Votes for Women: The Road to Victory is a beautifully rendered, eleven-panel exhibit that seamlessly blends original artwork with a visually stimulating overview of Women’s Suffrage history in celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment. The colorful and playful panels depict various themes and periods of American Suffrage on the local, state, and national levels, outlining significant campaigns and famous suffragists including key Connecticut and Ridgefield proponents. In addition, this provocative exhibit sheds light on the anti-suffragist movement, the exclusion of black women from white suffrage movements and the subsequent development of a parallel black suffrage movement, the ongoing fight for equal rights, and the continued disenfranchisement of women.
The exhibit is researched by the Ridgefield Historical Society and the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield, created by local artist Bil Mikulewicz, and curated by Dr. Heather Prescott, an expert in the field and a faculty member at Central Connecticut State University.
The Votes for Women: Ridgefield Celebrates the 19th Amendment series was co-sponsored by Ridgefield Library, Ridgefield Historical Society, the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield, Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, and the Drum Hill Chapter of the DAR.
This program was supported by CT Humanities and Fairfield County Bank.
Artist Bil Mikulewicz discusses his creative process for the first two panels of Votes for Women – The Road to Victory.
