Tag Archives: suffrage centennials

SuffrageCentennials.com is one year old in 2014: Happy Birthday!

Suffrage Centennials is celebrating its first birthday in 2014. Check out the video and follow us on Twitter and email subscription. Video is posted on YouTube with about 40 educational videos highlighting the suffrage movement.

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What’s a suffrage centennial without a pot of hot tea?

The suffrage movement activists relied on tea parties and receptions to build their movement, both in the US, England and other parts of the world. With this in mind, it’s fascinating to find a tea company in India building a mass social movement using tea advertising and worthy causes. And women voters are the target audience. With ongoing  suffrage centennials in two states (Montana and Nevada), the urge to plan an upcoming state centennial for New York in 2017 and the national suffrage centennial in 2020, it’s only common sense to start planning now.

Tea parties and receptions are perfect for suffrage celebrations in your own home and community. Ken Florey has a two-part series on the importance of tea parties and receptions in the suffrage movement. Take a look: Part #1. Part #2. Did you know that suffrage leader Alice Paul had a teahouse, the Grated Door, in Washington, DC.? Watch a video about picketing the White House and the importance of taking time at the Grated Door to unwind. Why all the focus on tea? Teas are still important fundraisers for women’s organizations and those organizations promoting women’s history today. And the internet has vintage cookbooks from the suffrage movement that are fascinating to use for reference. Join others who are gearing up to rock the “Cradle” of the U.S. women’s rights movement on LetsRockTheCradle.com 

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For the suffrage centennial, a variety of Montana activists share the spotlight

The Montana suffrage centennial activists are taking every opportunity to blow their bugles to announce some of the fabulous Montana women who put their lives on the line for equality and freedom. You can subscribe to the postings and be introduced to some of these individuals. Ella Knowles, known as the “Portia of the People,” is featured, and what she faced as an attorney is an eyeopener. When she started out as an attorney, she couldn’t take the bar exam because Montana law prevented women from doing so. She pressed the point and won. About fifty women were licensed to practice law by 1890 across the nation. The Montana suffrage web site has Ella’s life and accomplishments summarized, in addition to considerably more information. Follow Montana. It’s determined to get out the word in its suffrage centennial subscription series, “Women’s History Matters.” The Montana Historical Society is a driving force in the 2014 suffrage centennial and the impact is being noticed. During Women’s History Month, for example, these stories of Montana women are been diverse and fascinating.

A few examples during March that views the state’s women’s in the context of an ongoing social revolution: “Nannie Alderson: Pioneer Ranchwoman”(March 4); “Feminism Personified: Judy Smith and the Women’s Movement” (March 6); “Julia Ereaux Schultz, Health Advocate and Cultural Champion” (March 11); “Elizabeth Clare Prophet, the Church Universal and Triumphant, and the Creation of Utopia in Montana’s Paradise Valley” (March 13); “Behind Every Man: Nancy Cooper Russell” (March 18); “Legalized Midwifery: Montana Leads the Way” (March 20); “Men Were My Friends, but Women Were My Cause”: The Career and Feminism of Frances Edge” (March 25); “A ‘Compassionate Heart’ and ‘Keen Mind’: The Life of Doctor Caroline McGill” (March 27).

Follow SuffrageCentennials.com for news, views and updates.

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A handy kit to celebrate Women’s History Month from the National Women’s History Project

Perplexed about how to celebrate Women’s History Month in March? The National Women’s History Project has items galore to decorate, educate, and lay the bases for having fun. It’s not necessary for it to be your suffrage centennial year. When Women’s History Month or week or day or whatever comes around, take advantage of it for a party or tea reception or fundraiser. The National Women’s History Project has kits; items can be purchased separately, such as the 2014 Gazette ($10 for 25 copies), plus balloons and pencils and books and games, and so on.

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Suffrage centennial celebrations depend on Women’s History Month observances

If you’re interested in suffrage centennials, whether for sport, pleasure, for educational purposes, a suffrage centennial gets its juice and its momentum from special observances of women’s history. The date may be different in countries around the world, but the ritual and significance is enhanced by becoming aware of Women’s History Month or other observances such as International Women’s Day. The deeper and rich significance of these celebrations is particularly meaningful when there’s a message of struggle and freedom won by women. It’s all too common for centennial celebrations to be no more than a flash in the pan in a world overrun with images and messages. Don’t lose heart. There are increasingly more events and celebrations. The internet has many resources, including an excellent resource from the Library of Congress with a teacher’s guide, primary documents, and images. This link has valuable course outlines actually used in college and university programs. Dust off your teapot and invite people over for a special tea party with home-baked goodies. Don’t let Women’s History Month (March) or International Women’s Day (March 8) pass without some special recognition!

 

 

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Suffrage centennials are hot!

The word is just getting around about how hot suffrage centennials can be. A great example is the aftermath of the 2013 suffrage centennial honoring English suffragette and martyr Emily Davison. The 2013 centennial of her dramatic death received considerable attention. And the observance isn’t over yet, now that’s there’s a wider audience. Suffrage centennials honor the past, and they are opportunities to weave in the present day and a vision for the future. On February 13, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Jubilee Room, Houses of Parliament in London, the play “To Freedom’s Cause” will be performed, along with a debate about the influence of Davison’s legacy on feminism today.

