Two exhibits at the Lyon County History Center are focused on a major initiative in American history.
The 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, was adopted Aug. 18, 1920. It was actually introduced in 1876 but didn’t pass Congress until 1919. Kansas had granted women the right to vote in 1912, becoming the eighth state in the country to do so.
Assistant Director Lisa Soller says the Kansas League of Women Voters has brought a traveling exhibit called “Learning from the Past, Imagining the Future.” A companion exhibit created by the History Center is alongside — “Fight For Our Right: The 19th and Beyond.” Soller says the History Center exhibit was made possible through a partnership involving the Emporia League of Women Voters and Emporia State University Center for Gender and Ethnic Studies.
Soller says it was emotional putting the exhibit together — and recognizing the sacrifices women made to earn the right to vote.
The Kansas League of Women Voters exhibit is available for viewing until Aug. 15, while the History Center exhibit will be up through Election Day.
History Center hours are 10 am to 2 pm Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Face coverings and social distancing are strongly encouraged. More information is available by calling 340-6310 or by going online to www.explorelyoncounty.org.
Photos by Chuck Samples/KVOE News
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