Upcoming Events
Century of Action’s calendar of events highlights events across the state celebrating our suffrage centennial heritage. Are we missing something? Please email us at info@centuryofaction and let us know!
SEPTEMBER
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
August 15th - September 30th
At McMinnville Public Library (225 NW Adams St., McMinnville, OR)
For more information: Alice Darnton, 503-435-5553
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
September 1st - November 1st
At Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR)
For more information: Tiah Edmundson-Morton, 541-737-7387
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
September 1st - November 30th
At Tillamook Public Library (Tillamook, OR)
For more information: Sarah Beeler, 503-842-4792 x1708
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
September 15th – December 7th
At Hamersly Library, Western Oregon University (Monmouth, OR)
Free exhibit. For more information: Jerrie Lee Parpart, 503-838-8419
OCTOBER
Oregon Days Of Culture
October 1st – October 8th
At various locations around Oregon
For more information: http://oregondaysofculture.org/
Oregon Days of Culture celebrates the role of the arts, humanities, and heritage in our everyday lives. Participate by attending any number of events around the state.
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 1st - October 28th
At Baker Heritage Museum (2480 Grove Street, Baker City, OR)
For more information: Chris Cantrell, 541-523-9308
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 1st - November 1st
At Portland Community College Campuses: Cascade, Sylvania and Rock Creek
For more information: Rachel Bridgewater, 971-722-5323
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 1st - November 15th
At Douglas County Museum (123 Museum Dr., Roseburg, OR)
For more information: Gardner Chapell, 541-957-7007
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
Exhibit includes original documents from the Archives holdings, including the original proclamation declaring the passage of women’s suffrage written by Abigail Scott Duniway and her 1913 voter’s registration card.
October 1st – December 30th, 2012
At Archives Building, State Capital (800 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR)
Free exhibit. For more information: Layne Sawyer, 503-378-5198
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 1st – December 30, 2012
At Canby Public Library (Canby, OR)
Free exhibit. For more information: Hanna Hofer, 503-266-3394
Oregon Archives Crawl
Saturday, October 6th, 10-3 PM (afterparty, 3:30-6 PM)
At various locations, see website for details
For more information: http://pdxarchivists.wordpress.com/
Book Signing with Governor Madeleine K. Kunin
“The New Feminist Agenda: defining the next revolution for women, work and family”
Sunday, October 7th, 2 PM
At Oregon Historical Society (Portland, OR)
Free with Museum Admission Purchase. For more information: http://www.ohs.org/
Girls Inc: Celebrate the Day of the Girl with a Girl’s Night Out
Thursday, October 11th, 5 PM
At Juniper Hotel (Portland, OR)
Ticketed event ($35+). For more information: http://www.girlsinnworegon.org
Scott Free: The Life of Abigail Scott Duniway
Saturday, October 13th, 2 - 4 PM
Co-presented by Ashland AAUW and Rogue Valley League of Women Voters
At Masonic Hall (Ashland, OR)
Free event. For more information: Mimi Pippel, 541-708-0025
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
Beginning October 15th, 2012
At Siuslaw Public Library (Florence, OR)
Free exhibit. For more information: Marsha Klosterman, 541-440-6295
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 15th - December 15th, 2012
At Museum of the Oregon Territory (211 Tumwater Dr., Oregon City, OR)
For more information: Roxanna Pennington, 503-655-5574
OPB Oregon Experience documentary: “The Suffragists”
Presented by Scholls Women’s Club
Thursday, October 18th, 7:30 PM (pre-viewing club meeting at 7 PM)
At Scholls Valley Lodge (12840 S.W. River Road, Hillsboro, OR)
Free event. For more information: Scholls Valley Lodge, 503-628-0422
Book Launch and Signing with Dr. Kimberly Jensen
“Oregon’s Doctor to the World: Esther Pohl Lovejoy and a Life in Activism”
Monday, October 22nd, 7 PM
At Oregon Historical Society (Portland, OR)
Free Admission – RSVP Required, call 503.306.5214 to RSVP
Esther Clayson Pohl Lovejoy, whose long life stretched from 1869 to 1967, challenged convention from the time she was a young girl. Her professional life began as one of Oregon’s earliest women physicians, and her commitment to public health and medical relief took her into the international arena, where she was chair of the American Women’s Hospitals after World War I and the first president of the Medical Women’s International Association. Most disease, suffering, and death, she believed, were the result of wars and social and economic inequities, and she was determined to combat those conditions through organized action.
Kimberly Jensen, professor of history and gender studies at Western Oregon University tells the story of this important western woman, exploring her approach to politics, health, and society and her civic, economic, and medical activism. Dr. Jensen will offer brief remarks about the work of researching and writing the book and will be available to sign copies. Light refreshments will be served.
Oregon Woman Suffrage Lecture by Janice Dilg of Century of Action
Thursday, October 25, 7 - 8 PM
Presented by the Washington County Museum
At the Hillsboro Civic Center, Room C207 (150 E. Main St., Hillsboro, OR)
Free event. For more information: Beth Dehn, 503-645-5353 ext.133
OPB Oregon Experience documentary: “The Suffragists”
Presented by Oregon Public Broadcasting
Thursday, October 25, 7 PM
At Oregon Historical Society (Portland, OR)
Free event, RSVP is required at 503.306.5214 . For more information: http://www.ohs.org/
UO Symposium Celebrating the Centennial of Woman Suffrage
“From Suffrage to Citizenship: Empowering Oregon Women in the Twentieth Century and Beyond”
Thursday, October 25, 2012, 3 - 6:30 PM
At University of Oregon (Knight Library Browsing Room, Eugene, OR)
Free and open to the public. For more information: Linda Long, 541-346-1906
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
October 25th - December 31th, 2012
At Deschutes Public Library, Bend Branch (601 Northwest Wall St., Bend, OR)
For more information: Kelly Cannon-Miller, 541-389-1813
NOVEMBER
Commemorative Woman Suffrage Symposium
“Woman Citizen: Past, Present and Future”
November 1st and 2nd, 2012
At Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR)
Free and open to the public. For more information: Marisa Chappell, 541-737-1266
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
November 1st - December 1st, 2012
At Salem Public Library (585 Liberty St SE, Salem, OR)
For more information: Wendell Buck, 503-588-6217
“What’s Suffrage Got to Do with It” Live Town Hall Debate
Saturday, November 3 at 2 PM
At Tillamook County Public Library (Tillamook, OR)
Free event. For more information: Sarah Beeler, 503-842 4792 ext. 1708
“A Tireless Pioneer: Celebrating the Life of Abigail Scott Duniway”
Sermon by Rev. Richard R. Davis
Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 AM
At The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem (5090 Center Street NE, Salem, OR)
For more information: UUCS main office, 503-364-0932
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
November 5th - December 5th, 2012
At Des Chutes Historical Museum (Bend, OR)
For more information: Kelly Cannon-Miller, 541-389-1813
Woman Suffrage Centennial Election Day Anniversary
November 5, 2012
Wear your sash proudly today! Click here to purchase a commemorative sash. Get the word out! Share this November 5 informational flyer (double-sided) in your community.
