Regional Resources on Women's Suffrage

Ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment recognized women's constitutional right to vote. Numerous states had already extended voting rights to women: Missouri women in March 1919 and Kansas women in 1912. But even after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, millions of women of color continued to face disenfranchisement. After achieving longtime goals of suffrage and Prohibition, politically active women in Kansas City pivoted to other issues and frequently found themselves in contention with the Pendergast organization. The women’s suffrage movement and ensuing reform efforts are explored on the Pendergast Years website and in other resources from the Kansas City Public Library and regional partners.

Article on Suffrage in Kansas City

Read the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Kansas City by Rebekah Aycock

Votes for Women graphic

Visit the 19th Amendment in the Heartland Website

Museums, civic groups, and other cultural institutions in western Missouri and eastern Kansas are commemorating the 19th Amendment throughout its anniversary year. Visit their websites to learn more about their programming and activities: 19at100.org

19 at 100 web graphic

Download the 19th Amendment Centennial Coloring Book

The Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections has produced a new history-themed coloring book that highlights several local women who took part in the suffrage movement: Coloring Kansas City: 19th Amendment Centennial

Suffrage coloring book cover

Reading List from the Library Catalog

View a list of books, documentaries, films, and podcasts with a focus on the history of national and regional women's suffrage movements.

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