The second book discussion in a four-part series will be held on Tuesday, August 23 at 6 p.m. The discussion will be in room 458 in the University of Louisiana Monroe Library and is open to the public.
The book being discussed is The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss. Soon to be a major television event, the nail-biting climax of one of the greatest political battles in American history: the ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote.
Taking place in Nashville in August 1920. Thirty-five states have approved the Nineteenth Amendment, granting women the right to vote; one last state—Tennessee—is needed for women's voting rights to be the law of the land. The suffragists face vicious opposition from politicians, clergy, corporations, and racists who don't want black women voting. And then there are the "Antis"—women who oppose their own enfranchisement, fearing suffrage will bring about the nation's moral collapse. And in one hot summer, they all converge for a confrontation, replete with booze and blackmail, betrayal and courage. Following a handful of remarkable women who led their respective forces into battle, The Woman's Hour is the gripping story of how America's women won their own freedom and the opening campaign in the great twentieth-century battles for civil rights.
Dr. Leah Hersey, an assistant professor of political science, said, "Traditionally, the woman's place was in the home. By going out and voting and taking part in civil society outside the home would lead to the demoralization of the country. They did not think women should have that privilege."
The series will take a look at the history of voting rights in the United States including the founding of the nation in 1776, women's suffrage in 1919, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and, modern-day voter ID laws.
The next scheduled discussions are Tuesday, September 20, and Tuesday, October 11.
A limited amount of free copies of the books are available upon registration. Registration is available at mckinnie@ulm.edu.
