First Lady, State Supt. Stanford Taylor, Historical Society Announce Suffrage Classroom Resources

PITTSVILLE — Wisconsin First Lady Kathy Evers, together with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor and Wisconsin Historical Society secondary education coordinator Jenny Kalvaitis, today announced new classroom resources relating to suffrage and the role of Wisconsin women in the suffrage movement at a stop in Pittsville.

Today’s announcement comes during the centennial anniversary of Wisconsin’s Ratification of the 19th Amendment. On June 10, 1919, Wisconsin made history becoming one of the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment, just six days after the amendment was sent to the states for ratification. Earlier this year, Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #19 creating the Committee to Celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Wisconsin’s Ratification of the 19th Amendment and charging the committee with planning and preparing educational activities and a toolkit for students and teachers to learn more about the suffrage movement and the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

“It is paramount for our kids to understand the importance and the history of voting, especially given how hard so many people have had to fight to be able to vote,” said Mrs. Evers, chairwoman of the Centennial Committee’s executive committee. “As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wisconsin ratifying the 19th Amendment, these resources will help educators across our state celebrate the leadership and legacy of these women who shaped history.”

“The 19th Amendment gave white women a voice in American politics,” Stanford Taylor said. “And although women of color were not extended this right with the signing of the amendment, it is important to note that women of color have long been involved in political activism. By learning about the diverse backgrounds of the women who came together to fight for the right to vote and the history behind a basic right that had been denied to so many, we can teach our students to never lose sight of the importance of voting and the impact women have had on Wisconsin history.”

The classroom resources announced today include vocabulary, primary source tools for K-12, discussion questions and information on supplemental resources. The Centennial Committee, the Department of Public Instruction, and the Wisconsin Historical Society worked with Wisconsin educators to create lesson plans that draw inspiration from local leaders to be used in classrooms with students across the state.

“These resources provide ideas for how teachers can recognize and teach the work of Wisconsin’s women political leaders from throughout history,” said Jenny Kalvaitis, coordinator of secondary education for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “The tools that are being offered can be used together to supplement a lesson or used separately with other primary source work that teachers are using in their classrooms.”

For more information visit wisconsinhistory.org/votesforwomen.

Office of the Governor

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.