jacksonsun.com
August 25, 2011
By Karen Y. Johnson
Last year on Aug. 26, when the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus sponsored a Women's Equality Day event to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, we were reminded that the 100th anniversary is only 10 years away.
In 1995, when the nation was celebrating the 75th anniversary, Tennesseans formed The Tennessee Commemorative Woman's Suffrage Commission, led by then first lady and honorary chairwoman Martha Sundquist. The co-chairs were Paula Casey of Memphis and state Sen. Thelma Harper of Nashville. Historian Carole Bucy served as the executive director and historians Dr. Janann Sherman and Carol Lynn Yellin served on the board of directors.
They gathered historical documents and three plays were written: "The Perfect 36," The Yellow Rose Brigade" and "Yellow Rose of Suffrage," about the events that took place in Tennessee leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment. The plays were performed in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. Many other events and parades were held across the state that year. The historical documents of the Tennessee suffragists' work is documented in a book titled "The Perfect 36."
Many artifacts were collected for the 75th year celebration, and they were donated to the Tennessee Museum, but the curator has not chosen to keep them on display. In fact, no memorials to the events of 1920 appear in our capitol city, except for a small plaque behind the Hermitage Hotel and a large bas-relief work by local sculptor Alan LeQuire, which hangs in the state capitol building on the second floor outside the stairway to the Senate gallery.
As part of the plans made by Woman Suffrage 75, Inc., women from all three Tennessee grand divisions agreed to go back to their respective communities and raise the money to erect a suffrage monument in the cities of Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. Only the Knoxville women succeeded. They raised the money and commissioned Nashville sculpture Alan LeQuire to erect a bronze statue of the leading Tennessee suffragists. The magnificent statue was dedicated Aug. 26, 2006 and proudly stands in Krutch Park, adjoining the Market Square Mall in downtown Knoxville.
Sadly, no monument has been erected in our capitol city, Nashville. The Board of the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus voted to spearhead the effort to raise money and commission an artist to erect a Women's Suffrage Monument in Nashville. A separate board which includes women from across Tennessee has been named for the nonprofit corporation. We plan to partner with other organizations and individuals to help make the dream a reality.
We envision the monument would be placed somewhere near the state Capitol building and dedicated on Aug. 18, 2020, the 100th anniversary of that famous day when the Tennessee legislature ratified the amendment. With 10 years to raise the money and create an art competition to select a sculptor, we know that what Susan B. Anthony declared is true: "Failure is Impossible."
Karen Y. Johnson is president of the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus and Metro Nashville councilwoman-elect for District 29. Contact her at johnsonkareny@gmail.com. You can check out the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus http://www.tennesseewpc.com/.
