In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, a landmark moment in American history, the National Archives will present a multifaceted initiative telling the story of women’s struggle for voting rights as a critical step towards equal citizenship. Titled Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote, the initiative will explore not only the hard-won victories that stemmed from the Women’s Suffrage movement, but also remind modern-day citizens of their responsibilities associated with the right to vote. Several initiative components will specifically shine a spotlight on that civic duty - from revealing the often dire consequences faced by non-voting populations, to providing the opportunity to register to vote and become election-ready.

Rightfully Hers will encourage visitors across every cultural, geographic and educational line to engage more deeply with the primary source materials of our past, specifically those of the Women’s Suffrage movement and the struggle for equal gender rights in America. The full initiative—through a national coordinated effort of the National Archives in Washington, DC, its regional facilities, and Presidential Libraries across the country—will present a variety of ways for the public to engage with our vast and unique holdings, strengthening their understanding of these issues, their historical context, and their connection to today.

Rightfully Hers is expected to engage 13 million people across nearly every demographic via the flagship exhibition in our DC museum, a traveling exhibition for two years, 1,600 mini-popup exhibits distributed to classrooms across the country, a range of online educational offerings, and public programs in DC and at Presidential Libraries.