[Location: November 2, 1920, Rochester NY. Outside a voting booth.]
[Lotty and Isaiah look around in front of the polling place.]
Lotty: Oh no! Isaiah! Granny Flo! She’s ... she’s gone?! I felt her hand slip away, but I thought I’d hung on tightly enough. Maybe ... I didn’t.
Ballot Box Man: Step right up, step right up, Ladies and Gentlemen. Cast your vote in the 1920 election. Who’s it gonna be? Harding or Cox. The choice is yours!
L: Isaiah!
Isaiah (startled): What?!
L: Did you just hear that guy?!
I: LADIES! CAST YOUR VOTE?!
L: We did it! You ripped the sash perfectly! It’s voting day in 1920. Look at that long line of women!
[We hear a group of women excitedly chattering in line.]
L: I wonder if ...
I (calling out): Where are you going?
[We hear Lotty run over to the line of women.]
L: Excuse me, ma’am. So sorry to interrupt you, but do you happen to know a woman in town by the name of Florence Whitaker.
Woman in Line: Florence Whitaker?! Why of course. Everyone knows Mrs. Whitaker. But I’d heard she wasn’t well.
L: But she’s alive?
Woman in Line: Well, yes. Her house isn’t far from here.
L: Is she still in her same house - 1822 Wyoming Court?!
Woman in Line: Yes, dear. That’s where you’ll find her.
L: (shouting back) Thank you. Isaiah! C’mon!
I: What’d she say?
L: Flo’s here! Let’s go find her!
[Sounds of people campaigning…]
[Location: Florence Whitaker’s home.]
[We hear the sound of knocking.]
L (shouting through the door): Flo?! Granny Flo?! It’s us, Lotty and Isaiah! We’re coming in!
[We hear the sound of the front door creaking open. Then shutting.]
L: Granny Flo?
[We hear the sound of faint coughing.]
L: She’s in there. C’mon.
[We hear the sound of a bedroom door creaking open. More coughing.]
L: Granny Flo!
Florence (weakly): Jumping Jehosaphat, my dear, dear girl. I suppose I really am at heaven’s door now, aren’t I? Are you a vision?
L: No! No Granny Flo, it’s really me, Lotty.
I: I’m here too, Flo.
F: How wonderful to see you both again. My childhood heroes.
L: Granny Flo - it’s voting day! You did it! All your hard work paid off! Today’s the day women in New York and every other state finally get to vote in a Presidential election.
F: Oh yes, and don’t I know it. You missed it last August when the 19th amendment was ratified. What a day that was.
I: We ... got a glimpse. Our sash ...
F: Oh my, it’s quite torn now, isn’t it. Here, let me see it. I’ve always got a bit of thread and a needle to mend that which needs mending. Sit here, Lotty, and I’ll sew it right up.
[We hear Lotty sit on her bed.]
F: This won’t take me but a minute. (then with a sigh) Oh, to think I should have lived to see this day. Women shall be voting across the land!
L: But you’re not seeing it! You’re in bed. I can’t stand it!
F: I wish I could see it, child. See it with my own two eyes. But you see how weak I am. I couldn’t possibly get myself to the polls. My son just took the car to fetch the doctor.
[We hear a horse neigh.]
I: Hang on ... I have an idea!
[We hear Isaiah run out of the room ...]
L: Isaiah has really good ideas. Most of the time.
Officer: Easy there, girl.
I: Excuse me, Officer.
Officer: What is it, son?
I: Do you think we might borrow your horse?!
Aly Raisman: Is it going to happen?!? Is Florence finally going to get her chance to vote for president? Hi again, I’m Olympic gymnast and advocate Aly Raisman. As you've heard, suffragists demanded the right to vote all the way back in 1848 during the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. For the next 72 years, women leaders and their allies lobbied, marched, picketed, and protested for the right to the ballot.
On May 21, 1919, the U.S. House of Representatives finally approved the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, as it became known, which guaranteed women the right to vote. The U.S. Senate followed two weeks later. And on August 26th, 1920, Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby issued a proclamation declaring the 19th Amendment ratified.
It became part of the U.S. Constitution, forever protecting American women's right to vote. As you heard, however, the battle was far from over, especially for women of color in the South, who would have to fight for decades before they could vote freely.
