• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

 Homepage

100 Years of Votes for Women

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Suffrage100MA History
    • Contact Us
    • Annual Reports
    • Work With Us!
  • Partners
    • Becoming a Partner (PDF)
    • Partner Application Form
    • Our Partners
  • Resources
    • Suffrage Centennial Resources
    • The Fight For Women’s Suffrage: Looking Back, Marching Forward! Film
    • The Suffrage Centennial Display Panel Project
    • Did You Know?
      • The Boston Protest of 1919
      • Featured Suffragists
        • Ida B. Wells
        • Alice Paul
        • Sojourner Truth
        • Jeannette Rankin
        • Elizabeth Cady Stanton
      • Silent Sentinels
      • Suffragist or Suffragette?
      • Women’s Rights Quiz
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Save the Date: Gala June 14, 2023
    • Massachusetts & Beyond
    • Virtual Events
    • MA Suffrage Markers
      • Sarah E. Wall Women’s Suffrage Marker in Worcester
      • Remond Family Suffrage Marker Unveiling in Salem
      • Anne L. Page Women’s Suffrage Marker Unveiling
    • Celebrating Women’s Equality Day at the Swan Boats
      • Women’s Equality Day 2022
      • Women’s Equality Day 2021
      • Women’s Equality Day 2019
      • Women’s Equality Day 2018
      • Women’s Equality Day 2017
    • Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Celebration
      • Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Celebration Slideshow
      • Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Invitation
    • Film Screenings
      • The Divine Order
      • Hidden Figures
      • Suffragette
      • Iron Jawed Angels
    • Forums and Presentations
      • I Want to Go to Jail
      • The Equal Rights Amendment, Why Now?
      • The Woman Behind the New Deal
      • Women’s Leadership Forum
      • A Woman’s Place Is at the Top
    • Marches and Rallies
      • Pride Celebrations
      • Tournament of Roses Parade 2020
      • Suffrage100MA Joins Boston Women’s March for America 2017
  • Media
    • In The News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters to Our Community
    • Press Releases
  • Vote
  • Donate
    • Donation History
      • Donation Confirmation
      • Donation Failed
Home » Media » Letters to Our Community » Suffragists for #BlackLivesMatter

Suffragists for #BlackLivesMatter

June 5, 2020 By Kevin Gilnack

Dear Suffrage100MA Community,

Ben Crump, Attorney for the family of George Floyd, spoke before crowds the other day and asked everyone to “just take a breath.” He asked that we just take a breath for George Floyd and he went on to name one by one by one many of the enumerable Black and Brown people who have lost their lives in just the past few years as a result of police violence. Attorney Crump also asked that we take a breath for our country and heal. We are heartbroken and have been reflecting on anti-blackness and our work as Suffrage100MA to commemorate the suffrage movement. (See NY Times Op-Ed , June 4, 2020, “Opinion: Call It What It Is: Anti-Blackness” by Dr. Kihana Miraya Ross)

We are painfully aware that the suffrage movement over its 72+ year history included much anti-blackness despite the origins of the movement that began with dedicated abolitionists who became suffragists. African American suffragists all over the country worked tirelessly for the 19th Amendment, yet Jim Crow laws in the South prevented African American women and men from voting, and we aim to center their stories as we commemorate the 19th Amendment.

Black Lives Matter. And our goal is to create a unified and inclusive commemoration so everyone learns all aspects of suffrage history. We hope that amplifying all of these stories will inspire everyone – men included – to appreciate and exercise their right to vote.

People of color have been continually reminding White people that they need to ‘do the work’ before they come to the table to work together. Doing the work means acknowledging White privilege, learning the history of racism in our country and working in solidarity with people of color to create an equitable society. This starts with educating ourselves and the work discussed above is part of our effort to do so. Our goal is to increase representation of diverse communities with respect to all aspects of our organization.

The horrific murder of George Floyd has reminded this country of the similar murders of Black and Brown people that have occurred without repercussions, accountability or justice. Current protests against police brutality and our country’s history of systemic racism further the legacy of the abolition, suffrage and civil rights movements which fought to create a just society.

As we relook at our own work we see the need for including more history, particularly about more people of color and are actively working to research and share these stories and invite you to join us. While we have more work to do, visit our resources page on our website to learn more about African American suffragists, read our May Newsletter The Suffragist highlighting Asian American suffragists, and follow our regular social media posts highlighting many women of color. 

On behalf of the Suffrage100MA Board of Directors – 
With deep appreciation to all of you for being on this journey with us, 

Fredie Kay
Founder & President, Suffrage100MA

Filed Under: Letters to Our Community, Media

Footer

Stay in Touch with Suffrage100MA -
Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Support Suffrage100MA

 

Stay in Touch with Suffrage100MA -
Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 · Women's Suffrage Celebration Coalition · Site by Tech-Tamer· Log in

Suffragists Support #StopAsianHate

March 2021

Dear Suffrage100MA Community,

Suffrage100MA stands with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community and grieves for the eight victims recently murdered in Georgia, six of whom were women of Asian descent.  Carry the victims in your hearts, light candles for them, learn about their lives:  Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Ziaojie Tan, Delaina Yaun and Young Ae Yue.

The words of this song from the 1949 musical “South Pacific” are more applicable than ever:

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.

“You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” was a highly controversial song, but thankfully, ultimately included in the show. The song was written to address racism against Asians and all people.  The character Lt. Cable, a Caucasian man who has fallen in love with an Asian woman, is distressed by the prejudice against interracial couples and racism in general, sang the song after saying the words “…racism is not born in you! It happens after you’re born…”

James Taylor recorded the song in Nov. 2020.

We must work to end the racism that is “…drummed in your dear little ear…”

In 2020, hate crimes against Asian Americans are up almost 150 percent.  Discrimination against the Asian community has existed in this country since Asians arrived in the late 19th century.  Asians faced discrimination against dignity and equality, and were denied citizenship and the right to vote until the middle of the 20thcentury. After the 19th Amendment was adopted extending the vote to women, discriminatory laws prevented Asian Americans, Native Americans and African Americans from voting for decades and today the crisis for voter accessibility is growing.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “In a backlash to historic voter turnout in the 2020 general election, and grounded in a rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities, legislators have introduced well over four times the number of bills to restrict voting access as compared to roughly this time last year. Thirty-three states have introduced, prefiled, or carried over 165 restrictive bills this year (as compared to 35 such bills in fifteen states on February 3, 2020).”

Suffrage100MA is committed to increasing accessibility to the ballot and inspiring voters to exercise their right to vote by sharing the history of those who fought bravely, sometimes losing their lives, for decades and across centuries, to secure the vote.  Let us each recognize the power and importance of voting to express one’s voice

On behalf of the Suffrage100MA Board of Directors –
With deep appreciation to all of you for being on this journey with us,

Fredie Kay
Founder & President, Suffrage100MA