This September, the Warren Hills Regional School District will host a new pop-up exhibition from the National Archives, “Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote,” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution’s 19th Amendment.

“Rightfully Hers” contains simple messages exploring the history of the ratification of the 19th amendment, women’s voting rights before and after its ratification, and its ongoing impact today.

Despite decades of marches, petitions, and public debate to enshrine a woman’s right to vote in the Constitution, the 19th 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.

“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.”

Keith Dennison, District Supervisor of Social Studies, added, “Students in our social studies courses in both buildings will visit the exhibit as part of their study of American history, the development of the United States Constitution, the development of civil rights, and their study of the evolution of gender roles in American society. Our libraries will host the exhibit in order to make it accessible to many students during the school day. The primary sources provided by the National Archives make this pop-up exhibit meaningful and thought provoking, and it exposes Warren Hills’ students to important artifacts of American history that they wouldn’t normally be able to access.” “Rightfully Hers” is organized by the National Archives and Records Administration. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th 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 National Archives Foundation through the support of Unilever, Pivotal Ventures, Carl M. Freeman Foundation in honor of Virginia Allen Freeman, AARP, and Denise Gwyn Ferguson.