“What’s Suffrage Got to Do with It” Live Town Hall Debate*
*With special guest speaker Rep. Nancie Fadeley
Monday, November 5 at 6 PM
Presented by Lane County Historical Society
At UO Baker Downtown Center (325 10th Ave., Eugene, OR)
Free event. For more information: Heather Kliever, 541-682-4242
Election Day - Remember to exercise your right to vote!
November 6, 2012
To find your nearest voting location or ballot dropbox visit: http://oregonvotes.org/
A great source of nonpartisan information is the League of Women Voters of Oregon: http://www.lwvor.org/
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
November 9th - November 23rd, 2012
At Oregon City Public Library (625 Center Street, Oregon City, OR)
For more information: Maureen Cole, 503-657-8269
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
November 10th - December 20th, 2012
At Umatilla Heritage Station Museum (108 S.W. Frazer Ave., Pendleton, OR)
For more information: Barbara Lund-Jones, 541-276-0012
“What’s Suffrage Got to Do with It” Live Town Hall Debate
Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30 PM
At Canby Public Library (292 North Holly Street, Canby, OR)
Free event. For more information: Hanna Hofer, 503-266-3394
Vision 2020 Third Annual Conference: “Collaborating for Change”
At The Hilton Portland (Portland, OR)
Wednesday , November 14th to Friday, November 16th
Registration required. For more information: http://www.drexel.edu/vision2020/annual_congress/2012/She%20Flies%20With%20Her%20Own%20Wings/
“What’s Suffrage Got to Do with It” Live Town Hall Debate
Friday, November 16 at 1 PM
At Museum of the Oregon Territory (211 Tumwater Dr. Oregon City, OR)
Free event. For more information: Roxandra Pennington, 503-655-5574
DECEMBER
“Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” Exhibit
Beginning December 7, 2012
At Oregon State Capital Building (Salem, OR)
Free exhibit. For more information: Marilyn Cover, 503-224-4424
1912 Oregon Suffrage Postcard
In late December 2012 one of our board members purchased this 1912 Oregon suffrage postcard for the Century of Action collection. The image on the postcard front is unknown to any of us, and we would love to know who Hattie, the author of the message was, as well as her sister Mrs. C.M. McKay.
If you can provide any historical background on the postcard, the union shop that printed the card, or the women who wrote and received the message on the back please contact Janice Dilg at dilg at centuryofaction.org
Past News and Events
September 14, 2012: Lafayette memorial Honors Suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway
July 21, 2012: “Suffragists Among Us” (and related media coverage)
May 31, 2012: Statewide exhibit launch at Oregon Historical Society
May 29, 2012: “100 Years and Counting: celebrating woman suffrage in Oregon”
April 26, 2012: Lipman, Wolfe & Co Centennial Benefit for OWHC
March 7, 2012: “Suffrage: Struggle of the Century” by Steve Law, Portland Tribune
March 4, 2012: “Yours for Liberty: Abigail Scott Duniway”
February 26, 2012: Ruth Tenzer Feldman Reading at Central Library
February 7, 2012: Senate Concurrent Resolution 204 passes
February 3, 2012: Senate Concurrent Resolution 204 hearings begin
February 2, 2012: “Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” opens
February 1, 2012: “Votes for Women! The Oregon Story” opening reception
November 30, 2011: “She Flies with her Own Wings” exhibit on the speeches of Abigail Scott Duniway
November 5, 2011: “Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women” at the Central Library
November 3, 2011: Metro Councilors receive Votes for Women sashes
August 29, 2011: History Pub: “Lives of Women Citizens: Pioneering Women in Public Service”
July 27, 2011: Debut Party for Century of Action
June 25, 2011: Remembering the Honorable Betty Roberts (1923-2011)
April 23, 2011: Historian Jensen celebrated for scholarship
April 5, 2011: Oregon Heritage Commission Proclaims Statewide Celebration
March 8, 2011: Gov. Barbara Roberts’ Century of Action Kick-Off Speech Event and speech text
March 2010: Updated on Century of Action project
August 2009: Century of Action-Oregon Encyclopedia History night
August 2009: Donating to Century of Action project
August 2009: Planning Outline and Suffrage Centennial Survey
Suffrage Centennial at Lone Fir Cemetery
Suffragists Among Us
Lone Fir Cemetery
On Saturday, July 21st, Century of Action and Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery partnered for a spirited afternoon celebration of woman suffrage and headstone dedication for African American Suffragist Hattie Redmond. Attendees learned about her and the other suffragists who rest in Lone Fir through live history performance and singing. Program highlights included Metro Councilor Barbara Roberts as the keynote speaker, former State Senator Avel Gordly dedicating a grave marker for Hattie Redmond, a prominent black suffragist recently discovered at the cemetery, and actors in period dress portraying noted suffragists buried at Lone Fir. Thanks to over 200 people who joined us!
Related Articles and Resources
“Century of Action Shines Light on Black Suffragist Hattie Redmond”, The Skanner (10 May 2012)
“Black Suffragist Hattie Redmond Remembered with New Headstone”, The Skanner (23 July 2012)
Century of Action: Esther Clayson Pohl Lovejoy Collection
Oregon Encyclopedia: Esther Clayson Pohl Lovejoy (1869-1967)
Oregon Encyclopedia: Harry Lane (1855-1917)
Statewide Exhibit Launch at OHS
Century of Action and Ferguson Wellman Capital Management celebrated the launch of our statewide educational programs commemorating the 100th anniversary of Oregon woman suffrage at the Oregon Historical Society.
