100 Years, 100 Days, 100 Facts

Devens, MA (May 22, 2020) –

Tuesday, May 19th marked 100 days until the centennial of the 19^th Amendment. To commemorate the arrival of the historic event, Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area is counting down each of the days until the 19^th Amendment’s anniversary, August 26^th, by sharing one fact about suffrage history. These snippets of history will share the story of suffrage from Freedom’s Way NHA’s communities in Southern New Hampshire, and central to northern Massachusetts, as well as from the nation as a whole. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see 19^th amendment facts each day.

Don’t miss out Freedom’s Way NHA’s Heritage Stories video, a visual storytelling of the life of Hazel MacKaye, who lived in Shirley, MA. Using her professional theater production skills, MacKaye created theatrical performances for suffragettes to use while protesting the restrictions on their voting rights. These performances, which pushed for equality and the right to vote, were a valuable and memorable way of furthering the cause of suffrage and making a memorable argument in front of a large audience. At the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C., a performance called “Allegory,” created by MacKaye, was held on the steps of the U.S. Treasury Building. With over 100 hundred women involved, it starred the characters of Justice, Charity, Liberty, Peace, and Hope, who evaluated the procession of women before joining in on their march to the White House.

Find out more about MacKaye’s life, to view other Heritage Stories, and check out the 100 day countdown at freedomsway.org.

Discover more news and stories from America's National Heritage Areas.