Abolitionism laid the foundations for the women’s suffrage movement, but the relationship between the two movements was at times contentious. Black men and women played central roles in both the abolition and women’s suffrage movements, contributions that are sometimes minimized. Read more here.

The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 is generally seen as the birthplace of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, but the roots of the movement predated the convention by decades. More here.

After the Civil War, suffragists formed multiple organizations with a range of approaches. Some were more radical than others, calling for the possibility of militant action. Many of these organizations were racially segregated, and some white leaders marginalized women of color to appeal to white Southern women.

Queer women were many of the most important and visible leaders of the women’s suffrage movement. More here.

Suffragists experienced harassment, violence and police brutality, particularly in the decade before the passage of the 19th amendment. They were beaten and arrested; went on hunger strikes and were force-fed; and at least one leader was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility. Nevertheless, they persisted.

The story of Indigenous women’s participation in the women’s suffrage movement is complex. Many Native Americans were not American citizens until 1924, and so did not have the right to vote. The story of Zitkala-Ša sheds light on this history. However, many Indigenous communities were disenfranchised until at least 1948.

Black women activists, organizers and leaders played an essential role in the passage of the 19th Amendment. Read more about these heroes here, here and here. Yet, many Black communities were blocked from voting until 1965 by violence, poll taxes, and other forms of intimidation and disenfranchisement.

Hispanic women, particularly in the Southwest, played an important role in politics and women’s suffrage: an important reminder that Spanish, and Spanish-speaking communities, have always had a central place in our country’s politics and history.

Most Asian American women couldn’t vote until 1952. Yet they were leaders in the women’s suffrage movement. Read the story here.

Today, we continue the struggle for full enfranchisement, for all people. We are proud to present the work of these extraordinary artists who celebrate the achievements of the suffragists, even as we reckon with our troubled history and point to a more hopeful future.