May 31, 2012
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Oregon Historical Society
* * *
Special Guest Sashing & Suffrage Performances
Catering by Brasserie Montmarte
No-host bar
Proceeds from the evening will be used to distribute statewide educational programs to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Oregon woman suffrage through the work of the Oregon Women’s History Consortium, a non-profit, 501c3 organization that advances the understanding of women’s citizenship in Oregon history. Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote 1912-2012 is the inaugural project of the Oregon Women’s History Consortium.
100 Years and Counting
Will you be in Bend, Oregon Tuesday evening May 29th? If so, please join the Century of Action and its Oregon Suffrage Players, the Des Chutes Historical Museum, and the Oregon Encyclopedia, at McMenamins Old St. Francis School, for a packed, fun evening of sing-along education!
Begin the evening with illustrated presentations on Oregon woman suffrage history by Janice Dilg, and Bend 1912 suffrage campaign highlights by Kelly Cannon-Miller.
After a beverage break the Oregon Suffrage Players will be joined by local Bend celebrities as they perform their crowd-pleasing “What’s Suffrage Got To Do With It?” town hall debate. Come show your support for the arguments made in 1912 about why women should, or should not, have the right to vote.
Free and all ages welcome.
Have you been wanting a commemorative centennial Votes for Women sash? Or a Long Live Oregon Men pin? You can purchase these items at the event, or online anytime.
The Skanner Highlights Hattie Redmond
An obscure grave in Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery is the final resting place of a Black woman who helped change the world. Her name was Hattie Redmond, and she was a leader in the 1912 campaign that won equal voting rights for Oregon women.
Now, 100 years later, the Century of Action committee plans to give Redmond’s grave some long overdue respect. Century of Action is leading the centennial celebrations for the women’s voting rights victory. And they are looking for family, friends, or anyone with information about Hattie Redmond, to come forward and help design a headstone worthy of her achievements.
To read the entire article go to “Century of Action Shines Light on Black Suffragist Hattie Redmond” or pick up a copy on your neighborhood newsstand.
Join the Century of Action and the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery July 21, 2012 from 1-3:00 p.m. at Lone Fir Cemetery for “Suffragists Among Us, a celebration & dedication at Lone Fir Cemetery.” The afternoon will honor the suffragists buried at Lone Fir Cemetery and will include a dedication of a headstone for Hattie Redmond.
Sashes, Sashes Everywhere
The 2012 Oregon Heritage Conference “Fertile Ground: Planting the Seeds for Restoration, Innovation and Collaboration” opened Friday’s session with a warm welcome from Salem Mayor Anna Peterson proudly wearing her Votes for Women sash. Salem’s City Council, it should be noted, has an equal number of female and male councilors in addition to Mayor Peterson.
Eliza Canty-Jones offered a lively and informative State of the Suffrage Centennial for Plenary session. Canty-Jones presented a concise history of how plans for the centennial began in 2008 with a survey that showed high interest in a woman suffrage centennial commemoration, but no organization or institution had any plans in the works. From that initial review the core group of centennial advocates, Kimberly Jensen, Janice Dilg, and Canty-Jones determined to form a new 501 c 3 organization, the Oregon Women’s History Consortium. The Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote, 1912-2012 became the OWHC’s first project.
With grants from the Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Humanites, and donations from many individuals the OWHC has mounted the state’s only comprehensive suffrage exhibit at the Multnomah County Library. Panels from the exhibit will soon be available for free to download for any organization, school, library, or museum anywhere in the state. The OHC grant will also fund several presentations of the Century of Action’s Town Hall debate around the state.
For her leadership as Chair of the Oregon Heritage Commission, and her support of the suffrage centennial Jan Mitchell was sashed at the annual Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards Friday evening.
Need a sash for yourself or someone who appreciates voting rights for women? You can order one here.
Lipman, Wolfe & Co. Centennial—Tonight!
The Hotel Monaco is celebrating the 100th birthday of the historic Lipman, Wolfe & Co. building that houses it’s newly renovated hotel. Look for the bright lights, period cars, and suffragists protesting out front of the hotel. Inside you fill find historic photos of the Lipman Wolfe interior over the years, musical entertainment, raffles, refreshments and pro- and anti-suffragists trying to convince guests which way to vote on woman suffrage.
This event will benefit the Oregon Women’s History Consortium/Century of Action and the Oregon Historical Society.
Date: April 26, 2012
Time: 5:00-7:00
Location: 506 SW Washington St. downtown Portland
Suggested donation: $10
Door prizes & refreshments
For more information contact Ms. Samantha Shorey at (503)417-3377 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Woman Suffrage & Oregon Blue Book
Oregon’s Secretary of State office and the Century of Action teamed up to create an online Woman Suffrage Centennial Web Exhibit as well as the color insert for the 2011-2012 print version of the Oregon Blue Book. Please take a few minutes to explore the online exhibit, and read the Voting Rights dedication there, too. You can also find information there about purchasing print Oregon Blue Books.
Suffrage: Struggle of the century
Photo courtesy of Jean Ward.
Portland Tribune reporter Steve Law recounts the long struggle Oregon women, and men, undertook to extend the right to vote to the female citizens of the State. You can find the story on local newsstands or online.
Abigail Scott Duniway and her Opinions
Yours for Liberty: Abigail Scott Duniway
Sunday, March 4, 2–3:30 p.m. in the US Bank Room
Jean Ward and Elaine Maveety, co-authors of Yours for Liberty:
Selections from Abigail Scott Duniway’s Suffrage Newspaper, will
introduce Duniway through a visual presentation followed by a lively
exchange of her women’s rights and woman suffrage writings.
Presented in conjunction with the Votes for Women! The Oregon Story exhibition.
Last week for Votes for Women! The Oregon Story suffrage exhibit.
