Episode 1: The Sash
Aly Raisman: Hi, I’m Olympic gymnast and advocate Aly Raisman. Welcome to The Magic Sash, a very special podcast for your whole family.
Believe it or not, women couldn't always vote in the United States. There was a time - a very long time - when only men could vote. What you're about to hear is a story about the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment - which secured women's constitutional right to vote. It's a story about the biggest expansion of voting rights in the history of America.
But mostly, it's a story about people who demanded that their voices be heard, a story that continues to this day. The activists who fought for the right to vote, also known as suffragists, did more than just get the 19th Amendment passed. By speaking out in public and winning that right, they opened up new opportunities for women in all fields and inspired future generations to continue fighting for progress.
As a woman in sports, and an activist myself, I’m so grateful to the women who came before me. Their fight for equality paved the path to get me where I am today.
I think we can find a lot of inspiration today from their stories.
You're about to meet Lotty and Isaiah, two very modern 5th graders, who will go on an amazing journey back through time.
I’ll be back later to talk about some of the most important events in American history. But first, our story begins in 1848, with a brave girl named Florence...
[We hear the sound of a hammer on a nail. Florence Whitaker, (Young Florence) age 10, bold and principled, is hanging posters with her father.]
Young Florence: That’s the last of them, Father. All the posters have been hung. Now, Mr. Martin Van Buren will have us to thank if he wins the general election come November.
Mr. Whitaker: (laughing) He will indeed, Florence. Alright, that’s that then. Home we go.
[We hear them mount their horses and hooves clip-clop]
YF: (grunts as she gets on horse) Giddyap, Flame. I’ve made up my mind to vote for Mr. Martin Van Buren for president, just like you, Father.
MW: (laughing) Have you now?
YF: Indeed. MW: That’ll be quite a trick, my dear.
YF: How do you mean?
MW: Girls can’t vote, dear Florence; you know that.
YF: But children have just as much a - MW: No, what I mean to say, is that only men vote. That’s the way of the world.
YF: Not for long, Father ...
[We hear the sound of a horse whinny, then a crowd]
MW: Hm - quite a crowd up there. Let’s cut through the Beauregard’s orchards. I’d just as well avoid Wesleyan Chapel today.
YF: Why are all those people gathered ‘round the chapel?
MW: Now don’t get any ideas, young lady.
YF: How can I get any ideas if I don’t even know what we’re talking about?!
[We hear a church bell chime]
MW: (disapprovingly) If you must know, Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton is hosting a meeting; a women’s rights meeting here in Seneca Falls.
YF: A women’s rights meeting! Oh! Yes, I read all about Elizabeth Cady Stanton in the newspaper!
MW: When did you take to reading the newspaper?!
[We hear her horse shifting directions and galloping off]
MW: (calling off) Florence Whitaker - you come back here! YF: (calling out, growing distant) I’ll meet you at home, Father!
MW: Where are you off to?
YF: (calling back) I’m going to meet Mrs. Stanton! MW: Florence! YF: The future is coming!
[We hear her horse whinny and gallop off. This sound fades into contemporary music and then ...]
[We hear students chatter. An eletronic bell chimes.]
MRS. ALVAREZ: OK, books away, 5th graders! Thank you! [We hear grumbles and the sounds of books being put in desks]
MA: Daily Trivia drumroll please!
[We hear the sound of drum rolls on desks]
MA: In August we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of what monumental event in U.S. History?
LOTTY: The National Football League was formed in 1920! Go Bills!
[We hear an incorrect buzzer]
MA: I did not know that, Lotty. Thank you. But, I’m looking for ... ISAIAH: It’s the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote in the constitution.
[We hear Ding Ding Ding!]
MA: Isaiah for the win! Come up and get your Trivia ticket.
[We hear the sound of a chair scootching back. Footsteps.]
L: (under her breath) Know-it-all.
I: (under his breath) I don’t know it all. Just most of it.
MA: (clearing her throat) 100 years ago, the 19th Amendment to the constitution was ratified, providing for women’s right to vote.
Bradley: Rat-ified? Gross.
MA: Not talking about rodents, Bradley.
B: Right. Sorry, Mrs. Alvarez.
MA: When something is ratified, it means it’s become official. And speaking of... your “official” final project is to give an oral presentation - with your partner - on the history of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.
