*All GIFS courtesy of the Smithsonian’s #19SuffrageStories campaign happening all month. Grab some GIFS of your own and support their project here.
All Month
Inez Milholland short film
Presented by: Kali Pictures & Soul Fire Creations
Description: We all recognize Inez Miholland as the beautiful woman on top of the white horse in the iconic suffrage march images many of us know so well. But what else do you know about her history? Celebrate the Suffrage Centennial with a short film about her life. The trailer is out now. (Psst – you may even spot a Recollections dress!)
Watch the trailer and learn more here.
Women’s Equality Day Crafts and Activities
Presented by: The Smithsonian Institute
Description: Feeling inspired by Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26? Try your hand at three crafts that celebrate remarkable women in the Portrait Gallery’s collection, accessible through the Smithsonian’s Learning Lab. Make a collage of Harriet Tubman, a mixed media portrait of Belva Ann Lockwood and a word portrait of Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes. Happy Women’s Equality Day!
August 9
“Celebrating Woman Suffrage + the Struggle for Voting Rights” panel and live Q&A
Presented by: Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, The Humanities Institute at UCSC, Baskin Foundation UC Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies, and Bookshop Santa Cruz
Description: “Celebrating Woman Suffrage + the Struggle for Voting Rights” is a live panel discussion examining the complex history of enfranchisement in the United States and its relevance to the ongoing anti-racist struggle against voter suppression. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment and stand at the threshold of a presidential election, we gather a dynamic group of speakers to illuminate the history and discuss the present challenges.
The event will be followed by a live Q&A inviting audience participation. Following, at 5pm PDT, the Festival will present the orchestral world premiere of The Battle for the Ballot by composer Stacy Garrop, inspired by the centenary of the 19th amendment and pivotal figures in the Woman Suffrage movement. You won’t want to miss it!
August 12
When Women Won the Right to Vote: History, Myth, and Memory
Presented by: The National WWI Museum and Memorial
Description: How well do you know the 19th Amendment? When women achieved passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, they did not win the right to vote—despite repeated claims that they did. Just what, then, did the women’s suffrage amendment do? Join Dr. Lisa Tetrault, Associate Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University and author of the prize-winning book, The Myth of Seneca Falls: Memory and the Women’s Suffrage Movement, 1848-1898, for a discussion of this often misinterpreted and misunderstood history. Discover how 1920 is part of a much larger and longer story about the pursuit of voting rights, a struggle that is today unfinished and ongoing. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition, Votes & Voices.
06:30pm
Bold Women. Change History with Author and Journalist Tina Cassidy
Presented by: History Colorado
Description: Author and journalist Tina Cassidy talks about the showdown between President Woodrow Wilson and suffrage leader Alice Paul, and what it meant for American democracy in the early years of the 20th century.
6:00pm-7:00pm
August 13
How We Remember Women’s Suffrage
Presented by: The Smithsonian Institute
Description: Who are the iconic figures of the women’s suffrage movement? The tale of the decades-long crusade for the vote that ended in the ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920, inspired generations of women to fight for their rights—and still does. Women of all classes and races across the United States were part of the movement, but most of them are missing from its history.
How did Susan B. Anthony become the iconic figure of the suffrage movement? As we mark the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, Lisa Kathleen Graddy explores how a timely donation to the Smithsonian helped cement Anthony in the public imagination. She also examines who was left out of the movement’s story, how their exclusion still haunts the struggle for women’s rights, and how we together decide who are its icons.
6:45pm
August 18
The Woman’s Hour: 100 Years & Counting
Presented by: Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
Description: On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state necessary to ratify the 19th Amendment. After a long fought battle, the United States Constitution prohibited states and the federal government from denying citizens the right to vote because of sex. However, the journey to women’s suffrage did not end in 1920. Nor has it ended in 2020. Acknowledging that not all women have had the same experience, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall has assembled an expert and eclectic panel to explore the continuing passage to full enfranchisement.
We invite you to join us for a virtual panel discussion with moderator Jessie Ramsey and panelists, Jessica Benham, Dr. Dana Brown, Monica Ruiz, and Ciora Thomas as we explore the journey to women’s suffrage and where we have yet to go.
7:00pm
From The 19th Amendment To The Occupy Movement: 100 Years Of Women’s Social Movement Activism
Presented by: League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland
Description: This talk will explore the range of social movement activism that women have engaged in since the passage of the 19th amendment. Topics include the pursuit of racial and gender equality, women in environmental movements, feminists in the Occupy movement, and more. Since suffrage, women have continued to fight for equality even within progressive movements.
7:00pm
August 19
Elizabeth Cady Stanton with Historian Laura F. Keyes
Presented by: Deforest Area Library
Description: Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for equal rights for women for over fifty years. Upon her death in 1902 she left behind a legacy of her crusade for female equality and myriad writings that would inspire feminists for over a century to come.
Hear from Mrs. Stanton in 1866, when the Civil War was over, but the battle for Women’s Suffrage was just beginning. Join Laura Keyes, as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, for this informative and inspiring presentation.
6:30pm-7:30pm
August 20
Women With Vision: A Celebration of Leadership
Presented by: Zing Train
Description: Learn about the sacrifice, grit, determination, and vision of the women that came before us to gain a better understanding of what they faced at different points of our nation’s history, and how their journey continues to shape our current landscape around women’s rights.
You’ll learn tools for being a strong servant leader while staying true to yourself and your values, you’ll be inspired by the stories of women who stood tall, made their voices heard, and are leading in male-dominated fields, and you’ll have the chance to connect with other like-minded leaders who are eager to continue to grow, learn, and lead others.
Learn more and buy tickets here.
How Have Women’s Protests Changed History?
Presented by: Zocalo and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Description: There are few forces of nature more formidable than a group of women fed up with the status quo. From the French Revolution—which was sparked in part by a 7,000-woman march from Paris to Versailles—to Black Lives Matter—which was founded by three women—some of the most important protest movements in global history have been women-led. In addition to organizing many of summer 2020’s continuing marches, over the past century women have taken to the streets to rally for voting and equal rights, to condemn sexual and gun violence, and to stand against the sitting president. But protest has taken other forms too, including the #MeToo movement, anti-colonial mobilizations from Ethiopia to Southeast Asia, women taking the wheel in Saudi Arabia to demand the right to drive, and boycotts and strikes like the Women’s Political Council Montgomery bus boycott. How have women risen up collectively to create change—and influenced broader movements in the process? What has made women particularly effective protesters, and what ideas have women come up with that have changed the art of protest?
6:00pm
August 26
FaceTheMusic4ERA
Presented by: ERA Minnesota
Description: #FaceTheMusic4ERA is a virtual concert featuring an amazing line-up of artists and speakers from across the country celebrating how far the #ERA has come, and laying out concrete next steps to get the job done! It’s an opportunity for organizations & activists to come together, celebrate our accomplishments with music, and learn how you can help make the ERA the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution.
8:00pm
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