2020 Centennial: What’s on Your Event Calendar?

By Kim Medley

November 2, 1920 was a day for mothers and daughters to exercise the right so many had fought to secure. Although they may not have held a big party to celebrate, or even talk about that historic day, these women made history as they cast their vote and finally had their voices heard.

Women’s Equality Day 2018 set in motion a series of events which has culminated in an effort by American Association of University Women (AAUW) – Flagler County Branch to identify the first women of Flagler County, Florida who registered and voted on November 2, 1920. To date, the branch has identified the names of 177 women, including the names of 50 African-American women, who registered to vote in 1920.

In an effort to learn more, AAUW Flagler organized a search for descendants of these women. To date, nineteen descendants have reached out through meetings and social media and have identified 34 of the women listed in 1920 as their ancestors. This project garnered local media attention; and as a result, Dr. Tracy Halcomb, Professor and Internship Coordinator for Flagler College, and producer of Cracking Aces, contacted AAUW Flagler about filming a documentary of the project.

AAUW Flagler has formed a committee to develop a series of events leading up to August 26, 2020. By following guidelines and suggestions in “2018 Women’s Vote Centennial Initiative Toolkit”.

The following events are being shared in an effort to offer assistance to any branch trying to develop ideas to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment. Although the list outlines a series of events leading to August 26, 2020, branches can easily adopt just a few ideas for programs and/or events. Make sure you follow Facebook Notes for a series of smaller articles that break down each idea.

Suggested Ideas to Celebrate

  • Consider an Essay Contest for Middle and High School students. An AAUW Florida Essay Packet is already available on the website.
  • How about a skit?? AAUW Flagler took a script written by one of its members from a few years ago and added Florida and Flagler to the Suffrage Story. You can easily customize the script for your branch, or, you can use the original script.
  • Work with your local library for a Women’s Suffrage book display. Gather books from the library’s selection and create a month-long display to encourage patrons to learn more about the 72-year-long battle.
  • Organize your reading group with books about the suffrage movement. Organize a community “Reads Together” program and select a book like “The Woman’s Hour”.
  • Do you have a local suffragist? Has she been recognized by the Women’s Hall of Fame? Consider the application process for the Women’s Hall of Fame in Tallahassee, Florida.
  • Coordinate with a local college and host a showing of a suffragist movie such as Iron Jawed Angels.
  • Decorate a holiday tree and feature decorations that honor local suffrage history.
  • Highlight suffrage in March during Women’s History Month.
  • Organize a reading of the Declaration of Sentiments, to commemorate its first reading at Seneca Falls, July 19-20, 1848.
  • Host an EqualiTEA to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment. Invite elected officials.
  • Consider dedicating a plaque to your local Supervisor of Elections to commemorate the women in your area who registered to vote on Nov. 2, 1920.

Historians and organizations are adding to the pages of women’s history with each passing day. This past March, U.S. Representative Michael Waltz added Mrs. Alice Scott Abbott’s name to those pages as he recognized her contributions on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Part of AAUW’s mission is to advance equity for women through education. AAUW Flagler seeks to discover and preserve this hidden history so future generations may add research and learn of the incredible persistence each of these women maintained to WIN THE VOTE. Help add to the Florida mosaic of Woman’s Suffrage.