C O L L I N S G A L L E R Y
3rd floor, Central Library • 801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland
Gallery Hours: Sun. noon–5 p.m. • Mon. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. • Tue. & Wed. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. • Thu.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Petticoat Postcards program at Central Libary
Blue Thread author Ruth Tenzer Feldman will host a reading of her new novel this Sunday February 26 from 2-3:30 in the Collins Gallery of the Central Library. In addition, program attendees will have the opportunity to create their own Petticoat Postcard based on the novel’s heroine Miriam Josefsohn. The program is free and family friendly.
Presented in conjunction with the Votes for Women! The Oregon Story exhibition.
C O L L I N S G A L L E R Y
3rd floor, Central Library • 801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland
Gallery Hours: Sun. noon–5 p.m. • Mon. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. • Tue. & Wed. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. • Thu.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Anthony and Sherr Spoke Here
Last evening author and journalist Lynn Sherr gave an enthusiastic talk on the role of suffragist and women’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony as part of the Oregon Historical Society’s Mark O. Hatfield Distinguished Historians Forum. Sherr has long admired, studied, and written about Susan B. Anthony. Sherr developed an interest in documenting landmarks and historic sites of important women, women’s organizations, and women’s events in American history. That interest translated into the book Susan B. Anthony Slept Here: A Guide to American Women’s Landmarks that she co-authored with Jurate Kazickas in 1976. Sherr spoke at the First Congregational Church where Susan B. Anthony was a featured speaker at the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s annual convention in 1905.
It was only fitting that Lynn Sherr be “sashed” as part of the Century of Action’s Sash Project. At the end of Lynn Sherr’s talk, OHS Director Kerry Tymchuk invited Century of Action founder Eliza Canty-Jones onstage to sash Sherr. CoA is proud to have another “sash sister” as Lynn so aptly dubbed her new status.
L-R: Janice Dilg, CoA Project Director, Lynn Sherr, Eliza Canty-Jones, Oregon Women’s History Consortium Board President
Lynn Sherr’s books include Failure is Impossible, Susan B. Anthony Slept Here, Tall Blondes (about giraffes), and America the Beautiful: The Stirring True Story Behind Our Nation’s Favorite Song.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 204 Passes!
L-R: Janice Dilg, Century of Action, Eliza Canty-Jones, Oregon Women’s History Consortium, Senator Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland) and Senator Ted Ferriolli (R-John Day).
Yesterday the Oregon Senate unanimously passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 204 commemorating Oregon’s woman suffrage centennial. Senator Ted Ferriolli and Senator Diane Rosenbaum, co-chairs of the Senate Rules Committee, originated and guided the resolution to its successful conclusion.
Senator Ferriolli’s comments in favor of the resolution noted the editorial rivalry between leading suffragist and editor of The New NorthwestAbigail Scott Duniway and her brother Harvey W. Scott, editor of the Oregonian newspaper. Duniway a strong advocate for women’s voting rights, and her brother’s equally ardent opposition to suffrage for women.
Senator Rosenbaum noted the tenacity of Duniway and other suffragists in their 42 year struggle to gain the vote in Oregon. Despite being defeated at the polls five previous times, suffrage supporters rallied one more statewide campaign in 1912. With the majority of in favor of woman suffrage, the word “male” was removed from from the section in Oregon’s Constitution outlining the rules for voting privileges.
“Mrs. F.J. Bailey” (left) and “Sarah A. Evans” (right) debate the question of woman suffrage.
Prior to the vote by the full Senate, Eliza Canty-Jones and Janice Dilg (seen above) presented an excerpt from the Century of Action’s acclaimed mock town hall debate on the question of woman suffrage. “What’s Suffrage Got To Do With It” uses arguments found in news articles, speeches, and editorials the 1912 campaign that express the pros and cons of extending voting rights to the women of the state. Jones portrays anti-suffrage sentiments in the role of Mrs. F.J. Bailey President of the Oregon Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. Dilg expresses pro suffrage arguments as activist and Portland Woman’s Club President Sarah. A. Evans.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 204
L-R: Dr. Kimberly Jensen, Mary Beth Herkert, Sunny Petit, Nova Newcomer, Tayleranne Gillespie, and Zacahary Jones.
The Senate Rules Committee held hearings Friday, February 3, 2012 on Senate Concurrent Resolution 204, which “Commemorates the centennial of woman suffrage in Oregon and efforts of those who led woman suffrage campaign of 1912.” Western Oregon University students Tayleranne Gillespie and Zachary Taylor testified about the importance of the centennial for them as students, and their contributions to the Century of Action website content under the guidance of Dr. Kimberly Jensen. Mary Beth Herkert, State Archivist, brought the original equal suffrage proclamation written by Abigail Scott Duniway and signed by Governor Oswald West, along with Duniway’s voter registration card. Sunny Petit and Nova Newcomer of the Center for Women, Politics and Policy focused on the importance of the centennial for future generations and the next hundred years of activism. To read the full text of Senate Concurrent Resolution 204 click here.
This group was also treated to one of the first tours of the new Senate cloakroom dedicated to Oregon’s first elected female senator Kathryn Clarke. Tour guide was James Goulding (pictured below) the Senate Reading Clerk.
Thanks to Senator Diane Rosenbaum, Senator Ted Ferrioli, and Greg Leo of the Oregon Republican Party for their support in honoring the centennial of Oregon woman suffrage with Senate Concurrent Resolution 204.
Join Century of Action in the Oregon Senate for the opening of the day’s session on February 7, 2012. (approximately 10:00 a.m.) That day Senate Concurrent Resolution 204, honoring Oregon’s centennial of woman suffrage will be voted on. Eliza Canty-Jones and Janice Dilg of the Oregon Suffrage Players will be on hand to present excerpts of the acclaimed town hall debate reenactment “What’s Suffrage Got To Do With It?”
Votes for Women! The Oregon Story Opens
Two former Secretaries of State, Gov. Barbara Roberts and Hon. Norma Paulus sashed current Secretary of State Kate Brown.
The Hon. Avel Gordly expressed her appreciation for all the women who paved the way for her generation of activists and elected officials.
Suffragists surround Secretary of State Kate Brown to hear her story of Charlie Parkhurst the first woman to vote in Oregon.
KGW’s Joe Smith highlighted the Votes for Women! exhibit opening and Secretary of State Kate Brown’s story of Charlie Parkhurst, the first woman to vote in Oregon.
