Notes of Conference Call August 2, 2019

Governor DeSantis has signed a bill establishing the Florida Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemoration Commission (Suffrage Commission).  The Florida Commission on the Status of Women (FCSW) held an organizing conference call on August 2, 2019 in preparation for the Suffrage Commission.

Kathy Ebersberger of Melbourne AAUW were on the call with about 50 other women. Palm Beach County Commissioner Rita Craig (561-601-4489) of the FCSW is spearheading the efforts for the statewide suffrage celebration and chaired the call.

Kim Medley of AAUW, Florida proposed that the language on the plaque in the Old Capitol Building in Tallahassee be changed from “women were given the vote” to “women won the vote.”

Various issues were presented including the suffrage movement for women of color and ways to identify the first African American to vote in Florida; human trafficking and violence against women; a proclamation; putting together a documentary; Florida National Organization of Women’s postcard campaign in support of ratification of the ERA; using purple (a pro-suffrage color) golf balls in PGA tournaments; and the League of Women Voters (LWV) in Florida’s keynote speaker, Carolyn Jefferson Jenkins, who was the first women of color president of LWV. It was difficult to get all the details of these events/issues since 50 women were on the call and the quality of the connection was not that good.

One suggestion that was made was that everyone read The Women’s Hour, by Elaine Weiss in August 2020. I have read that book and it is an engaging story of the fight in Tennessee to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. Tennessee was the last state needed to make the Nineteenth Amendment a part of the US Constitution.

A women from the Pro Golfers’ Association headquarters offered to speak with no charge on inclusion topics. She can be reached at lcardy@pgahq.com.

Plans are underway by FCSW for a Symposium in Tallahassee on the weekend before or after Women’s Equality Day (Aug 26) in August 2020.

FCSW, which presents a list of priorities to the Cabinet of issues facing women, children and girls each year, is holding conversations across the state and will be conducting a survey in late summer to collect data on the issues and challenges that are most important to women in Florida. Commissioner Craig asked all of us to hold off on doing any surveys by ourselves right now.

The Suffrage Commission will put together a website on women’s suffrage in Florida including a history of Florida women’s suffrage and some fact sheets. It will also include a list of events commemorating the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment around the state.

Commissioner Craig asked each of us to send an email to the FCSW at ksciva@fcsw.net within 10 business days with our plans for the celebration of women’s suffrage this year and any thoughts of how the Suffrage Commission can help us. Kim Medley mentioned that Flagler County AAUW is attempting to find the first women voters in their county and would like help discovering voter registration records. Another woman asked for a list of priorities of issues facing women in Florida.

The Commissioners for the Suffrage Commission have not been appointed yet, but Commissioner Craig would like to give the Suffrage Commission a head start on what the local groups are doing and how the Suffrage Commission can help us.

Kathy Ebersberger

kathyebersberger@yahoo.com