100 Years Strong League Of Women Voters 1920-2020

Purchase tickets and plan to attend!

The 100th anniversary of the LWV on Valentine's Day will be celebrated on Valentine's weekend at the Valentine Theatre with a performance by the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

The performance is Saturday night, February 15 at 8 p.m.

Members are urged to purchase tickets early and invite friends.

There will be a LWV table along with the Ohio History Connection (OHC) display at the Valentine Theatre. An insert in the program will highlight the League's history, the long struggle for women's suffrage and the continuing effort for voter rights. League members will wear white sashes (provided). It should be noted, that February 15 is also Susan B. Anthony's birthday! Let's have a great member turnout and kick-off for 2020.

Printed invitations are being sent to regional women's organizations and dignitaries, inviting them to attend and celebrate with the LWV. The three northwest Ohio leagues, Bowling Green, Perrysburg Area and Toledo-Lucas County, each committed to purchase 50 tickets. As you purchase tickets, let your league's anniversary committee members know, so the committee can maintain a tally.

Tickets are available at all price points. To purchase tickets, call the Valentine Theatre Box Office at 419-242-2787.

Woman Suffrage All-Ages Reading List

The Complicated Struggle for Woman Suffrage Discussion Guide

Confused by the terms suffrage, suffragist, suffragette?

Suffrage: in a representative government, the right to vote in electing public officials and adopting or rejecting proposed legislation. Suffragist: a person advocating for the extension of suffrage, especially to women Suffragette: women who believed in direct action, often militant and confrontational, to achieve suffrage

In the U. S., the Suffragists became a national organization. The Suffragettes represented a smaller group with 2000 members at its peak in 1914. The Suffragists allowed men to join; the Suffragettes did not. While women in America preferred the more serious and respected label of suffragist, many British advocates associated with the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) embraced the term suffragette, explaining: the suffragist wants the vote, while the suffragette means to get it.

More than 20 organizations have agreed to partner with the three northwest Ohio LWV leagues to observe the 100th anniversaries of the LWV and women's suffrage. The partner organizations are offering programs, voter information table and display space, shared promotion, sponsorship, and "Rally" performances. The organizations are:

AAUW/Toledo * Arts Commission of Toledo * Bowling Green Public Library * Bowling Green State University * City of Oregon * Fort Meigs * Girls Scouts of Western Ohio * Glacity Theatre Cooperative * Hayes Presidential Library and Museum * Imagination Station * Mazza Museum * Ohio History Connection * Owens-Corning * ProMedica * Sauder Village * Toledo Museum of Art * Toledo Opera * Toledo Opera Guild * Toledo Press Club * Toledo-Lucas County Public Library * University of Toledo * Valentine Theatre * Way Public Library * WGTE *Women of Toledo (WOT) * YWCA

Beginning in January, The BackStory, a monthly, 30-minute current affairs television series, coproduced by LWV, launches on WGTE.

January kicks off a monthly program at Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) called, Localeyes. Women leaders from the area will identify works of art that will be the focus of public tours.

February through September, 60-second spotlights on Women of Northwest Ohio begin on WGTE radio and television.

February 15, LWV will celebrate its 100th anniversary at the Valentine Theatre. Order your tickets now for the Dance Theatre of Harlem performance.

Feb - Mar & Aug - Sept LWV will host an Ohio History Connection display. The display will rotate to venues throughout northwest Ohio.

March, Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) will host Sara Egge, author of "Woman Suffrage and Citizenship in the Midwest."

April, the Toledo Opera is staging "Scalia/Ginsburg" and offering LWV members a 10 percent discount on tickets.

May begins a four-month film series at TLCPL.

June, TMA is presenting a program on women artists since 1920.

July, August & September, reenactments of a women's suffrage march are scheduled. Among the venues are: Sauder Village, Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, and the University of Toledo (UT) campus.

Week of August 18, to mark the anniversary of ratification of the 19th amendment TLCPL opens its Steinem Sisters exhibit.

September - UT is hosting a two-day symposium with Christine Brennan as keynote.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW!

An ad hoc committee representing the three northwest Ohio LWV leagues (Perrysburg Area, Bowling Green, Toledo-Lucas County) has been meeting regularly since April to plan events/activities in 2020 to recognize and celebrate the 100th anniversaries of the LWV (February 14) and ratification of the 19th amendment (August 18).

The calendar is now set, with just a few dates yet to be confirmed, and the steering committee is now focused on making each event memorable, educational and replicable. Partnerships with more than 20 organizations are in place and moving forward.

Reports will follow in the coming weeks regarding the scheduled events and opportunities for member involvement ... and members are urged to become involved and participate. A volunteer sign-up sheet and calendar of events will be mailed to members of all three leagues.

Steering committee members are: Lee McLaird, Lee Hakel, Kay Sergent & Jennifer Karches of the Bowling Green League; Debra Gorman & Nancy Kelley of the Perrysburg League; Phyllis Berman, Jeanny Amidon, Ann Fabiszak- Payne, Cherie Spino, Jennifer Nagel, Holly Monsos, Janet Lyon, Kelby Sodeman & Judy Kehrle of the Toledo-Lucas County League.

Please contact them with questions and let them know your interest in participating. For the coming year to be successful, all league members must be involved and committed to making the year a success.