Elmhurst Pop-Up Exhibits Celebrate 19th Amendment

Elmhurst IL

19 August, 2020

5:03 PM

Description

Most Americans consider the ability to vote fundamental to the enjoyment of full citizenship in this country. However, American women were long denied that right until 1920 when the newly ratified 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited states from denying the vote on the basis of sex. The story of women's suffrage is a story of voting rights, of inclusion in and exclusion from the franchise, and of our evolution as a nation. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of this landmark voting rights victory, the Elmhurst History Museum, located at 120 E. Park Ave. in downtown Elmhurst, presents two pop-up exhibits and an upcoming online first-person history presentation to commemorate the hard-fought struggle and the radical change the 19th Amendment made in our country. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence "Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence," a poster exhibition from the Smithsonian, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment by exploring the complexity of the women's suffrage movement and the relevance of this history to Americans' lives today. Based on the National Portrait Gallery exhibition of the same name, "Votes for Women" seeks to expand understanding of the suffrage movement in the U.S. This small-scale version of the exhibit addresses women's political activism, explores the racism that challenged universal suffrage, and documents the ratification of the 19th Amendment. 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. The exhibit is located in the Elmhurst History Museum's second floor gallery. Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote Outside on the lawn near the front entrance of the Elmhurst History Museum, visitors and passersby can view a display entitled "Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote," an exhibit from the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. Also created to commemorate the passing of the 19th Amendment, "Rightfully Hers" highlights the relentless struggle of diverse activists throughout U.S. history to secure voting rights for all American women. This four-panel display is a smaller version of the full-scale exhibition on display this year at the National Archives Museum. Alice Paul: Winning Votes for Women Alice Paul (1885-1977) was a dynamic suffragist leader who used radical techniques and strategies to help win American women the right to vote in 1920. The museum will host first-person presenter and historian Leslie Goddard who will give a dramatic portrayal of this amazing feminist, activist, and important figure in U.S. This online program starts on September 27 and will be available through October 11, 2020 at elmhusthistory.org (in the Programs section). Celebrate women's right to vote and the fight for justice along with the Elmhurst History Museum. Both exhibits will be on display through September 20, 2020. Admission is free. Registration is required to enter the museum and can be made online at elmhursthistory.org, and face masks must be worn at all times. For more information, call 630-833-1457 or visit the Museum's web site at elmhursthistory.org.