Well, good evening. Welcome to the william g. Mcgowan theater at the National Archives. Im debra wall. Deputy archivist of the United States and im pleased you could join us for tonights program, whether youre here in the theater or joining us through facebook, youtube, or cspan. Tonights discussion of womens suffragists and the men who supported them, the suffragents is part of the series events related to our current exhibit, rightfully hers, american women and the vote. Our partners are the 2020 womens Vote Centennial Initiative, and the one woman one vote 2020 festival, and we thank them for their support. Our special exhibit, rightfully hers, tells the story of womens struggle for Voting Rights, to secure these rights women activists had to win allies among men and influential positions. It was men who sat in the state legislatures that would ratify or reject the 19th amendment. Whose centennial we now celebrate. When rightfully hers opened in our Lawrence Obrien gallery last may,
Mcgowin theater at the National Archives. Im debra wall, deputy archivist for the United States and im pleased you can join us whether youre here in the theater or joining us through facebook, youtube, or cspan. Tonights discussion of women suffragists and the men who supported them, the suffragents is part of our series rightfully hers american women and the vote. Our partners are the 2020 womens vote seicentennial initiative and the one woman one vote initiative. Our story tells the story of womens struggle for Voting Rights. To secure these rights, women activists had to win allies in men in influential positions. It was men who sat in the state legislatures that would ratify or reject the amendment. When rightfully hers opened in our Lawrence Obrien gallery last may, guests at the opening reception were offered a yellow rose pin as they entered the museum. That evoked the badges worn by men. This nod to the role that men played came as something of a surprise. So, tonight were goin
Next, on q a, author elaine weiss talks about her book, the womens hour. Later the contenders features window wilkie Wendell Wilkie who ran against president was built in 1940. Also programming on kamala harris. Elaine weiss discusses her book, the womans hour, about the. Leadup to the ratification of the 19th amendment to the u. S. Constitution on august 18, 1920, that granted women the right to vote. Host elaine weiss, i want to start our conversation on the centennial of womens suffrage with coverage of some you talk about in your book, the womans hour. My mother was a college student, student of International Affairs who took a an interest in public issues. She could not vote yet that tenant farmers on our farm, some of whom were illiterate could vote. Host who was harry byrne and why does he play a central role in your story . Guest Harry Thomas Byrne was the youngest legislator in the tennessee General Assembly in 1920. He was a freshman delegate. He was up for reelection in the
Amendment. Today our new exhibit, rightfully hers, american women and the vote, opened up stair in the lawrence f. Obrien gallery. This exhibit is a corner stone of our sentenal celebration of the 19th amendment. Which gave women the right to vote. The 19th amendment is rightfully celebrated as a major milestone made possible by decades of suffrage relentless Political Engagement and one critical piece of the larger story of womens battle for the vote. Rightfully hers begins with the suffrage that doesnt end with the 19th amendments ratification. The final section examines the Immediate Impact and the voting right struggles that persisted into modern day. And corrine porter, stand up, is the curator of that exhibit. [ applause ] one of the goals of the exhibit is to recognize both the broad diversity of suffrage activists and the many bases on which american women have been barred from voting. As susan ware does in why they march the exhibit looks beyond the familiar names such as susa
Amendments ratification. The final section examines both the Immediate Impact and the struggles that went into modern day. And we have the curator of that exhibit. [ applause ] one of the goals is to recognize the broad diversity of suffrage activists and the many b bases which american women have been barred for voting. The exhibit looks beyond the familiar names such as susan b. Anthony and others and brings to our attention activists from a variety of backgrounds showing that the cause of suffrage was advanced by american women across race, ethnicity and class. Susan ware, a pioneer and a leading feminist biographer is the author and editor of numerous books including american womens history, still missing, Amelia Earheart and letter to the world, seven women who shaped the american century. Educated at Wellesley College and Harvard University shes taught at New York University and harvard where she served as editor of the biographical dictionary, notable american women. Since 2012,