Would you like a Votes for Women sash? Learn more about the Century of Action’s Sash Project and how to purchase one here.
Votes for Women! The Oregon Story
Women in Oregon won the right to vote in 1912, nearly a decade before most women of the United States achieved suffrage in 1920. Votes for Women! The Oregon Story explores the campaign undertaken by courageous women (and men) who were determined to give Oregon women equal access to the voting booth.
The success of the woman suffrage movement propelled women into civic and political roles that may seem ordinary to us one hundred years later. More than four decades of struggle before 1912 and a century of action after it place women at the center of political and civic life in our state. Come learn about this vital chapter in Oregon’s history.
OPENING RECEPTION
Wednesday, February 1 • 6–7:30 p.m.
Collins Gallery, 3rd floor of the Central Library
801 SW 10th Avenue
Join us for refreshments and remarks from Secretary of State Kate Brown, the Honorable Avel Gordly, Professor Kimberly Jensen, and special guests. Margie Boule will provide the singing!
Petticoat Postcards!
Sunday, February 26, 2–3:30 p.m.
Author Ruth Tenzer Feldman will read from and sign her young adult historical novel, Blue Thread (available for sale). The book features a scandalous 1906 “petticoat card,” and the author will help voters-to-be design postcards to send to government leaders. Presented in conjunction with the Votes for Women! The Oregon Story exhibition. Family Friendly.
Yours for Liberty: Abigail Scott Duniway
Sunday, March 4, 2–3:30 p.m. in the US Bank Room
Jean Ward and Elaine Maveety, co-authors of Yours for Liberty: Selections from Abigail Scott Duniway’s Suffrage Newspaper, will introduce Duniway through a visual presentation followed by a lively exchange of her women’s rights and woman suffrage writings. Presented in conjunction with the Votes for Women! The Oregon Story exhibition.
C O L L I N S G A L L E R Y
3rd floor, Central Library • 801 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland
Gallery Hours: Sun. noon–5 p.m. • Mon. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. • Tue. & Wed. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. • Thu.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Presented by Century of Action, celebrating 100 years of Oregon women’s right to vote and advancing the understanding of women’s citizenship in Oregon’s history.
Visit www.centuryofaction.org for related programs and more information.
The Dawn of Tomorrow: Oregon Jews and Woman Suffrage
The Dawn of Tomorrow:
Oregon Jews and Woman Suffrage
January 19 – May 6, 2012
The Dawn of Tomorrow: Oregon Jews and Woman Suffrage explores the sometimes equivocal participation of Oregon’s Jewish community in the six campaigns that ultimately gave Oregon women the right to vote in 1912. From views voiced by local rabbis to the anti-suffrage sentiment expressed in Portland’s Jewish press— the exhibit uses local newspaper accounts and photographs to weave together an intriguing story.
More details can be found at the Oregon Jewish Museum website.
“She Flies With Her Own Wings”
Associate Professor Randall Lake (Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism University of Southern California) has compiled and annotated a rich collection of Abigail Scott Duniway’s speeches.
“Scott Duniway was a prolific writer and speaker with a wide range of interests. In addition to being a forceful advocate on a number of public issues, she was a practicing journalist, wrote novels, and even dabbled in poetry. Of necessity, this collection overlooks her literary works in favor of her didactic rhetorical efforts, principally her speeches.
My aim in assembling this collection has been inclusive. The newspapers of her day often reported Scott Duniway’s remarks with varying degrees of completeness and accuracy. I have excluded texts that are obviously paraphrased rather than quoted, and those, even if quoted, that are too brief to be very illuminating. But otherwise I have erred on the side of inclusion. Some texts are lengthy while others are brief; some are very formal while others are casual; some could be called major addresses while others are quite ephemeral; some are apparently complete texts while a few are fragments. Each is an important piece of the on-going project that is the historical record. In musical terms, this is not a “greatest hits” collection but as complete a record as I have been able to assemble.”
Learn more about She Flies With Her Own Wings
Metro Councilors receive Votes for Women sashes
From Metro News, November 3, 2011
Three Metro councilors “got sashed” in a surprise ceremony during Metro’s weekly council meeting Thursday. Councilor Barbara Roberts, Oregon’s first female governor, presented her three female colleagues on the council with white sashes embossed with “Votes for Women.”
The sashings were part of ceremonies across the state commemorating the 1912 law allowing Oregon women the right to vote. After five unsuccessful attempts, Oregon voters finally passed the law and became the seventh state granting women suffrage through a ballot initiative process.
Roberts, who was governor from 1991-95, was appointed to fill a vacancy in District 6 in February.
Century of Action: Women Vote, 1912-2012 is a project of the Oregon Women’s History Consortium, which was developed to lead the centennial celebration and to promote women’s history.
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women TODAY!
Louisa May Alcott supported equal rights for women and organized them to vote 40 years before the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920. While Alcott was working hard on the east coast, Oregon women began a 42-year campaign for full voting rights, which they won 8 years before the rest of the nation.
Saturday, November 5, 3-5 p.m.
Central Library, U.S. Bank Room
Refreshments will be served
Turn-of-the-century attire strongly encouraged.
Why the West Came First: Oregon Woman Suffrage
3 p.m.
Join Professor Kimberly Jensen as she explores the fascinating history of woman suffrage in Oregon with an illustrated lecture. Abigail Scott Duniway, Martha Dalton Cardwell, Esther Pohl Lovejoy, Hattie Redomond and many other women and men worked tirelessly over 42 years and five statewide campaigns before voting rights were extended to most women in Oregon.
What’s Suffrage Got to Do with It?
4:30 p.m.
The Oregon Suffrage Players will perform a town hall debate drawing from actual pro- and anti-suffrage arguments made in Oregon during the 1912 campaign. The Oregonian Editor David Sarasohn will play the role of the anti-suffrage town hall moderator, and World Affairs Council Program Director Tim DuRoche will take the role of pro-suffrage leader William “Pike” Davis.
Program provided by Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote 1912-2012.
For related events go to Multnomah County Library website
Lives of Women Citizens History Pub—TONIGHT!
