New CT Exhibit Looks Back at Women Earning Right to Vote, 100 Years Ago

In honor of the 100th anniversary year of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which not only gave women the right to vote, but ensured their access to the political process and opened doors for them to achieve their educational, economic, and civic goals, the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF) and the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) have collaborated, with the support of CT Humanities, to develop a new banner exhibit, entitled "Rise Up, Sisters!"

The exhibit – which is traveling to communities across the state - includes six freestanding panels that uncover the history of women’s suffrage in the U.S. from 1830’s to 1920.  During January, the exhibit will be on display in Greenwich and Hartford.  Admission is free. 

This display chronicles the diverse group of Connecticut women who were instrumental in the movement for woman suffrage, according to CWHF. The banners tell many different stories, from the Smith sisters of Glastonbury who spoke up about injustices against women and helped to spark others to follow in their footsteps, to Alice Paul, who put her life on the line to force the issue on a national level and whose tenacity helped to sway public opinion in the final hours.

“The ‘Rise Up Sisters’ banner project will share the stories of Connecticut suffragists so that all people can draw inspiration and courage from them, as well as learn from their stories, their triumphs, and the mistakes that were made,” said CWHF Executive Director Sarah Smith Lubarsky.

Upcoming exhibit locations:

• YWCA Greenwich - January 17-24

• Capital Community College, Hartford - January 22-30

• Windsor Public Library - February 3-14

• Hamden League of Women Voters - February 21-24

• East Hartford Public Library - March 2-13

• Cragin Memorial Library, Colchester - March 16-27

The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame is an educational outreach organization whose mission is to honor publicly the achievement of Connecticut women, preserve their stories, educate the public and inspire the continued achievements of women and girls.  It operates from the campus of Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. Annual induction ceremonies, held each October in Hartford, are the traditional centerpiece of the year, and various educational programs, curriculum and lectures are also offered.

The newly developed panels are available for loan free of charge to libraries, schools, civic groups, women’s groups, and other organizations across the state, throughout the 2020 observance and therafter. There are two identical sets of panels, so they can be exhibited in two locations in the state simultaneously.

The educational material highlighted on the panels include a focus on the early suffragists, gradual voting rights, civil disobedience, opposition to the suffragist movement, and initiatives by women of color.  Key leaders from Connecticut in the effort are also featured.

“As we approach the upcoming Suffrage Centennial, Connecticut Humanities encourages organizations to explore our state’s role in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment and its impact and lasting legacy on our communities,” said Jason Mancini, Executive Director of Connecticut Humanities.

Partners in the project have included Connecticut Historical Society, CT Humanities, League of Women Voters - CT, Project Graphics, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, CT State Library, and the Connecticut Bar Association.

“The Connecticut Historical Society is excited to work with the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame on this new exhibition which raises awareness of the Connecticut women who fought to achieve voting equality,” says Rob Kret, CEO of the Connecticut Historical Society. “This project will bring our visitors triumphant stories while also examining the complexities, such as racial inequalities, of the women’s suffrage movement."

Organizations or communities interested in hosting the educational banners should contact Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Programs Coordinator, Julia Hladky, at programs@cwhf.org.  In conjunction with the banner exhibit, the CWHF has written a new “Votes for Women” presentation for its Talks on the Road series for adults and a “Votes for Women” school program. All of the Hall’s school programs include primary source materials, follow Common Core and state educational standards, and include the Inquiry Arc that sparks discussion and student engagement.

According to officials, the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame “fills the void that traditional curricula still fails to address and, today stands as the state’s premier source for Connecticut women’s history, with 125 Inductees. These women’s lives and accomplishments are celebrated and documented through a wide spectrum of innovative statewide programs, which we offer to Connecticut citizens.”

Connecticut is one of only seven states to have a Women’s Hall of Fame, and the only one in New England.  The National Women’s Hall of Fame is located in Seneca Falls, N.Y. and will be reopening in a new location in that city in the Spring.