Celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage in the U.S. with two exhibits at the Downtown Library
2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, granting that no one could be denied the right to vote because of their sex. Could women vote before the 19th amendment? Yes, but not in every state. Could all women in America vote after the 19th amendment? No, immigrants, Puerto Ricans, and women of color could still be denied the right to vote. The movement to give all women the right began a lifetime before it was ratified in 1920 and continued to go on for decades still. This history and the stories of the men and women who fought to bring us this right are well documented in our collection.
If you are interested in more information regarding this historical anniversary, come see our exhibits given to us on loan by the National Archives and The Smithsonian. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery and is located on the second floor by the nonfiction collection at the Downtown location. The National Archives exhibit as well as the library's own collection of memorabilia is located in the atrium on the third floor. No matter your age or reading level we have information to suit your needs. We carry many children's books, adult nonfiction and digital information to help you with your quest for knowledge on this topic.
Also, a great resource for this topic is the Women's Suffrage Guide by one of our Archivists, Shalis Worthy. She has put together local and state information containing images, newspapers clippings, as well as why someone would have wanted to be pro or anti-suffrage. This LibGuide contains links to the books in our collection and many links to online resources for any further questions.
For more information or questions about this exhibit, please contact our downtown branch. Check out materials now through our library’s catalog, Hoopla, and Overdrive. And don’t forget to exercise your right to vote! This link from vote.org will let you know if you are currently registered to vote. You can come by our location and pick up a voting registration form if you are not registered to vote.
Other links of interest:
The Smithsonian Amernican Women's History Iniciative
Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistance!
Women's Suffrage-Primary Resource Packet
Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote exhibit
Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote
National Museum of African American History and Culture about women’s suffrage
American Women’s History Initiative