As part of its annual participation in Constitution Day, this year IUPUC is honoring the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment by sponsoring a one-hour car parade on Saturday, September 19, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The parade is co-sponsored by the Centennial Suffrage Society, a small non-partisan group of Bartholomew County women and the IUPUC Constitution Day Committee.

 

The Suffrage Centennial Car Parade will start in the IUPUC parking lot, wind its way through Columbus touring several neighborhoods and senior care facilities, and end at Mill Race Park. The parade route can be found at http://bit.ly/suffrage-parade-columbus.

 

The lead car will be decorated to honor the first women to register to vote in Bartholomew County, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hubbard and Fanny Davis Johnson. They were members of Second Baptist Church of Columbus at the time.

 

The event organizers are inviting student groups, local organizations and businesses, and the general public to commemorate this historic event by decorating their car with flags, banners, sashes or costumes of some sort, and joining the parade. United States suffragette colors were purple, white and gold, and yellow roses also played a symbolic role in the movement. 

 

“Voting rights are important for all people,” said Dr. Pamela Morris of the Centennial Suffrage Society. “As our country continues to evolve as a democratic society, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to ensure that all citizens receive and maintain their right to vote.”

 

Those interested should bring their decorated cars to the IUPUC parking lot no later than 12:15 p.m. on September 19, or contact the Centennial Suffrage Society by emailing Dr. Pamela Morris  (pammorri@iupuc.edu) or Cate Hyatt (catehyattiu@gmail.com).