Suffrage100MA Newsletters & Open Letters

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, our work to honor the suffragist’s legacy and our commitment to voting is more important than ever. In the last week, voting has been interrupted in seven states: Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio. Those states have had to postpone their presidential primary elections due to the Coronavirus and more news is coming out every hour.

In Massachusetts, four special primary elections are scheduled to take place on March 31st. We urge you to read the release by Suffrage100MA Partner MassVOTE regarding its support of efforts by Senate President Spilka, House Speaker DeLeo, and town and city clerks to postpone those elections due to the dangers posed by COVID-19.

This is a crisis none of us have experienced in our lifetimes, and the months ahead will be difficult. We are incredibly grateful to have been able to travel around the Commonwealth participating in forty-six suffrage centennial events sponsored by our Partners and others this year already!

As we get closer to the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, anticipation and excitement are building as more and more organizations across the Commonwealth are hosting activities that highlight the indefatigable women – and men – who often risked much to obtain the right to vote for women. We are honored to be working with local and national organizations to share the powerful and inspiring stories of the suffragists.

February is Black History Month and the history of the intersection of gender and race in the women’s suffrage movement was difficult and complicated. Check out insightful suffrage-related Black History Month resources and learn about our special upcoming event, “I Want to Go to Jail” in this edition of our newsletter!

Election Day is tomorrow! If you haven’t already voted, be sure to vote tomorrow. The Massachusetts polls will be open from 7am-8pm. Information on where to vote, what’s on your ballot, and the LWV Massachusetts Voters’ Guide is available on our website. Learn more and check out highlights from our 2018 Women’s Equality Day commemoration at the Swan Boats in this edition of our newsletter.

The next two years will bring many major milestones commemorating the final push to pass and then ratify the 19th Amendment. We hope that you will join us in this compelling, and often exhilarating, journey as we commemorate and learn more about the indefatigable women – and men! – who often risked much to obtain the right to vote for women. We are excited to be working with local and national organizations to share the fascinating and inspiring story of the suffragists!