Lives of Women Citizens: Pioneering Women in Public Service
Historian Kimberly Jensen will provide an illustrated overview of women and citizenship in Oregon, giving context for a conversation among the pioneering women public servants and young women who have interviewed them over the summer. Reflecting on their interviews, the panel will engage in conversation about the history and future of women in Oregon politics. They will address questions such as: What constitute “women’s issues” in politics? What is the definition of a “feminist” politician? What defines a citizen? Is that definition different for men and women, and should it be? How are these issues different for women of different ethnic backgrounds? The audience will also be invited to ask questions.
Participants: Kimberly Jensen, Historian; Gretchen Kafoury, former Legislator (lobbied for passage of ERA in 1973); Norma Paulus, former Secretary of State of Oregon (first woman elected to statewide office in Oregon); Avel Louise Gordly, former legislator (first African American elected to state senate); and Kathryn Harrison, former Chairwoman of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Graduates of the New Leadership Oregon program.
The program is presented in partnership with Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote, 1912-2012, as well as with the Center for Women, Politics and Policy at Portland State University. History Pub is a collaboration between the Oregon Historical Society, Holy Names Heritage Center, and McMenamins.
This project was made possible in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities”>Oregon Humanities (OH), a statewide nonprofit organization and an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds OH¹s grant program, and Multnomah County Cultural Coalition (Oregon Cultural Trust).
Debut Party for Century of Action, July 27, 2011
Did you know that women formed Oregon’s first equal suffrage organization in 1870?
It took 42 years and 5 unsuccessful campaigns before Oregon men voted to give women the vote in 1912. One hundred years later, the Oregon Women’s History Consortium is leading the effort to mark the centennial and highlight the accomplishments of Oregon women.
Please join Governor Barbara Roberts and Century of Action for light appetizers at the Historic Coleman-Scott House, once owned by Leslie Scott, nephew to famous suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway.
July 27, 2011
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Coleman-Scott House
Light appetizers, wine and beer hosted*
Event location:
Historic Coleman-Scott House
2110 NE 16th Avenue
Portland, OR 97212
The Coleman-Scott house, a Colonial Revival Classic home, built in 1916 and designed by architect John V. Bennes is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sit at the desk where Harvey W. Scott, Oregonian editor and brother to Abigail Scott Duniway, penned his anti-suffrage editorials.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Oregon Women’s History Consortium, a newly founded non-profit seeking to preserve and highlight how women have shaped Oregon. Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote 1912-2012 is the inaugural project of the Oregon Women’s History Consortium.
* Thank you to the Oregon Commission for Women for their generous contribution of a portion of the wine for the event.
Governor Barbara Roberts City Club Friday Forum
A Century of Women’s Suffrage in Oregon: Understanding History, Making History
Gov. Barbara Roberts, Metro Councilor
It took 42 years and five unsuccessful campaigns before women in Oregon achieved the right to vote in 1912. Next year, Oregon will commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the state and already the retrospectives and celebrations are beginning.
On July 8, Governor Barbara Roberts recounted a critical piece of Oregon history: the story of the campaign for Oregon women’s right to vote. She also offered her observations on women’s political activity in the state, their growing electoral successes and expanded public leadership, and the many challenges women continue to face.
To listen to Gov. Roberts Friday Forum presentation click here: http://www.pdxcityclub.org/friday_forum_archive
Gov. Roberts is the co-chair of the Advisory Board of the Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote, 2912-2012 centennial celebration.
Betty Roberts, 1923-2011
It is with great sadness that we learned that the Honorable Betty Roberts died Saturday, June 25, 2011. Her personal and professional accomplishments were many, but she never rested on her laurels. Roberts was equally effective in mentoring others and cultivating the next generation of women leaders. When the founding members for the centennial celebration of Oregon women gaining the vote were brainstorming ideas, Betty Roberts was the first person we called for advice. Roberts immediately offered to meet, and quickly became an enthusiastic advisor and supporter. Betty Roberts’s life and work epitomized the century of action that Oregon women have engaged in since winning the right to vote. She will be sorely missed, but her legacy will endure.
To read more about Roberts’s life and accomplishments go to the links below:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/betty_roberts_first_woman_on_t.html
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110626008
http://www.registerguard.com/web/news/26455445-57/oregon-betty-roberts-court-state.html.csp
HISTORIAN JENSEN CELEBRATED FOR SCHOLARSHIP
Western Oregon University has selected Kimberly Jensen, professor and
head of its history department, as the recipient of its annual Mario and
Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Scholarship.
“Not only is she a skilled historical scholar, she is a gifted mentor
in involving undergraduate students in historical research,” said
Stephen Scheck, dean of the university’s College of Liberal Arts and
Science. She is the author of “Mobilizing Minerva: American Women in the
First World War”, one of the editors for the Oregon Encyclopedia of
History and Culture, and on the Organizing Committee of Century of
Action, the group leading the celebration of woman’s suffrage in Oregon.
She is also a member of the Oregon Heritage Commission.
For more information, visit http://www.wou.edu/las
L-R: Kayla Ward, Carolee Buck, Kimberly Jensen, and Secretary of State Kate Brown. Photograph by Erin Marr
Tune into Jefferson Public Radio April 14th
Jefferson Exchange host Geoffrey Riley will interview Century of Action project director, Janice Dilg from 8:30-9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, April 14th. Century of Action is a project of the Oregon Women’s History Consortium and is collaborating with organizations around the state to plan events and programs to celebrate the centennial of women getting the vote in 2012, and exploring the significant ways women have helped shape the State of Oregon through civic engagement over the past century.
Jefferson Exchange is JPR’s lively interactive program dedicated to stimulating constructive civic dialogue about regional issues, and providing a place to meet the interesting people and community leaders of Southern Oregon and Northern California.
Check out their website for more information and to find ways to listen to the program at http://www.ijpr.org/
Oregon Heritage Commission Proclaims Statewide Celebration
Governor Barbara Robert’s Century of Action Kickoff Speech
I am so excited to be here to share an historical journey with you that will take us to November 5, 2012, the 100th anniversary of Oregon women’s right to vote.
