Marshall University has hosted numerous activities in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. The yearlong celebration began in November of 2019 with academic, campus-wide and community activities that both recognize this critical accomplishment of America’s courageous, trailblazing 20th Century women and encourage today’s American women to wield their voting power.
Marshall’s activities are included in the statewide celebration.
“Marshall University Women’s and Gender Center is proud to be part of the fabulous network of amazing women and men who are planning our Suffrage Centennial events. These programs are a wonderful way to engage our students and the community in a deeper understanding of the hard-fought battles that earned women the right to vote,” said Leah Tolliver, director of MU wellness and gender programs.
“Women were not simply given the right to vote, they had to fight tirelessly for it so that is why participating in events that celebrate and honor those who blazed a trail for civic engagement and equality is so critically important,” said Sara Payne Scarbro, vice president for external engagement for the Marshall University Research Corporation and member of coordinating committee for the West Virginia centennial celebration of the 19th Amendment. “I appreciate Marshall University’s faculty experts and staff for helping to facilitate many dynamic and engaging 19th Amendment activities and for our university also being an important partner to our state by serving on Secretary of State Mac Warner’s coordinating committee.”
The following have been among Marshall University’s Women’s Suffrage Centennial programs and activities:
Marshall University’s Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration Programming
Friday, November 1, 2019, 3:30 p.m., Drinko Library 402
“Polygamy, Feminism, and Divine Advocacy in the Mormon Women’s Suffrage Movement.” Dr. Julie Snyder-Yuly, Assistant Professsor, Marshall University Department of Communication Studies
Through December 2020 MU Women’s Suffrage Centennial Voter Registration Campaign
Tables at every suffrage event. For further information contact Marshall University Women’s & Gender Center at 304-696-3338 or wcenter@marshall.edu
Spring Semester 2020 Department of History Special Topics Course
HST 480/580 Section 201 “100 Years of Suffrage” This Marshall University course can be audited by community members. For further information, contact Dr. Kat Williams at 304-696-2959 or williamskath@marshall.edu.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall
Amicus Curiae Lecture Series, Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy
Marjorie Spruill, editor of One Woman, One Vote: Rediscovering the Women’s Suffrage Movementand author of Divided we Stand: The Battle Over Women’s Rights and Family Values that Polarized American Politics. Open to community. For more information, contact the Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy at 304-696-2801 or patricia.proctor@marshall.edu.
January 31, 2020-Elect Her, 12:30-4:00 BE5, Marshall Memorial Student Center
A one-day nonpartisan training for women on how to run for student government and political office, in partnership with AAUW, to provide training that will be focused on students and open for participation from other colleges and universities. For further information contact Marshall University Women’s & Gender Center at 304-696-3338 or wcenter@marshall.edu
Thursday, February 6, 2020, 4:00 p.m. Shawkey Room, Marshall Memorial Student Center
Annual Carter G. Woodson Lecture, Drinko Academy, Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum, Women’s and Gender Studies. Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, “African Americans and the Vote” For more information, contact Professor Burnis Morris at morrisb@marshall.eduor Dr. Montserrat Miller at millerm@marshall.edu
Saturday, February 15, 2020, 11:00 a.m. Stephen J. Kopp Hall
African-Americans and the Vote Brunch and Moderated Panel Discussion made up of local leaders/dignitaries/current and former elected officials from the Fairfield Community. For more information, contact Eric Blough at blough@marshall.edu.
Thursday, March 5, 2020, Morrow Library Archives
Society of Black Scholars presentation on Joan Quigley’s Just Another Southern Town: Mary Church Terrell and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Nation’s Capital.For more information, contact Associate Vice President Maurice Cooley at cooley@marshall.edu
Thursday, March 5, 2020, John Marshall Dining Room
Delta Sigma Theta meeting with Joan Quigley to discuss Just Another Southern Town: Mary Church Terrell and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Nation’s Capital. For more information, contact Dr. Laura Michele Diener at diener@marshall.edu
Friday, March 6, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall
Schmidlapp Lecture and Reception, Women’s and Gender Studies, Drinko Academy, Simon Perry Center
Joan Quigley, author of Just Another Southern Town: Mary Church Terrell and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Nation’s Capital.Open to community. For more information, contact diener@marshall.edu
Week of Welcome: Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 18-21, Memorial Student Center
Tabling, event promotion, voter registration, other activities for Marshall freshman students.
First Week of Classes: Monday-Friday, Aug. 24-28, Memorial Student Center
Tabling, event promotion, voter registration, other activities for Marshall students, faculty, and staff.
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 4 p.m., beginning at the St. Mary’s Center for Education parking lot (2853 5th Avenue)
Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration: Driving for Democracy event
#Motorcade Parade #Keeping it 100
In partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the League of Women Voters of the Huntington Area. For more information, contact Wendy Thomas by e-mail at wxthomas@frontier.comor the Marshall University Women’s and Gender Center by phone at 304-696-3338.
Thursday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. U.S. Constitution and Citizenship Day, Memorial Student Center
Tabling, voter registration and free pocket U.S. Constitution distribution to students
For more information, contact the Drinko Academy by e-mail at drinko@marshall.edu or by phone at 304-696-3183.
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m., Joan C. Edwards Playhouse
Office of the President, Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy, John Deaver Drinko Academy
4th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals Oral Argument Session. For more information, contact the Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy by phone at 304-696-2801 or by e-mail to patricia.proctor@marshall.edu.