[We hear students groan]
MA: Women can vote now. But there’s still a lot of work to be done.
L: Including our project.
I: With a partner?
MA: Ah, thank you both for volunteering.
I/L: (protesting) What? Wait? I didn’t ...
MA: Isaiah Morgan and Lotty Whitaker Eldridge, looks like you just found your partners. I: You mean ... L: We have to work ...
I/L: With each other?!
[We hear the bell. Sounds of students shuffling out]
MA: (over the hubbub) I want you to begin with the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 and conclude in 1920 when women won the constitutional right to vote. Everyone else, partner up and grab instructions on your way out please -
[We hear a second bell. The student hubbub fades as we move to Lotty’s house]
L: Alexa, what’s the weather?
Amazon Echo Voice: Today in Seneca Falls, New York, the high is 38 degrees with a low of 28 degrees. You can expect a perfect snow day. Have fun playing outside with your friends.
[Lotty groans. We hear the doorbell, and the front door opens]
L: You’re late, Isaiah.
I: Happy Saturday to you too.
L: Everybody’s going sledding on Orchard Hill, and I’m stuck here with you.
I: Are going to let me in? It’s cold out here.
[We hear the door shut]
L: Let’s just get this over with. C’mon.
I: Where we going?
L: I do homework in the basement. Desk. Computer. It’s all down there. Let’s go.
[We hear the sound of creaking stairs]
I: (grunts as he trips)
L: Careful. Those are old stairs.
I: (sarcastically) Thanks. Why do you work down here?
L: What’s wrong with down here?
I: It’s kinda...creepy. What are all these boxes?
L: My grandma’s “downsizing” to an apartment. This is the family stuff she couldn’t “part with.” I: Is your grandma a hoarder?
L: No. She just...holds onto things. A lot of things. Do you have the assignment sheet?
I: (distracted) How old is this box. Duuusty. Can’t even read the label.
L: Isaiah, forget about the boxes.
[We hear him blow dust and brush of the label with his hand]
I: (sneezes)
L: Bless you. And gross. Huh, I never noticed that one before.
I: (reading the label on a box) “Granny Flo’s...I can’t make it out.
L: I don’t have a Granny Flo.
I: Tell that to this label.
L: “Granny Flo’s...Wait, does that say Suffragist memorabilia?!
I: Open it! [We hear the sound of tape ripping off a box]
L: Oh, yes! Look at all this stuff! Mrs. Alvarez is gonna eat this up! A-plus here we come.
[We hear the sound of stuff coming out of a box]
I: Thank you Granny Flo, whoever you are!
L: Watch out, let me.
I: Wait, before you take it out! This has unboxing video all over it. Lemme record this for my channel.
L: Nobody watches your channel, Isaiah.
I: I’ve got twenty-seven subscribers, okay? Go! What’s in there?
L: (pulling out papers) Newspaper clippings...Pamphlets ... oh sweet - a sash! Like they wore in marches. (reading) “Votes for Women.” That’s so old-school! I’m totally wearing this for the presentation - if it doesn’t fall apart.
I: Try it on. No, over your head, like this. Here, lemme help you put it on, Let’s just straighten it out... L: I don’t need you to help ... [Suddenly we hear whiz – bam – bang – whoosh! Magic is afoot]
I: Whoa...Why is it lighting up?
L: What’s happeninnnnnnnng?
I/L: Whooooaaaaaaaaa.
[We hear a thud, then Isaiah and Lotty’s shocked, gasping breaths… “ow!” “ouch!” etc.]
L: (stunned, confused) Isaiah, what’d you do?! This isn’t funny!
I: Me?! I didn’t do anything! You’re the one who ...
[He is interrupted by horses clip clopping and birds chirping]
L: Wait. We’re outside?!
I: And it’s summer?!
L: What is happening? Am I ... dreaming? I: Uh, no. That would mean we’re in each other’s dreams.
L: Yeah - and that’s a horse-drawn carriage.
[We hear in the distance…]
NEWSPAPER BOY: Extra extra, read all about it! L: Extra? Extra what? A newspaper? (then a GASP of realization) A newspaper!
[We hear Lotty run]
L: (out of breath) Excuse me! One newspaper please. NB: A penny for the paper.