And from that historical date in 1912 until today, the women of Oregon have indeed experienced a “Century of Action”. Now, as women in Oregon continue to make history, it becomes more and more crucial that we understand and appreciate our history and that we make certain it is passed on to new generations of young women and girls.
An important element of the historical work we will be doing over the next months is what I call “carrying the water” for generations of women who will follow us. For the truth is, for most women in this country, someone else carried our water . . . and we can’t afford to return an empty bucket.
Women marched and were jailed, spat-on and even force fed so women could vote.
Someone was the first woman in law school, the first woman police officer, military officer, physician, engineer, labor leader. Someone in this country was the first and only woman Mayor, the first woman on a corporate board, to serve on a city council, to be a college president, astronaut, Olympic champion, legislator, judge – the list goes on. Across this country, they carried our water.
And while history may not always measure these women fairly in terms of their accomplishments and leadership, they broke the molds and made it easier for the women who followed, women like me. They carried our water. They blazed the trails. And now, we must lay the concrete for the women and girls who will follow.
Looking back in Oregon history, long before we had first secured the right to vote; there was an long and amazing history of Oregon’s tribal women. Most often, these women were the storytellers who passed on centuries-old tales – tales of their people and their lands. In more modern times, tribal women have often been the only remaining speakers of their tribes’ native tongues. These elders have taught young tribal members those languages to make certain they were not lost forever. Today, we are seeing more Oregon tribal women rising to leadership as tribal chiefs.
Those of us who grew up in Oregon know the stories and legends of Sacajawea who acted as a guide to Lewis and Clark as they explored the great Northwest. Without her knowledge of the land, the pathways, and the tribes, the Lewis and Clark exploration might be barely a footnote in history.
The next wave of women into the west transformed this region in ways that still impact us today - - - the women of the Oregon Trail. The diaries of those difficult treks across the continent were almost entirely written by the women and teenage girls on those wagon trains. They recorded the challenges, the births, the deaths, the changing scenery, the hardships, and the hopes. They preserved that history for all future generations.
And these same women of the trail helped start the schools, the libraries, the orphanages, the small businesses of pre-statehood times in Oregon. And they worked side-by-side with their men to establish farms out of the wilderness. Perhaps it was those Western “partnerships” that encouraged Oregon’s male voters to extend voting rights to the women of Oregon – eight years before the Federal suffrage passed in 1920.
And now, today, every place you look in our State, Oregon women are making history and changing history. For example, women are in decision-making roles at every level of government - - - school boards, local governments, the State Legislature, Congress, and judicial benches. We have witnessed a political revolution. We are at the table and we are changing the menu. But we should not celebrate these gains without acknowledging the sacrifices earlier women made – the cost of women’s political victories.
In Oregon, two viable, experienced, capable women, Betty Roberts and Norma Paulus, ran for Governor ~ and lost. Two women ran for the U.S. Senate ~ and lost. A 100% qualified woman ran for State Treasurer ~ and lost. Women ran for Congress in Oregon ~ and lost. But one painful brick after another, they laid the path that helped me and other women win.
In Oregon, we’ve now had a female U.S. Senator, three women in Congress, a woman as State Labor Commissioner, two women State Superintendents of Public Instruction, three female Secretaries of State, four women on our State Supreme Court bench, three women Mayors of Portland, four women Speakers of the House, a woman Mayor of every one of Oregon’s ten largest cities, three women on Oregon’s Federal bench, and I’ve had the honor to serve as our State’s Governor. More and more bricks; a longer and longer path for women to follow. And, before you know it, it is no longer simply a path. It is a solid foundation on which new women leaders may stand tall.
It is now impossible to put “Jeannie” back in the bottle. It is no longer simply our history – it is our future! So tonight, as we kick-off the celebration for next year’s 100th anniversary of our right to vote, I would encourage you to make these commitments:
1. Learn about women’s history.
2. Share your expanded knowledge, especially with girls and young women.
3. Remember to acknowledge those who “carried our water”.
4. Encourage women to step forward and lead!
5. Take extra pride whenever you quote Oregon’s official state motto: “She flies with her own wings”.
Century of Action Kick-Off
March 8, 2011
Speech by Governor Barbara Roberts
Century of Action Kicks Off in Style
What a Difference a Century Makes!
Over eighty people packed into Room 50 in our State Capital Building March 8 to kick off the countdown to the centennial of voting rights for Oregon women. Featured speaker former Gov. Barbara Roberts set the tone for the 2012 centennial by noting that previous generations of women endured discrimination and hardships—they “carried our water”—to lay the foundation for the rights women enjoy today. Roberts encouraged everyone there to make five commitments for the Century of Action centennial: learn about women’s history, share your knowledge with others (especially girls and women), acknowledge those who “carried our water,” encourage women to step forward and lead, and “take extra pride whenever you quote Oregon’s official state motto: “She flies with her own wings.”
Century of Action Project Director Janice Dilg launched the official centennial website, noting it addresses key goals of the centennial project: raising awareness of the history of woman suffrage in Oregon, educating Oregonians about that history by making historical documents available to all, and highlighting collections of women’s materials held at libraries and archives around the state and available for research.
Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown showcased the new Oregon Blue Book for 2011-2012. The color insert for this edition features Oregon woman suffrage history through photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts. The Blue Book is celebrating its own centennial, and in honor of its hundredth year, a reprint of the 1911 edition is also now for sale. An expanded Blue Book exhibit can be found online at http://bluebook.state.or.us.
Kimberly Jensen, professor of History and Gender Studies at Western Oregon University, and students from her Honors Seminar were a highlight of the evening. The students contributed significant content to the website with their Documents Project. Their work reading 1912 news articles; analyzing them for how the stories addressed some major themes, people, groups, and events in the movement for woman suffrage in Oregon; and writing essays about those themes to accompany groups of transcribed articles.
The evening closed on a high note, when the Coordinator of the Oregon Heritage Commission Kyle Jansson read the official Statewide Heritage Proclamation for the Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial.
Take action for the centennial today, by following Governor Roberts’s suggestions, and make a difference in this century!
Century of Action: Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial kick off March 8, 2011!
What a difference a century makes!
Before November 5, 1912 Oregon women could not fully vote for who represented them at the state, county, or federal level, or have a say in legislation, let alone hold elective office. That day changed everything after a majority of the men of Oregon extended the basic right of citizenship—the right to vote—to the women of the state. With the vote, the women of Oregon have engaged in a century of action.
