One century ago, after decades of organizing and challenging the status quo, the 19th Amendment was ratified and women in the United States gained the right to vote. That’s the standard narrative. This course will explore the longer, more complicated history of women’s legal and political status from 1776–2020, tracking how a broad movement for women’s rights came to focus on suffrage and what happened after it was achieved. What did and what does voting mean to diverse Americans? Brief readings, guest speakers, and a virtual field trip to the Minnesota Historical Society will be part of the course.
