Rightfully Hers

The Claire T. Carney Library at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is hosting a new popup exhibition from the National Archives, Rightfully Hers, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19^th Amendment. Rightfully Hers contains simple messages exploring the history of the ratification of the 19^th amendment, women’s voting rights before and after the 19^th, and its impact today. Despite decades of marches, petitions, and public debate to enshrine a woman’s right to vote in the constitution, the 19^th Amendment – while an enormous milestone – did not grant voting rights for all. The challenges of its passage reverberate to the ongoing fight for gender equity today.  The exhibit is located near the 1st floor Circulation Desk and will run through mid-September 2020.

Rightfully Hers co-curator Jennifer N. Johnson states: “The ratification of the 19th Amendment was a landmark moment in American history that dramatically changed the electorate, and although it enshrined in the U.S. Constitution fuller citizenship for women many remained unable to vote.”

Rightfully Hers is organized by the National Archives and Records Administration. In celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment, the National Archives has launched a nationwide initiative and major exhibition that explores the generations-long fight for universal woman suffrage. The exhibition is presented in part by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission and the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of Unilever, Pivotal Ventures, Carl M. Freeman Foundation in honor of Virginia Allen Freeman, AARP, and Denise Gwyn Ferguson.

If you have questions or comments about the display, please contact us at libaccess@umassd.edu.