Raleigh
Aug 3, 2016
The State Capitol in August will transport visitors to the tumultuous days of the early 20thcentury, before women were granted the right to vote.
Members of North Carolina's Equal Suffrage League and women against suffrage will be portrayed at the State Capitol Aug. 20. Visitors will see women in the fight for the right to vote and will encounter notable suffragists including Lillian Exum Clement, the first female legislator in the South, and humanitarian and reformer Gertrude Weil. Tours will occur at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
North Carolina's original copy of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote will be displayed Aug. 15 to 26 at the State Capitol. The 19th Amendment formally began women's suffrage after passage by Congress in 1919 and formal ratification in 1920. It also marked the beginning of political participation for North Carolina women.
The document is loaned by the State Archives for limited display. The 26th Amendment will also be on display simultaneously. The 26th Amendment changed the legal voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971. Reservations are not required for the free program but donations are appreciated.
The State Capitol's mission is to preserve and interpret the history, architecture and functions of the 1840 building and Union Square. The State Capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington Streets and is located at One East Edenton Street, Raleigh. It is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Visit www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol or call (919) 733-4994 for more information.