Supporters will be invited to sign a petition to erect a statue in Parliament and the debate will be opened on Twitter, using the hashtag #Emilymatters.

“To Freedom’s Cause,” was premiered in 2013 at the time of the Davison centennial. For more information, check with play creator Kate Willoughby who calls herself “a temporary suffragette,” and someone who has fallen in love with Emily Davison’s story. The play lays out the powerful tale of the people who came into contact with Emily, those who changed her life and whose lives she changed. Music and song are important elements. The suffragettes were known for their singing. It helped to keep their spirits up during the long spells of imprisonment.

Notes Kate Willoughby: “Emily’s final, iconic act involved the King’s jockey, Herbert Jones. A celebrated sportsman at the peak of his career, Herbert’s life would decades afterwards end in tragedy. However, Herbert’s later life has often been misrepresented and so in “To Freedom’s Cuase’ I seek to redress this.

“Over the years there has been a great deal of speculation about Emily’s motivation for stopping Anmer, the King’s horse: Was it suicide?  Was it naïve?  Or was it just an accident?  ‘To Freedom’s Cause’ offers some insight into the exact truth of the situation.

“Working on ‘To Freedom’s Cause’ has been a labour of love and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me develop this fresh retelling of Emily Wilding Davison’s story. A fun-loving, vivacious woman, whose courage, in the face of adversity, can inspire us all.”

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Montana is raring to go with its suffrage centennial celebration in 2014!

The Montana women are calling their suffrage centennial, “Women’s History Matters.” And with photos from the Montana Historical Society, they’ve come roaring around the bend with a great web site and a year’s program for all of us to look forward to. Martha Kohl, who’s heading up the year-long observance, said that an experience at several recent conferences really turned her head aorund. She asked audience members to write down the names of five Montana women in the 19th and 20th century. This was a challnge. Is it because there were no Montana women who could be distinguished for anything? Hardly. And this is precisely what “Women’s History Matters” will be setting out to correct. For more information.

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Youth plant tree to honor suffrage centennial of suffragette Emily Davison

Teignbridge youth parliament members have planted a tree to honor the suffrage centennial of activist Emily Davison’s death. The controversial act of Davison throwing herself in front of the King’s horse to draw attention to an injustice has fascinated people in the UK, especially in this 100th year since Davison’s death. There have been numerous womens suffrage exhibits, performances, demonstrations, books and films associated with this suffrage centennial. This tree planting is yet another example of the attention being showered on this important part of English history. Tree planting was an important part of the suffrage movement. The women who served hard prison time for the cause were encouraged to plant a fir tree at Eagle House near Bath. Only one of these trees remain. For more information: #1. #2.

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Suffrage celebrants in New Zealand, please move over!

As New Zealand celebrates its 120th anniversary of women voting, the awareness of a contender is putting suffrage centennials on notice. Those in New Zealand’s government take the 120th anniversary seriously with special events and programming. However, the Pacific island of Pitcairn claims the position of the first country granting women the right to vote 175 years ago in 1838. So women’s suffrage fans, take note. It boils down to the definition of “country,” as to which nation holds the distinction of being the first. Pitcairn claims that being a territory of the UK still entitles it to be called a country. And on November 29th they held their suffrage celebration with the men of the island preparing a feast for the women while greetings and best wishes poured in from all over the world. Pitcairn has 19 women and 17 men of voting age. Most of the island’s inhabitants are descendants of sailors who staged a mutiny on a British ship in 1789.

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Centennial year of destruction of Margaret Fuller memorial on Long Island

Margaret FullerOne hundred years ago a huge storm on the Long Island coast destroyed the memorial erected to author, reporter, activist Margaret Fuller. She was an important influence to the suffragists of Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s generations and many women after that.  If there was a film to be made between now and 2020 (the centennial of women voting in the US), it should be about Margaret Fuller. Several excellent books have been published in the last few years to reviews of acclaim. Commentators note that Margaret Fuller’s story has romance, great characters, and all the elements of a good film, as well as having the potential of being a significant contribution to American history. The only problem is that not many people know about Margaret Fuller, and a potential film doesn’t fit the action genre. There are no car crashes, but there is a boat wreck at the end. Margaret not only rubbed elbows with Horace Greeley, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Emerson, but they admired her mind and ideas and benefitted from knowing her. Several called her an inspiration.

So the idea of a film is out there circulating around. Anyone taking it on will have an uphill project, and a great film in the end. Another possibility is re-establishing the memorial to Margaret Fuller. A memorial to Margaret was established on the Long Island coastline at the turn of the 20th century, and it was destroyed in a big storm in 1913. So, it’s the centennial of the wrecking of the memorial. Seems like this could go on someone’s “to do” list for the upcoming 2017 New York State suffrage centennial. Raising money for some sort of a memorial would go a long way to bringing Margaret’s story to life if no one steps up to the challenge of a film about Margaret Fuller. And it would be a draw on Long Island for visitors and cultural tourism.

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