L: A penny?!? That’s all?! [We hear Isaiah run up too] I: Here - here’s a nickel. NB: Wow. Thank you! (then - as he moves away) Extra extra! [We hear the newspaper ruffle]
L: (reading) The Seneca Falls Sentinel. July 18th ... 1848. I/L: 1848?!?! [We hear them run]
Aly Raisman: Yep...1848. Hi, it’s Aly Raisman. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Lotty and Isaiah have traveled back in time 172 years, long before women won the right to vote in America.
Some say the movement for women's suffrage started all the way back in 1776. As the framers were drafting the Declaration of Independence, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John Adams, the future second president of the United States.
"Remember the Ladies," she wrote. "And be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors."
[Her voice fades into the that of Abigail Adams]
Abigail Adams: Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.
Aly: Almost 150 years before the U.S. Congress voted to give women the constitutional right to vote, the letter Abigail Adams wrote was a private first step in the fight for equal rights for women.
But the first time a women's rights convention demanded suffrage was in 1848 in Seneca Falls New York, where our friends Lotty and Isaiah find themselves right now ...
[We hear Isaiah and Lotty gasping for breath] L: Here! Behind this shed. No one can see us. Isaiah ... I think ... I think we’ve -
I: Traveled back in time? L: (shaking out the paper) Look at this headline! “Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton to host Women’s Rights Meeting at Wesleyan Chapel.” Wait. Wesleyan Chapel? I know Wesleyan Chapel. It’s a historic site now. I mean, in 2020. It’s like a block from my house!
[We hear a church bell interrupt her]
I: There it is. Lotty, look. Wesleyan Chapel!
L: Only my house doesn’t exist yet, because it’s 1848... I: Yeah.
L: What’s wrong, Isaiah? I: You know, 1848 is not exactly the time you want to visit if you’re black. L: Oh right. I: I know New York was technically a free state in 1848, but it doesn’t mean that there wasn’t still a ton of racism. There’s racism today! I mean tomorrow. Whatever. What I’m saying is, I do not wanna be here.
L: (sighs, considering) Yeah. I guess you’re right. I: Besides, we’re 172 years in the past! Neither one of us is exactly safe!
[church bells chime]
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON: (calling from the Chapel) Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Elizabeth Cady Stanton ...
[Isaiah and Lotty gasp]
ECS: ...Soon I will be presenting the Declaration of Sentiments. Our goal this weekend is to make strides towards attaining the civil, social, political, and religious rights of women - and all people. Thank you for being here. We will convene shortly. Please ... take your seats.
L: Well, she sounds awesome! Hey, everybody’s going in! Let’s follow them.
I: Go in? We’ve got to get home! I need time to think. And we shouldn’t let anyone see us.
L: Wait. I remember seeing a picture of the church from a long time ago. There used to be a giant tree in the back. Follow me!
[We hear them run]
L: There’s the tree. I: Perfect! If we climb to the top, no one on the ground will be able to see us.
[We hear them run and struggle to climb the tree]
L: Here, boost me up.
I: Careful. Don’t step on my face! L: Well don’t put your face under my foot!
[Suddenly, we hear the voice of a young girl calling from above them.]
YOUNG FLORENCE: (startled, but friendly) Hello, down there ...
I/L: (gasp! Also startled)
L: (whispered) There’s already a girl in the tree! I: (whispered) Yeah, Lotty. I can see her.
L: (whispered) Well, what should we do?! YF: You’re welcome to join me - just find your own branch please. Couldn’t wait to hear Mrs. Stanton speak either, huh?
I: Huh? L: What are you doing up there? YF: I’m trying to be a part of history! Those women in there are fighting for something important. My dad says: (imitating her father) “Only men vote, Florence.” L: Florence... YF: That’s what my father calls me. L: (gobsmacked) Florence?! As in ... Florence Whitaker?
YF: How do you know my na(me) ... [Suddenly, we hear a branch crack, interrupting her]
YF: Jumping Jehoshaphat! It’s cracking! Ahhh!
I: What’s going on!? Are you OK up there?
YF: I told you to find your own branch. It’s cracking!
[We hear another crack]
YF: Ahhhhh!
I: Lotty, quick! Jump down!
L: We have to help her! YF: Ahhhhh! I’m gonna fall! Heeelllllpppp!!! Ahhhhh!
[the episode ends]