It's been a fun ride telling the story of women's suffrage through the fictional characters of Lotty, Isaiah and Florence. Historians don’t think that any of the real women at the Seneca Falls convention in 1848 lived long enough to cast a vote for President of the United States. But today, more than 68 million women vote in elections because of the courageous suffragists who never gave up the fight for equality. Suffragists like our own Florence Whittaker.
[Rochester, NY – the polling place]
[We hear the clip-clip of the horse’s hooves.]
F (laughing): Oh, now isn’t this a sight. Old Florence Whitaker pulling up to the voting booth on a police horse. The ladies from church will have nothing else to talk about for weeks to come!
[We hear the kids laughing.]
L: You look like a Queen, Granny Flo!
F (laughing): My chariot! It’s as if I’m ten years old and riding my father’s horse to go listen to Elizabeth Cady Stanton speak for the very first time at Wesleyan Chapel. What fun!
[We hear the sounds of their laughter and the clip-clop of the horse…]
L: Here we are, Granny Flo.
I: Let me help you down.
L: Can you make it inside, Flo?
F: You’re darn tootin’ I can.
[We hear her struggle to get off the horse.]
L: Excuse me sir, are you the voting commissioner?
Voting Commissioner: Indeed, I am.
L: My Granny Flo would like to cast her ballot.
Voting Commissioner: Why, Florence Whitaker, as I live and breathe. I thought your grandchildren all moved to Connecticut.
F: Oh, yes, well ... this one is in town for a visit.
Voting Commissioner: How nice. We even have one of the new mechanical voting machines. There aren’t many around.
L: Would it be alright if we accompanied Granny Flo into the voting booth?
Voting Commissioner (warmly laughing): So long as only one vote is cast, I shan’t get in the way of this dear woman’s first vote.
F: That’s mighty kind of you, but all the same, I’d like this moment to myself if you don’t mind.
LOTTY: I understand. We’ll just walk you to the booth, and you can do the rest on your own.
F: Thank you, Lotty. Alright ... in I go!
[We hear the sound of their steps, a curtain drawing back ...]
F (nearly whispered): Jumping Jehosaphat, Father. If only you could see me now. The future is finally here!
[We hear the curtain pulling shut. We hear the gear-and-lever voting machine cast its vote!]
[Lotty/Isaiah/Flo cheer and laugh! We hear the curtain open!]
F: I did it! Oh, what a day! Thank you children!
L: Congratulations, Granny Flo!
I: We should go out and celebrate!
F: Oh, this was celebration enough, my dear boy. I’m tired now. I think I’ll have the nice Officer take me home.
[We hear them walking…]
F: That was peak life experience. Thank you both for making it happen.
L: It was our pleasure!
F: And now I s’pose you’re off to wherever it is you’re off to.
I: Home.
L: For good this time.
F: Good. Home is the best place you can be. Now kiss me children, and leave me here. Before people start to ask too many questions about the pair of you.
[We hear them kiss.]
L/I: “Goodbye,” “Thank you,” “We’ll miss you.”
F: You’ve given me hope for the future.
L: I’m so glad. Things aren’t perfect in 2020, but we’re still working on it - and we won’t quit until every voice is heard - just like you taught us. I promise!
F: I’m counting on it, child. As my friend Lavinia Dock wrote, “The young are at the gates.”
L: The young are at the gates...
I: Ready Lotty?
L: Ready. Take off the sash.
I/L: One, two, threeeeeeeeeeeeee.
[WHIZ - BAM - BANG - WHOOSH.]
[Location: Murphy Elementary School]
[Thud. ”Ow.” “Ooo.” “I won’t miss this!” Then, we hear a school bell ring.]
L: Huh?!
I: OMG, Lotty! We’re at school!
Mrs. Alvarez (shouting): Let’s shake a leg, class, our women’s suffrage presentations begin in one minute. I’ve posted famous photos from the Woman Suffrage Procession up on the wall. Check them out on your way into the classroom.
[Isaiah and Lotty laughing]
I: The sash took us too far! It’s presentation day!
L: We can do this. We lived through it, right?
I: Okay, let’s do it.
