Exhibits
The story of women's suffrage is a story of voting rights, of inclusion in and exclusion from the franchise, and of our civic development as a nation. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, a poster exhibition from the Smithsonian, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment and explores the complexity of the women's suffrage movement and the relevance of this history to Americans' lives today.
The crusade for women's suffrage is one of the longest reform movements in American history. Between 1832 and 1920, women citizens organized for the right to vote, agitating first in their states or territories and then, simultaneously, through petitioning for a federal amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Based on the National Portrait Gallery exhibition of the same name, Votes for Women seeks to expand visitors’ understanding of the suffrage movement in the United States. The poster exhibition addresses women's political activism, explores the racism that challenged universal suffrage, and documents the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment which prohibits the government from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex. It also touches upon the suffrage movement's relevance to current conversations on voting and voting rights across America. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. This project received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.
The Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, Because of Her Story is one of the country’s most ambitious undertakings to research, collect, document, display and share the compelling story of women. It will deepen our understanding of women’s contributions to the nation and the world. More information about the initiative is available at womenshistory.si.edu.
Download posters from the Smithsonian Institution.
"Votes for Women includes ten engaging, full-color posters as well as a Poster Handbook and User Guide with display guidance and promotional and educational resources."
The exhibit included QR codes for these resources:
- Mary McLeod Bethune papers, The Bethune Foundation Collection. Part 1: Writings, Diaries, Scrapbooks, Biographical Materials, and Files on the National Youth Administration and Women's Organizations, 1918-1955 (ProQuest History Vault; Black Freedom Papers)
- Alice Paul, the National Woman's Party and the vote: the first civil rights struggle of the 20th century / Bernadette Cahill (e-book)
- The speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer: to tell it like it is / edited by Maegan Parker Brooks and Davis W. Houck (e-book)
- Reports and hearings on woman suffrage, relative to amendments to Constitution that right to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex (Library Database: Congressional Publications). Document contains Senate and House reports from the 47th, 48th, and 52nd Congresses on woman suffrage, including hearings held Jan. 23, 1880 and Mar. 7, 1884. Document also contains hearings on woman suffrage held Mar. 13, 1912 (p. 71-100).
- Extending the Right of Suffrage to Women. Committee on Woman Suffrage. Hearing Date: Jan. 3-5, 7, 1918. (Library Database: Congressional Publications)
- Woman Suffrage Wins in the House by One Vote: 247 For to 136 Against Submitting Amendment. The Washington Post, January 11, 1918: 1. (Library Database: The Washington Post, 1877-2001)
- Nation-wide Suffrage Favorably Reported: Vote in Senate Next Session. The New York Times, September 14, 1917: 9. (Library Database: The New York Times, 1857-1922)
Use the UM library catalog link to access the above resources; limited to current UM faculty, staff, students, and other authenticated users.