UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Department of History will host a virtual screening and discussion on PBS/American Experience’s “The Vote” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Register here.
The evening will include a 30-minute screening of a clip on the 1913 Washington Parade from “The Vote,” a two-part documentary series that tells the dramatic culmination story of the hard-fought campaign waged by American women for the right to vote, a transformative cultural and political movement that resulted in the largest expansion of voting rights in U.S. history.
In its final decade, from 1909 to 1920, movement leaders wrestled with contentious questions about the most effective methods for affecting social change, debating the use of militant, even violent tactics, as well as hunger strikes and relentless public protests. The battle also upended previously accepted ideas about the proper role of women in American society and challenged the definitions of citizenship and democracy. Exploring how and why millions of 20th-century Americans mobilized for — and against — women’s suffrage, “The Vote” brings to life the unsung leaders of the movement and the deep controversies over gender roles and race that divided Americans then — and continue to dominate political discourse today.
The screening will be followed by a discussion and Q&A with Penn State College of the Liberal Arts faculty.
- Cathleen Cahill, associate professor of history
- Lee Ann Banaszak, professor of political science and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies
- John Gastil, distinguished professor of communication arts and sciences and political science
Kathryn Salzer, Gorman-McCourtney Career Development Professor in Medieval History and associate professor of history, will serve as the event’s moderator.
For the second time, the College of the Liberal Arts has chosen a theme around which it has planned courses, lectures, presentations, and events. Continuing through the 2020–21 academic year, the college’s theme is Moments of Change: A Century of Women’s Activism, which was inspired by the centennial of the adoption of the 19th Amendment.
To learn more about the college’s theme, to see additional upcoming events, to find educational resources, and more, visit womensactivism.psu.edu.