Exhibition: “Leading the Way -Montana Woman Suffrage & the Struggle for Equal Citizenship” on Display at two Lewis & Clark Library Branches
June 1, 2014 (Helena, MT)—Both the Lincoln and Augusta branches of the Lewis & Clark Library will host a 5 panel exhibit which chronicles the civic history of women in Montana. The exhibition will open in Lincoln on June 17th and be on display in the Community Room through June 27th. The exhibit will then move to Augusta on June 30th, where it will remain open through July 13th.
Montana women seized their right to vote in November, 1914, when suffrage was extended to most women in the state. To help celebrate this important centennial, the Mansfield Library of the University of Montana created the exhibit, “Leading the Way -Montana Woman Suffrage & the Struggle for Equal Citizenship.” Libraries across the Treasure State are hosting the exhibit and planning events to celebrate the centennial.
Many national suffrage supporters looked west for inspiration. Montana passed its suffrage referendum six years before it the 20th amendment to the US Constitution became the law of the land. The traveling exhibit “Leading the Way: Montana Woman Suffrage and the Struggle for Equal Citizenship” uses historic photographs, archival documents, and other rare materials to highlight the role that Montana women played in fulfilling the promise of democracy and their full rights of citizenship.
“We are just thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our patrons in Lincoln and Augusta,” explained Lewis & Clark Library Director, Judy Hart. “We have rotating displays at the main branch but this is a rare treat that we get to offer a traveling exhibit to our branch libraries.”
In Lincoln: View the exhibition at the Lincoln Library Community Room during regular library hours. The exhibition is free. The library is located at 109 9th Street. For more information contact: Branch Librarian, Sherri Wood at 406-362-4300.
In Augusta: View the exhibition at the Augusta Library during regular library hours. The exhibition is free. The library is located at 205 Main Street. For more information contact: Branch Librarian, Holly Herring at 406-562-3348.
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