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This book is published by the LWVNEW as a FUNDRAISER and is available through Amazon in PAPERBACK!
About the Songs of the Suffragists
The music of the women’s suffrage movement reflects the culture of change that activists inspired, and that inspired activism. Songs sung by and about suffragists reveal their persuasive arguments for political equality, and helped link their cause to the other activist movements of their time. Notably, the lyrics of pre-Nineteenth Amendment songs foreshadow the feminist message of later suffragists, who sought to advance the cause of women’s equality in their own times.
It’s here! Order your copy of our book TODAY!
Discussion Guide:
available for free download ( click here)
SONGS OF THE SUFFRAGISTS: A VIDEO (click to view)
This video is designed for book clubs, programs on the history of the the Women’s Right to Vote and both high school and college classes studying Women’s History.
Vision
Thank you to our devoted fans of the Songs of the Suffragists project for making our centennial celebration of women’s suffrage an entertaining, enlightening, and overall fun experience.
The project was kicked off by past LWVBHNPS President, Susan Ferris Rights, with two very talented interns in 2018. They researched the 18th and 19th century songs sung by U.S.
suffragists during their fight for women’s voting rights.
The baton passed to Laura Engelhardt who began looking into publication of their work. Along with another pair of extraordinary interns, the work was expanded and refined into the book we ultimately published in 2020: Songs of the Suffragists
If you want to support the LWV’s educational initiatives, and haven’t yet bought it, please do!
One hundred percent of sales proceeds go to supporting the League. Our original intention was to use the book in live programming to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of passage of the 19th Amendment (which codified women’s voting rights).
Covid changed that plan, and instead we embarked on an even more ambitious project: the creation of a short documentary film
and related discussion guide that could serve as a ready-made program for groups wishing to commemorate this milestone in feminist history.
About us
Susan Ferris Rights
Susan Ferris is the 3 term Past-President of the LWV of Berkeley Heights, New Providence and Summit and the current President of the LWV of North East Westchester. She continues to moderate candidate forums throughout NY. Her interest in the rights of Women and Women’s History is traced to her education in Quaker schools and her upbringing as a Quaker, a group well-known for their beliefs in the equality of all people.
In 2018 she took her intense interest in graphic design and started her own design business working to create children’s party and wall décor.
Laura Engelhardt
Laura Engelhardt is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Hamilton College. In 2017, she founded Neutrality Now LLC, a provider of arbitration and mediation services. In addition to co-authoring Songs of the Suffragists, she’s published two novels on her own and is currently working on a third. During election season, Laura moderates local debates for the League of Women Voters and provides information to voters through Election Protection’s voter hotline.
Details
Songs of the Suffragists showcases the enduring suffragist message and calls upon modern activists to continue the fight for freedom and equality.
The music of the women’s suffrage movement reflects the culture of change inspired by over a century of activism. Songs sung by and about the suffragists reveal the persuasive arguments underpinning their efforts to gain the right to vote, and link their cause to other activist movements of the time. The lyrics of the pre-Nineteenth Amendment songs foreshadow the arguments of later suffragists, who sought to advance the cause of women’s equality in their own time. Written to commemorate the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment's passage, this engaging book explores the enduring themes of feminism through the lyrics of American music.
* Features lyrics from over 20 songs, including the works of Julia Ward Howe, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Loretta Lynn, and Kesha
* Includes over 40 photos documenting the history of the American feminist movement
* All proceeds benefit the League of Women Voters of Berkeley Heights, New Providence and Summit (LWVBHNPS)
* The accompanying discussion guide and 30-minute documentary film are available FOR FREE on the LWVBHNPS website. A perfect supplement to the book that has been successfully used by book clubs, historical societies, libraries, and high schools in their programming.