Lithograph by Egbert Jacobson, ca. 1903-1915 (Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University)
Raise a toast and a cheer to the indomitable American suffragists as you enjoy an informal social evening that celebrates more than 80 years of activism that led to the enfranchisement of women. The Portrait Gallery’s exhibition Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence tells the vivid story of these resolute visionaries whose efforts spanned the early 19th-century though the WWI era, and also looks at the legacy of their cause’s crowning achievement, the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
Before your private look at the exhibition, its curator, Portrait Gallery historian Kate Clarke Lemay, shares her research, insights, and background on the making of the retrospective, and is also on hand for conversations and questions as you make your way through the galleries.
Notable women highlighted in Votes for Women range from one of the movement’s pioneers, Susan B. Anthony, to Alice Paul, who organized the 1913 march that led more than 5,000 suffrage supporters down Pennsylvanian Avenue on the eve of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration.
Some of the objects and memorabilia on view—including banners from the National Woman’s Party, a late-19th century ballot box, and original writings by influential leaders—provide the inspiration for hands-on activities in the suffragist spirit. You may want to dress in white in honor of the remarkable women who paved the path to the voting booth.
General Information
- If tickets are available at the door, they will be $30 for members and $50 for non-members.
- One drink ticket for a specialty cocktail or nonalcoholic beverage and light hors d’oeuvres is included with admission.
- A cash bar offers a specialty cocktail, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic beverages.
- Registrants must be 21 years old with valid ID.
