Women's Equality Day commemorated with history, discussion

KEESEVILLE | The Clinton County Historical Association, the League of Women Voters of the North Country and the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association commemorated Women's Equality Day with history and discussion, Aug. 26. This was the first time the three organizations worked together to organize this event, which took place at the Ausable Chasm pavilion. Women started organizing a national movement for women's rights, including the right to vote, in July 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York. "It was a battle that was not won for 72 years for white women, and went on longer for Native American women, for Asian Americans and for Americans of African descent," CCHA Director Helen Nerska said. "This sad, unfair, un-American reality shows us that while we recognize August 26, 1920, as a landmark, it was far from the finish line." The program began with some history about how women's equality and racism played and continue to play into the right to vote. Andrea Baer, North County Underground Railroad Historical Association trustee, read as Nannie Helen Burroughs, sharing her struggles as an educator who faced discrimination for her race and sex. Next, Jacqueline Madison, president of the North County Underground Railroad Historical Association board of trustees, told the story of Ida B. Wells, a prominent Black female journalist, activist and researcher. Nerska read as Francis Willard, president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Wells and Willard had a "war of words," because Willard's suffragist and social reform ideas, didn't extend to Black people. Nerska and Madison told this story by presenting the context, then reading quotes from each of them. Then the floor was open to discussion. They passed out a list of 17 questions, such as "what is a vote worth?" and "what was the status of women prior to the right to vote?" "What is a vote worth?" led to a conversation about how important different generations think voting is. Baer said younger generations are born into a sense of freedom, so they take things for granted. "It's a bit dangerous because that will lead us to repeat history," Baer said. "Because slowly and slowly, pieces of our rights are being taken away again." Ali Webbinaro said some of her peers are not invested in voting and don't fully understand the issues they vote on. "I think there's a benefit to getting younger people engaged in their local elections or local boards or committees or things like that," Webbinaro said. "I think at the local level, you can see the effects that your vote has, opposed to at the national level." Betty Ann King read a list of reasons voting matters. "Vote for your next generation. Decisions [you vote on] will impact you, your children, your grandchildren and generations to come," King said. "Show them a good example, encourage civic responsibility. Your vote matters. Vote or lose your right to complain, it doesn't matter whether your candidate wins or loses, because society must cast ballots for decisions to be made." Another attendee, Ann Csorny, said it's important to use your voice and be present where decisions are being made. "Most people who serve in public office want to know what the public thinks, what the public wants, and they're going to most times, work with those people that are in front of them the most," Csorny said. In addition to the list of questions, attendees received a U.S. voting rights timeline, from 1870, when the 15th amendment passed, which states the right to vote cannot be denied based on race, to February 2022, when the Supreme Court restored a GOP-drawn Alabama congressional map. They also passed out President Joe Biden's Proclamation for Women's Equality Day. Every president has released a proclamation on Women's Equality Day since it was formally adopted in 1973. Nerska said in recent years presidents have used their proclamations to talk about the things they have done, while Biden's talked more about what still needs to be done.

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Women's Equality Day commemorated with history, discussion

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