Join Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown and Century of Action as we begin the countdown to 2012 and the centennial celebration of Oregon woman suffrage and beyond. The evening’s featured speakers, the Honorable Barbara Roberts and the Honorable Norma Paulus, helped shape today’s Oregon with their votes and their actions. The event will highlight the launch of the Century of Action website, the Oregon Blue Book online woman suffrage exhibit, and the and the official reading of the Statewide Heritage Proclamation for the Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial.
Date: March 8, 2011
Time: 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: Room 50, Capitol Building, Salem, Oregon
RSVP: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Light refreshments will be served
Program from 6:00-6:30
Secretary of State Kate Brown
Honorable Barbara Roberts
Janice Dilg and Kimberly Jensen, Century of Action
Kyle Jansson, Oregon Heritage Commission
Sponsors:
Century of Action, AAUW, Center for Women, Politics & Policy, League of Women Voters of Oregon, Northwest History Network, and Western Oregon University
Century of Action is organizing the celebration of 100 years of Oregon women’s right to vote and advances the understanding of women’s citizenship in Oregon’s history.
Sponsors: Century of Action, American Association of University Women of Oregon, Center for Women, Politics & Policy, League of Women Voters of Oregon, Northwest History Network, and Western Oregon University
Century of Action-OE History Night
Take 1 octagonal barn, 1 suffrage lecturer, 2 pioneer women political figures, 15 Suffrage Players, and 161 history enthusiasts and you get one packed, fun, sing-along educational evening at the Century of Action-Oregon Encyclopedia History night at McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse last Tuesday. In addition to learning about how Oregon women got the right to vote in Oregon in 1912, and the important contributions women have made to the state in the century since then, attendees donated over $2500 dollars to the Century of Action centennial project.
Thank you all for making this a great event!
For a glimpse at some of the festivities see below or go to our Century-of-Action-Oregon-Women-Vote Facebook Page.
Donating to the Century of Action: Oregon Women Vote, 1912-2012
Over the past year the work of planning for the centennial has made great strides. As a project of the Northwest History Network, the Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial received a grant for $9,961 from the Oregon Heritage Commission to develop an official centennial website that will contain historical documents, essays, and current information about the 2012 centennial. Grant funding requires matching funds, though, and we need your help raising our share of the matching funds. So far we’ve raised $3,350 toward our goal of $7,490!
Beginning March 16, 2010 you can donate to the Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial by clicking the “Donate” button to the right.
Not into online donations? You can still support the centennial by writing a check to the Northwest History Network and mailing it to 410 SE 12th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97214.
The Northwest History Network is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Your gift is fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
1912 - 2012: 100 Years of Women’s Votes in Oregon
In 2012, Oregonians will observe the 100th anniversary of the achievement of woman suffrage in our state.
Women in western states led the way in successful campaigns for the vote well before the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in August 1920. Since 1912, Oregon women have been able to fully engage in the political process, holding office as well as their long-standing role as activists.
Oregon’s suffrage history is a vibrant and vital part of the story of votes for women in our region, the nation, and around the globe.
The upcoming centennial is an opportunity for all Oregonians to reflect on important topics: the ongoing role women have played in our state’s history, the lessons of the suffrage movement, the achievements of citizen-based political movements, and the importance of civic engagement—among many other important historic and contemporary issues.
Using the anniversary as a broad, unifying theme, organizations across the state—small and large, and with a wide range of goals and expertise—can enhance the recognition and study of women in Oregon. Potential outcomes include (but are not limited to):
- exhibits and public programs
- enhanced archival collections and oral histories
- television, radio, and internet programming
- lesson plans and syllabi
- publications and research
We invite you to begin networking with others to observe this important occasion. One first step is to ask you to share what you think is most important to learn and do, as well as share any specific plans you may have by filling out a brief survey.
March 2010 Update
What’s new?
Dear Friend of Oregon Women’s History:
Thank you so much for taking our survey, answering our phone call or email, meeting with us to give advice, or just being enthusiastic about our work to plan for the Oregon woman suffrage centennial in 2012. We have been busy over the past several months, and we want to share with you some of our accomplishments.
We have:
- Developed a blog that raises awareness and provides information about Oregon woman suffrage history and the upcoming centennial including the feature, This Month in Oregon Woman Suffrage History. Read the March entry on 1912 campaign literature at www.oregonsuffrage.org
- Received the support of Secretary of State Kate Brown, who hosted a November 2009 reception at the state archives in Salem and who is highlighting the women’s suffrage centennial in the 2011-2012 Oregon Blue Book
- Recruited the Honorable Barbara Roberts and the Honorable Norma Paulus as our Advisory Board Co-chairs
- Received an Oregon Heritage Commission grant to develop an official 2012 Centennial website as a project of the Northwest History Network. www.northwesthistory.org
- Received a Declaration of Statewide Celebration from the Oregon Heritage Commission to mark the 2012 Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial.
- And spent many hours networking with scholars, archivists, heritage professionals, educators, women’s organizations, and members of the cultural community to learn their plans for the upcoming centennial and to develop ways we can collaborate on this historic Oregon achievement.
This project has the potential to significantly advance the documentation and analysis of women’s lives in Oregon, work that sorely needs doing. As the central group leading the preparations for this important celebration, our goal is to provide the resources necessary for educators, institutions, and organizations across the state to meaningfully celebrate women’s citizenship in 2012. We have made great progress, and we look forward to working with you as planning continues.
Please consider making a donation today!
You can help provide the matching funds for our Oregon Heritage Commission grant. To date we have raised $3,350 toward our goal of $7,490. Please donate online at www.oregonsuffrage.org or mail a check to the Northwest History Network, 410 SE 12th Avenue, Portland Oregon 97214.
Please keep in touch with ideas for potential events or programs, and keep us updated about your plans for this important anniversary. Forward this email or phone your associates and friends who would be interested in the 2012 women’s suffrage centennial. Ask them to visit www.oregonsuffrage.org to share their ideas and contact information.
Failure is Impossible!
Oregon Woman Suffrage Centennial Committee