“I’VE GONE AND DONE IT”

This is what Susan B. Anthony told Elizabeth Cady Stanton in a letter after she voted illegally in Rochester, New York in November 1872. 

On Friday, I voted in a county election.

When I got home, I thought about Susan’s comment (“I’ve gone and done it”). It’s the perfect time to reflect on this historic occasion as June 19th approaches. June 19th is the anniversary of Susan’s famous speech at the Ontario County courthouse on June 19, 1873. Check out the coverage of June 19th on LetsRockTheCradle. I’m involved in the planning of a party to launch the date of June 19th, the anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s famous speech. Stay tuned for the details. And while you’re at it, what are you planning for June 19th? Watch the video and consult special links to get you started.

News notes: One hundred years ago Charlie Chaplin released the film “The Militant Suffragette.” Check it out by watching the film online. Women’s Equality Agenda in NYS is up for a second round. Legislation proposed to create a statewide history commission in NYS. Period dramas are being scrutinized by scholars and others on matters as basic as food manners and culture. Example: Jane Austin production on BBC. Fascinating. It may not be directly related to the suffrage movement, but it’s something worth noting.

The state of Montana continues with its excellent online suffrage centennial program, “Women’s History Matters.” A recent posting is about Montana’s first Native American legislator. It’s an excellent example of what Montana offers on a regular basis for its suffrage centennial throughout 2014. No word yet about planning for NYS’s 2017 suffrage centennial. Stay tuned for news and views about the 19th amendment, women’s suffrage, today and in the past!

“Ancestra” is a play running through June 7 in the Gordon Square by the Cleveland Public Theatre. The work was inspired by the 1853 National Women’s Rights Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Ancestra weaves a historical account with the intimate biography of a contemporary woman. Ancestra’s compelling story provides a forum for intellectual engagement with important issues of our time: gender equity, women’s health care and reproductive rights. Featuring a multi-generational, multicultural cast, this emotionally-charged performance celebrates those who came before and champions current efforts to achieve dignity and justice. I wish I lived closer.

SuffrageCentennials.com is celebrating its first birthday in June 2014.  Follow the Suffrage Wagon for updates. News and views of the suffrage movement that celebrate women’s freedom to vote.