Come Join the Parade for Women's Equality Day
They were spit upon, beaten, jailed, vilified in the pulpit, and sometimes scorned by their own sex. They were courageous risk takers who took on a government and the president of the most powerful nation in the world for a democratic principle, the right to vote. Yes, these were the "suffragettes" so-dubbed by the press and other detractors. Modern women are indebted to them and should appreciate their 72 years of sacrifices to gain that long-denied right to vote.
They who gave so much would shudder to learn that 22 million single women voters failed to vote in a presidential election with the potential to greatly impact their lives with steps backward on issues that affect not only of them, but of the world. Those women need to be awakened to their ability to change the course of history as their foremothers did.
How to do it? Hold a parade! That's what we did in 2006, emboldened by the 1913 parade depicted in "Iron-Jawed Angels" when "6- 8,000 suffragists marched in a procession featuring colorful banners, marching bands, symbolic floats, and regiments of women marching by states alongside those of business and professions, delegations of women in their native costumes representing full or partial suffrage, a float showing women working beside men in the field and factory and another of elaborately costumed Women of the Bible."
Learning that such parades won over more support for their cause than thousands of petitions, we felt sure that ours would bring out more women voters, and look what happened in November. However, it should be emphasized that this is not a protest march, but a commemoration of the 1920 victory and a demonstration of how much women contribute to society. Participants are encouraged to wear white with purple sashes denoting suffragist colors.
SCHEDULE
4:00 pm: Parade participants are to assemble and check-in at the west end of the Bridge next to Kate Sessions (south side)
4:30 pm: walk with banners and sings across the bridge to the Recital Hall next to the Puppet Theatre
5:00 pm: Enjoy refreshments and the premier screening of a new documentary "ENGAGE HER: GETTING MINORITY WOMEN TO LEAD AND VOTE" followed by the SUFFRAGE BALL AT 6PM
Participants include: The League of Women Voters, NOW, Commission on the Status of Women, the Downtown YWCA, the American Association of University Women, the United Nations Women's Equality Council, The Women's History Museum and Educational Center.
