19th Amendment Centennial Events

Throughout August join the National Archives, the home of the 19th Amendment, in commemorating the centennial of this landmark document.

Explore records that help tell the story of the fight for the vote, including petitions, legislation, court cases, and more in the holdings of the National Archives.

Join us online as we highlight records from our holdings and examine the fight for women’s voting rights through virtual public programs for all ages. You can also learn more about the fight for women’s voting rights through our social media campaigns.

Keep checking this list throughout August. We will be adding more events and providing links as they become available.

Learn about the struggle for the vote in our exhibit Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote.

August 6, 7 p.m. ET

"19th Amendment: Past. Present. Future" is a Virtual Town Hall presented in partnership with the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, the National Constitution Center, the 19th, and  All In Together. Join a discussion with noted women leaders, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

August 18–26

Each evening, the National Archives Building will be illuminated in purple and gold lights as part of the nationwide Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC) Forward Into Light Campaign, named in honor of the historic suffrage slogan, “Forward Through the Darkness, Into the Light."

August 18–26

Join us for daily video messages from notable women as they share their personal views about this milestone anniversary and address the complex history and legacy of the 19th Amendment. The videos will be posted on Archives.gov/women.

August 18, 5 p.m. ET

Presidential Library Series: The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Join a discussion with the library’s director, Alan Price, as we explore the life and legacy of the 35th President of the United States and how the museum is planning to mark the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Presented by the National Archives Foundation.

August 19, 2 p.m. ET

Curator Chat: "Betty Ford and the Equal Rights Amendment." Curator Don Holloway and archivist Elizabeth Druga will discuss Betty Ford's support of the Equal Rights Amendment.  

August 25, 1 p.m. ET

Authors Rebecca Roberts and Lucinda Robb preview their new book, The Suffragist Playbook: Your Guide to Changing the World, which contains stories of the women who fought and won the right to vote. Presented by the National Archives Foundation.

August 25, 5 p.m. ET

19: The Musical, A Discussion with Creators Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw. Join the writers of the book and lyrics for a discussion and video presentation of past performances. 19: The Musical, tells the story of Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Inez Milholland and the suffragists who fought to get women the right to vote—the 19th Amendment.

August 26, 10:45 a.m. ET

A video message from Archivist David S. Ferriero and Deputy Archivist Debra Steidel Wall will go out on social media and on Archives.gov/women.

August 26, 1 p.m. ET

Live Family Program featuring a conversation with Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Alice Paul as portrayed by with American Historical Theatre interpreters.

August 26, 2 p.m. ET

A video message from Rightfully Hers curator Corinne Porter will go out on social media and on Archives.gov/women.

August 26, 6 p.m. ET

Martha S. Jones discusses her forthcoming book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. A’Lelia Bundles of the National Archives Foundation will moderate the discussion.

August 27, 1 p.m. ET

"Politics on the Platform: Woman Suffrage at the Chautauqua" will examine how women used the Chautauqua platform to engage in political activism, particularly suffrage and temperance, and how this early movement laid the groundwork for contemporary issues of feminism and gender equality. Presented by Sarah Bell.

August 27, 1 p.m. ET

Ida B. Wells, portrayed by a reenactor, speaks on her life and the impact that African American women had in the fight for women’s rights before and after the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Following the presentation, join A’Lelia Bundles in a special conversation with Ida B. Wells’ great-granddaughter Michelle Duster. Presented by the National Archives Foundation.

August 27, 5 p.m. ET

"100 Years Later: Women in Charge of the Ballot Box": Join Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, and New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way for a conversation on the important role Secretaries play in the election process and the continued struggle for women’s rights. Presented by the National Archives Foundation and the National Association of Secretaries of State.

 

"Women in Leadership: Leading Through a Pandemic," a Future Forum presented by the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, will highlight how COVID-19 has impacted female leaders in healthcare, education, civic engagement, and mental health spaces. The video is available on the LBJ Library website.

August 18, 2 p.m. ET

Distance learning program – Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote (Grades 3–6), part of a summer distance learning series with the Presidential Primary Sources Project. Register.

August 20, 11 a.m. ET

The National Archives Comes Alive – Meet suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Mary Ann Jung, actress and Smithsonian scholar) in this live event from our Young Learners Program. Advance registration is required.

August 25, 2 p.m. ET

Distance learning program – Amendments to the Constitution: You Do the Math (grades 6–12). Presented by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library as part of the Presidential Primary Sources Project. Register.

Primary Sources and teaching activities on DocsTeach

 

August 18, noon ET

Educator webinar – Teaching the 19th Amendment
Learn more and register.

August 3–26

We collaborate with the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution in telling 19 stories on the theme of women seeking the vote through objects in our collections. #19SuffrageStories

Add our 10 voting-inspired stickers to your Instagram stories. GIFs of all the stickers are available through GIPHY. 

August 12–26

Each Wednesday in August, the curator of Rightfully Hers, Corinne Porter will take over @USNatArchives Instagram and share some of her favorite suffrage stories.