KATHERINE KITTERMAN, BETTER DAYS 2020
Proposal Type
Roundtable
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking Specific Expertise
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
Related Topics
- Advocacy
- Museums/Exhibits
- Public Engagement
Abstract
This roundtable will include public historians at suffrage centennial organizations in Utah, Washington, and other states TBD on their work to commemorate the 19th Amendment in 2020. Roundtable participants would first discuss the successes and challenges they’ve seen in collaborating with community members and historians to share suffrage history within their particular local contexts. The discussion could then include questions on topics such as:
- celebrating the 19th Amendment as a step toward women’s political equality while acknowledging the discrimination and unfinished work of the women’s movement,
- engaging community stakeholders through this history,
- grounding suffrage centennial programming in local history,
- and more!
Description
I am seeking public historians involved with suffrage centennial organizations or celebrations in other states who would be interested in moderating or joining this roundtable discussion at the 2020 Annual Meeting. I’m hoping we can put together a diverse group of public historians from a broad geographic range working in locations with varying levels of institutional support for local history and women’s history in particular. I would also welcome suggestions and ideas for topics to discuss at the roundtable that would ensure a robust and engaging conversation.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly: Katherine Kitterman, [email protected]
All feedback and offers of assistance should be submitted by July 1, 2019. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
I would be interested in participating in this roundtable. I am the Director of the Evanston Women’s History Project and the Frances Willard House Museum in Evanston, Illinois. We are planning the local commemoration of the 100th anniversary and I am also connected to the statewide planning for the anniversary in Illinois. We have been working to shift our language from “celebrating” to “commemorating” this moment for several reasons related to racism in the women’s movement and the ongoing issue of voting restrictions beyond the passage of the 19th amendment. We also undertook a project at the Frances Willard House to discuss the conflict between Willard and Ida B. Wells. You can find more at our website.
Hi Lori – I’m so sorry I didn’t see this before now! I would love to talk further about the panel by email or phone. You can reach me at katherine at betterdays2020 dot org.
Hi Katherine (and Lori!), Lori, is a perfect fit for this panel. We are both addressing Illinois parts of this legacy, although from slightly different angles. I’m in Chicago at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and will be working with Lori in our public programming to address racism within the suffrage movement. We will be working with contemporary artists for our exhibition tribute, which might be an interesting addition to the roundtable. But if you are going for geographical diversity, you may not want to include two of us from Illinois! I think Lori can definitely represent Illinois for the both of us. If you need an additional person, let me know!
Jennifer – Thanks for reaching out! You’re right that I’d like some geographic diversity, but I’m not sure it would be a problem to have two from Illinois, especially since it’s difficult to find others out West who have the funding to attend NCPH. Could we talk about this via email or phone? You can reach me at katherine at betterdays2020 dot org.
If you’re still looking for other presenters for what sounds like a great discussion, I suspect that Cathleen Cahill at Penn State may be interested. Best of luck!