Heroes Give Us Hope

Celebrate 2020! Hope in Action

Wait! Is this a joke? There’s a reason to celebrate 2020, this most difficult year? YES! This year is the 100^th anniversary of the ratification of the 19^th amendment — guaranteeing women the right to vote! My newest book, Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote (opens in a new window), introduces kids to the ways that women fought for justice and changed our country.

This book’s research journey started when I ran across this phrase from the 1891 Illinois constitution, “Idiots, lunatics, paupers, felons and women shall not be entitled to vote.” That old law from my home state still stings. It shows the deep prejudice Alice Paul was fighting; the idea that girls are “less than.”  (And, no wonder many suffragists also worked for the poor, imprisoned, disabled and mentally ill!) For years, I’d taken my ability to vote for granted, not understanding that my own grandmother was born without that right.

How did Alice Paul make change happen? She, and thousands of other women, known and unknown, wrote articles, marched peacefully, survived beatings, and endured prison. They proved that women were strong, organized, and rational. They stood up to those in power, including the U.S. President, until public opinion in their favor couldn’t be ignored.

Alice, like all heroes, was not perfect. To help their cause, her National Woman’s Party gave in to racist pressure and kept black women segregated at marches and other events. Black women continued their fight to vote for decades, until the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965. All these brave women knew that equal treatment for girls starts with recognition as equal citizens. They made a commitment to change injustice through actions like those in Fight of the Century.  

Continuing the work for justice requires hope, effort, leadership and persistence, traits to be encouraged in all children, this year, and always. Kids have tons of great ideas on how to make their lives and our world better. Here are some possibilities for budding activists:

Make a banner!

Alice Paul and her followers used banners and signs to convince others that women deserved the vote. You can see some of them in Fight of the Century or at this National Park Service website (opens in a new window). 

Is there something you believe is unfair? At home? At school? In the world? How would you change it? Banners and signs convince people to join your cause. You have limited space,  so you can only use a few words. What words will convince people you are right? Write your words of change, and make a banner using this blank template (opens in a new window).

Colors of friendship. Colors of justice.

Alice Paul became close friends with many other women who worked toward suffrage. Sometimes these women wore ‘suffrage jewelry,’ pins, rings and necklaces made in the National Woman’s Party colors, purple, white and gold. Purple represented loyalty, white stood for purity of purpose, and gold meant light and life.

Gather some friends and make your own three-color friendship bracelets. You can honor the work of the suffragists in Fight of the Century by using purple, white and gold. Or research the colors of your own favorite cause. If it’s a personal cause, create your own colors and meaning. Here’s an easy three-color friendship bracelet pattern (opens in a new window).

Hidden suffragist ACROSTIC poem

Every woman who fought for the vote was important, some have not received the recognition they deserve. Research a less-known, hidden suffragist, someone from a marginalized group or someone from your local area. Honor that person with an acrostic poem to make your readers curious to learn more. Here’s one for author, educator, speaker, Anna J. Cooper (1858-1964):

Activist

Notable teacher and principal

Native of Raleigh, North Carolina, born enslaved

Author of the important book, A Voice from the South

J.ulia was her middle name

Club woman and mentor to Angelina Grimke

Oberlin College graduate

Often called the “Mother of Black Feminism.”

Prominent African American scholar

Earned a doctoral degree in 1924 after adopting 5 children

Resilient

My hope is that you always know that your actions can make the world a better, fairer, kinder place for all! Let’s get going!

More about Barb Rosenstock

• Fight of the Century Pinterest board (opens in a new window) with more about the 19^th amendment, suffrage history and other social justice issues
• Book a visit (opens in a new window) (virtual visits offered)
• Rosenstock’s official website (opens in a new window)
• National Book Festival 2020 video presentation (opens in a new window)