Skip to content

Temporary exhibit at Tennessee River Museum focuses on right of women to vote

The Tennessee River Museum in Savannah is hosting a new popup exhibition from the National Archives.

Tour Hardin County Administrative Assistant Lauren McKinnon reads details on the new exhibit focusing on the events surrounding the passage of the 19th Amendment which states the right of U.S. citizens to vote shall not be denied on account of sex.

The exhibit titled “Rightfully Hers” commemorates the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
It contains simple messages exploring the history of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, women’s voting rights before and after the 19th, and its impact today.
The theme is, that despite decades of marches, petitions, and public debate to enshrine a woman’s right to vote in the Constitution, the 19th Amendment – while an enormous milestone – did not grant voting rights for all. The challenges of its passage reverberate to the ongoing drive for gender equity today.
Said Jennifer N. Johnson, co-curator of the exhibit, “The ratification of the 19th Amendment was a landmark moment in American history that dramatically changed the electorate, and although it enshrined in the U.S. Constitution fuller citizenship for women, many remained unable to vote.”
“Rightfully Hers” is organized by the National Archives and Records Administration.
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the National Archives has launched a nationwide initiative and exhibition that explores the generations-long effort for universal woman suffrage. The exhibition is presented in part by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission and the National Archives Foundation through the support of Unilever, Pivotal Ventures, Carl M. Freeman Foundation in honor of Virginia Allen Freeman, AARP, and Denise Gwyn Ferguson.
The Tennessee River Museum, 495 Main St., is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Students are admitted free. Visit www.tennesseerivermuseum.org for more information.
The last day to see “Rightfully Hers” at the local museum is Nov. 3, Election Day.

Leave a Comment