Utah Women’s Suffrage Week
February 10-15, 2020
Celebrate 150 Years!
On February 12, 1870, the Utah Territorial Legislature passed a women’s suffrage bill allowing women citizens over the age of 21 to vote. Two days later, on Valentine’s Day, school teacher Seraph Young cast a vote in Council Hall in Salt Lake City and became the first woman to vote under equal suffrage laws in the United States!
Join us for this historic week of suffrage celebrations and activities to celebrate these important anniversaries and our Utah HERitage.
Celebration at the Utah State Capitol
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
9 am to 3:30 pm
Free and Open to the Public
Join us for K-12 student celebration activities, including “Utah Women Working for the Vote and Beyond” exhibit, storytellers, scavenger hunt, activities, archives, prizes and more!
9 am to 3:30 pm - Grade K-12 student activities
“Utah Women Working for the Vote and Beyond” exhibit on the 4th floor featuring Brooke Smart’s illustrations and objects that tell Utah’s suffrage story
Women’s history scavenger hunt with prizes for students
Swag, videos about the history, and other informational displays
State Archives display
9 am to 12:30 pm
Storytellers featuring women from Utah history
Meet the illustrator
12:30 pm - “Champions of Change” song in the Capitol Rotunda
Sing-along with hundreds of other students from across the state!
Official Gold Room Commemoration with Governor and Mrs. Herbert
Featuring Utah Poet Laureate Paisley Rekdal
Utah State Capitol
Wednesday, February 12
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Public welcome
Space is limited
Doors open at 12:50
A Remembrance Walk for 150 Years of Voting Women
Friday, February 14
Free and Open to the Public
11:45 am - 2:00 pm
Join Better Days 2020, Preservation Utah, Voterise, the Utah Cultural Alliance, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, and the Utah YWCA to walk in memory of a Utah woman who inspires you to lead. We invite you to wear purple, white, or yellow (suffrage colors), and will provide pins and ribbons for you to wear the name of the woman you’re honoring.
The walk will start from City Creek Park at 12:15 pm, head north on State Street for a short speech and exhibit viewing at Council Hall, then end at Memorial House in Memory Grove Park.
Following the walk at 1:00 pm, enjoy food, music, activities, and a collaborative art project at Memorial House (375 N. Canyon Road).
Meet at City Creek Park to check in from 11:45-12:15 (175 N. State Street, corner of State St. & 2nd Avenue)
Click here for more information and to let us know you’re coming! (link)
Wear purple, white, or yellow (suffrage colors).
Pins and ribbons will be available for you to wear the name of the woman you are honoring.
Free two-hour parking is available on side-streets near the park. The nearest public parking lot is City Creek Parking Garage off of State Street and Main.
In case of inclement weather, the event will start at noon at Memorial House in Memory Grove.
Women of Notes with Utah Opera at Clubhouse SLC
Friday, February 14
7:00 pm
Join Utah Opera and Better Days 2020 at the historic Ladies’ Literary Club in Salt Lake City for a performance of two short operas by and about women.
Tickets available for purchase here.
Utah Women’s Voter Registration Day
Friday, February 14
All-day - for more information, visit the Voterise website
Author Event and Book Signing
Saturday, February 15
6:00—8:00 pm
American Fork Deseret Bookstore - 468 N 990 W b2, American Fork
Hear from the authors of two new books: Marianne Monson, author of Her Quiet Revolution: A Novel of Martha Hughes Cannon, and Katherine Kitterman and Rebekah Clark, authors of Thinking Women: A Timeline of Suffrage in Utah
Ongoing Exhibits:
“Utah Women Working for the Vote and Beyond” - Utah Capitol Building 4th floor gallery
This exhibit by Better Days 2020 and the Utah Department of Heritage & Arts features Brooke Smart's illustrations of 50 Utah women's advocates as well as objects that tell the history of women's voting rights in Utah.
“First Vote” - Council Hall (300 N. State Street, Salt Lake City)
At the location where the first Utah woman cast her ballot, you'll see a quilted memorial to leading suffragists and can cast your own symbolic vote.
“Sisters for Suffrage: How Utah Women Won the Vote” - LDS Church History Museum (45 N. W Temple, Salt Lake City)
This exhibit highlights the pioneering role of the Latter-day Saint Relief Society in the local and national suffrage movements, with historical artifacts, interactive kiosks, and hands-on activities for visitors of all ages.
Pioneer Memorial Museum - 300 N. Main Street in Salt Lake City
This museum features displays regarding early Utah women including a case of suffrage artifacts.
This traveling exhibit of Brooke Smart's original watercolors of 50 Utah women's advocates will be at the Open Classroom in Salt Lake City (134 D Street) during February. Click here to see the other locations it will travel to in 2020.