August 2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, also known as Women's Suffrage. Activities are taking place across the nation, and libraries and museums are playing a key role.
Exhibits
Aurora Women's Hall of Fame
Opens March 3
Aurora History Museum
In conjunction with the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the amendment that granted the right to vote for women across the country, the Aurora History Museum is featuring an exhibit on the great women of Aurora's history. The display will profile the Aurora Colorado Women's Hall of Fame organization as well as the twelve women honored by this hall of fame. Please join us in celebrating the great and influential women of Aurora featured in this exhibit.
Voices of Women Reflecting on the 19th Amendment
June 2 - Nov. 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Library
Tallyn's Reach Library
The Aurora's Art in Public Places (AIPP) program is planning a special exhibition commemorating this anniversary. AIPP invited 10 local women artists from diverse backgrounds and asked them the question, "What Does the 19th Amendment Mean to You?".
The exhibition will be presented in two parts at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library and at the Tallyn's Reach Library. After several weeks, the works will rotate from one location to the other.
For further information please contact Art in Public Places [email protected].
Battle for the Ballot: Women's Suffrage in Colorado
June 2 - Nov. 1
Aurora History Museum
The Aurora History Museum will feature an exhibit celebrating women's history in Colorado and in Aurora. "The Battle for the Ballot: Women's Suffrage in Colorado," will provide key historical context for women's rights in the 19th century, profile the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, highlight key women in Colorado's history and give significant attention to Aurora's women of today.
Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote
Oct. - Nov.
Tallyn's Reach Library
Mission Viejo Library
Most Americans consider the ability to vote fundamental to the enjoyment of full citizenship. American women, however, were long denied that right. In 1920, American democracy dramatically expanded when the newly ratified 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited the states from denying the vote on the basis of sex.
This landmark voting rights victory was made possible by decades of suffragists' persistent political engagement, and yet it is just one critical milestone in women's battle for the vote. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote highlights the relentless struggle of diverse activists throughout U.S. history to secure voting rights for all American women. The Rightfully Hers pop-up display was created by the National Archives.
Programs
UNC Opera Presents: "The Mother of Us All" and Other Excerpts
March 10, 11 a.m.
Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E Colfax Ave
Free. Registration required.
The University of Northern Colorado Opera Theater celebrates the centennial of the 19th Amendment by performing works about the Women's Suffrage movement by composers who were part of the movement as well as excerpts from Virgil Thompson's "The Mother of Us All", an opera about women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony.
REGISTER ONLINE
The Road to Suffrage
June 17, Noon to 1 p.m.
Aurora History Museum
$4 ($3 non-resident)
Aurora Historical Society Members: Free
CU Denver Professor Rebecca Hunt speaks about the events that led up to Colorado's historic suffrage vote, including the failed referendum to give Colorado women the vote in 1877.
Votes for Women Story Time & Garden Party
Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to Noon
Centennial House
Join us for a story time program followed by a small garden party to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment.
Voices of Women's Suffrage Tea Time
Aug. 29, 2-3:30 p.m.
Aurora History Museum
$28 ($25 Museum Foundation Members) Light luncheon and performance
$12 Performance only
Hear from historic members of the women's suffrage movement in the United States. Actors perform pieces by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Ida B. Wells, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and more.
Women's Vote Centennial Colorado
As the first state to enact equal suffrage through popular vote-on November 7, 1893-Colorado has a lot to commemorate as we recognize the amendment's progress and rally together for greater empowerment and equality.
In anticipation of the centennial, former governor John Hickenlooper signed an executive order creating the Women's Vote Centennial Commission. The Commission and History Colorado lead efforts, together with community partners statewide, to bridge the gap from recognizing the importance of history to understanding how it impacts the here and now.
The Women's Vote Centennial Colorado // 2020 gives multi-generational audiences the opportunity to learn about the journey and struggle to achieve voting rights, understand the contributions of women in Colorado history, and underscore the value of each of our voices with the right to vote.
Visit their website to find out more.