[We hear them enter the class.]
L: Isaiah, look at all these photographs! (whispered) I recognize that parade float from 1913! We were totally there.
I: Uhhh, yeah. And there’s proof. Look!
L (gasping): The photo of us with Granny Flo that the photographer took! Do you think Mrs. Alvarez recognized us?!
[A 2nd bell rings.]
Mrs. A.: Alright, class, take your seats.
[We hear the kids take seats.]
I (whispering): Even if she did, she’d probably think it was Photoshop.
L(whispering): Yeah. Hey - you wanna come over after school and help me carefully put this sash in a box and donate it to the museum in Seneca Falls?
I (whispering): Where it’ll stay behind glass? You know I do ...
Mrs. A. (carrying on): Now, I’m sure you weren’t thrilled at having to do this project over a perfect snowy weekend, but I’m hoping you managed to connect with the research and learn a little something along the way.
I (whispered): We definitely connected with the research.
Mrs. A.: Lotty, I see you’re holding an authentic suffragist’s sash. I love props! Care to tell us about it?
L: Ummm ... how long do you have?
Mrs. A.: I beg your pardon?
L: I mean ...
I (interrupting): That sash belonged to Lotty’s great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Florence Whitaker.
Mrs. A.: Fascinating! Can you let your classmates try it on?
I/L: No!!!
I: Sorry - it’s a family heirloom. She promised she wouldn’t let anyone else touch it.
Mrs. A.: Fair enough. So, did you learn about this distant relative through your research, Lotty?
L: Yeah, you could say that. I mean, honestly, it’s almost like ... I really know her.
Mrs. Alvarez: Alright, well, before we start, we have a very special guest here today. Ladies and gentlemen... allow me to introduce a hero of mine...Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, Aly Raisman!
[We hear the door open and the kids clap.]
Aly Raisman: Hey, everyone. Hi. Thanks. It’s so good to see you all. Mrs. Alvarez, thanks for inviting me.
Mrs. A.: It’s our honor, Aly.
Aly Raisman: I heard about these assignments you’ve all been working on. I don’t know if you know this, but women’s rights - including suffrage - is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart.
L: It is?
Aly Raisman: Absolutely. In my life, I’ve learned how important it is to speak up when I see something that’s wrong. And I encourage others - especially young people like you - to use their voice. The history of the suffrage movement is full of fierce people standing up for what they believe in and striving to make the world a better place for everyone.
L: My partner and I learned that, too, Ms. Raisman.
Aly Raisman: Call me Aly, please. I feel like we’re already friends.
L: Really, Aly? Well, I’m Lotty. And this is my friend, Isaiah.
Aly Raisman: Lotty and Isaiah...Really nice to finally meet you both. And to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with you. I can’t wait to hear the rest of your story.
L: The rest...?
Mrs. A.: Lotty, Isaiah, why don’t you share with us - and Aly - what you learned about the history of the suffragist’s movement in America.
[We hear them step to the front of the room.]
I: You want to talk first, Lotty, or should I?
L: All you, Isaiah - take it away.
I: Thank you ...
Mrs. A.: Looks like you two are getting along?
L: Yeah, well, we spent an unexpected amount of ... time ... together.
Mrs. A.: I’m glad to see it. Please begin ...
I: OK. Well, it all started back in 1848, right here in Seneca Falls, NY.
L: Where my great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Florence Whitaker was a little girl, dreaming of growing up to cast her vote in a presidential election.
I: At ten-years-old, Flo went to hear Elizabeth Cady Stanton deliver the Declaration of Sentiments right down the street from where we are now, at the Wesleyan Chapel.
L: My Granny Flo didn’t realize she’d have to fight for 72 years, but that’s how long it took until she was able to finally cast her vote for president. She never gave up, and now, thanks to her, and lots of other women like her, women in America can vote in every election! One day, I’ll get to vote, too. And I can’t wait. As Lavinia Dock wrote, “The young are at the gates.”
[As Lotty’s voice fades, we hear suffragist voices chanting “VOTES FOR WOMEN!”]
PlacesWomen's Rights National Historical Park
DCWalk in the Footsteps of Suffragists
National MonumentBelmont-Paul Women's Equality