Commemorate women’s suffrage this summer

This fall, millions of women across the country will cast ballots in the general election.

A century ago? Life was much different. Women were organizing meetings, campaigns and other grassroots efforts to fight for equal voting rights.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment, which was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. Each year, on Aug. 26, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated to commemorate the amendment that ensures voting can’t be denied to U.S. citizens on the basis of sex.

While COVID-19 has derailed many centennial plans, several exhibits and events are taking place over the next few weeks to recognize the history of women’s suffrage.

It’s important that all locals know how much has changed over the past century, and recognize the individuals and events that made it happen.

In Bartholomew County, the first two women to register to vote were Elizabeth “Lizzy” Hubbard and Fannie Davis Johnson.

Earlier this month, the traveling exhibit “Securing the Vote: Women’s Suffrage in Indiana” stopped in Columbus to highlight various parts of the movement — including the efforts in Bartholomew County.

One part of the presentation featured Miranda Hinman, who presided at the first suffrage meeting held in Columbus in 1882 and also spoke at Indiana’s women’s suffrage convention that year.

Another part of the display showed how national speakers came to Columbus to fight for women’s rights. In 1879, Susan B. Anthony gave a speech “that was sarcastic at times” at a local event, according to The Republican newspaper.

In the Oct. 10, 1879 edition of The Republican, an article criticized the famed activist’s speech.

“Miss Susan B. Anthony does not seem to regard suffrage as a boon in itself, but only as a means to an end, and if the same end could be attained without suffrage, would not be desirable,” the article says. “She makes a very plausible argument, and it could be unanswerable were it not based on a wrong assumption: That woman is suffering some great wrong that needs to be righted, or that she has certain rights that can only be protected by the ballot. But the fact is, woman is not in any such condition, and Miss Anthony’s illustrations entirely failed to prove that she is, and any argument, based on such an assumption, is necessarily defective.”

Thankfully, the article’s opinions were proved wrong.

Those are just a few of the many women who made a major impact on women’s voting rights locally.

A pair of upcoming events aims to educate the public, and celebrate the suffrage movement, further.

A women’s suffrage presentation will take place on Sept. 26 in Hope, starting at the Yellow Trail Museum. The general gathering will begin at 10 a.m. with creating the traditional votes-for-women sashes. Museum volunteers are encouraging girls to bring their dolls to make sashes for them. They’re also encouraging people to visit in costume.

On Sept. 19, a one-hour car parade will start at 12:30 p.m. in Columbus. The event, organized by the new, local, non-partisan group Centennial Suffrage Society will travel from IUPUC to Mill Race Center in decorated vehicles.

Take the time to learn about the past, so we can continue to fight for a more equal future.