Maine State Museum educator reflects on suffrage period for Women’s Equality Day

Maine (WABI) - Women’s equality day is commemorated on Aug. 26 of every year.

It dates back to 1920 when a constitutional amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote.

TV5 talked with educators to learn about the work that changed women’s rights.

Sheila McDonald is the deputy director at the Maine State Museum.

A past exhibit there was dedicated to the suffrage period in Maine.

“It’s a complicated story, but despite those flaws and omissions, the passage of the 19th amendment was very important, " said McDonald.

“It’s the single largest extension of voting rights in American history.”

After the last of the required 36 states ratified the amendment in 1920, it opened up many doors for American women.

“The 19th amendment and related state laws also ensured that women could run for public office and serve on juries,” said McDonald.

She says this pivotal moment for women’s rights came with challenges, and representation was a big factor, even during the advocacy period.

“Sometimes it sort of seemed like it was all white upper class women, but there were also some really important African-American women who did incredible amounts to ensure that the vote was extended to them,” said McDonald.

However, African-American women and men couldn’t vote until 45 years later.

In 1920, Native Americans didn’t have citizenship.

Native Americans living on reservations in Maine couldn’t vote until 1954.

McDonald says the story of the 19th amendment shows all aspects, both good and bad to see how far American society has come.

“That is very important for us to understand that these things are never simple,” said McDonald.

“There are always complications that we can learn from and try to do things better the next time around.”

The museum’s exhibit includes photos, newspaper clippings, and so more that highlighted the work being done in Maine.

One example is a poster of suffrage speakers traveling to Maine, such as Susan B. Anthony when she visited Ellsworth.

Hundreds of pro-suffrage bills were submitted to but weren’t acted on by the Maine Legislature, and community pro-suffrage groups were organized.

Another powerful piece in the museum is a photo enlargement that dates from 1874.

It’s a float in a procession commemorating the 100th anniversary of the settlement of Bethel, Maine.

“The float is titled ‘The Coming Woman’, and you can see a sign there that says women’s suffrage,” said McDonald.

“16 young girls are on the float dressed in white representing Maine’s 16 counties.”

Women fought for their voice for generations.

McDonald says as she learned more about the suffrage period in Maine, she was moved by the fact that women never gave up, no matter what walk of life they came from.

“It sort of started in Maine in the 1850s and really was a very, very impressive effort with a lot of ups and downs,” said McDonald.

“The Civil War came in the middle of it, WWI, opposing groups formed, but somehow it all sustained itself nationally and as well as here in Maine, and it was really just an important effort, and it really gave me a sense of how important the vote is.”

The museum is undergoing renovations, therefore nothing is on display at the time.

If you want to learn more about the women’s suffrage period in Maine follow the link to the Maine State Museum’s website.