On Tuesday, Sept.22, the High Library led a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with a panel discussion held over Zoom titled “Women’s Suffrage in the U.S.: Reflections on the 100 Year Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.” This panel included political science professors Dr. Fletcher McClellan and Dr. April Kelly-Woessner, Philadelphia Republican Representative Martina White, and Democratic politician from Lancaster Christina Hartman. It was co-moderated by senior Matthew Smith and librarian Joshua Cohen.
The event was centered around celebrating and reflecting on the legacy of the historic amendment and women getting involved in politics. It was more of an educational event, but the conversation was entertaining, and the underlying message behind the 19th Amendment brought hope and motivation. There was time at the end for attendees to ask questions and gain more insight of the significance of women gaining the right to vote and its impact on society today.
Women gaining the right to vote was a major historical moment that is worth celebrating. When asked about the amendment’s importance, Cohen pointed out that it was a major stepping stone in women’s rights and equality because it was “their first major victory.”
McClellan focused on the amendment’s effect on politics.
“Without it, we wouldn’t have female presidential or vice-presidential candidates, members of Congress, Cabinet members, governors, legislators or other public officials,” he said.
Kelly-Woessner agreed that gaining the right to vote for women was the main goal of the 19th Amendment, but she also saw other important lessons coming from it.
“The 19th Amendment is a reminder that motivated groups of individuals can work to change the U.S. Constitution in ways that extends rights and liberties to previously marginalized groups,” she said.
While the 19th Amendment was the main focus of the evening, other topics were discussed as well. The recent passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg was covered, as well as race issues, recent protests, the Equal Rights Act and the #MeToo movement. Sexism was also addressed as White and Hartman talked about their experiences as women in and around politics.
McClellan hopes attendees gained “an appreciation for the tremendous, 70-year struggle of the suffragists to amend the Constitution” and an awareness of the movement’s impact on “the strategies and tactics used by social movements today.”
Kelly-Woessner agreed and said she hopes those in attendance walked away with “an appreciation for the fact that the expansion of rights and freedoms to new groups has generated opposition from those who are threatened by change to the distribution of power and resources in society.”
Cohen summarized it well by saying he hoped the panel discussion gave “participants the opportunity…to reflect on that history” and how “that history is still relevant today.”
This may have been a conversation between people of different backgrounds and in different fields, but the one thing they had in common was their appreciation of all the 19th Amendment and all it has done.
