CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) -The streets of downtown Clarksville were filled Saturday afternoon as over 300 people joined together in the Suffrage Parade and dedication of the city’s ‘Tennessee Triumph’ Suffrage Statue.
The parade began at the Montgomery County Courthouse and ended at Public Square, the location of the statue. Many men and women were dressed in attire from the 1920 era when voting rights were first extended to women in America with the passing of the 19th Amendment into law.
Many also wore white in honor of the suffragists along with women wearing purple sashes saying, “Votes for Women.”.
Tuesday, August 18 is the 100th anniversary of the vote on the amendment being passed by a two-vote margin by state lawmakers, with the law taking effect nationwide eight days later. Tennessee has a special place in history with the 19th Amendment being the final U.S. state needed for ratification.
Former Montgomery County Commissioner and Tennessee State Senator, Rosalind Kurita read a quote from Dr. Ellen Kanervo, Executive Director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Arts & Heritage Development Council who Kurita honored as spearheading the Clarksville suffrage event and statue.
“We celebrate that women like you and me, everyday women, came together to do something extraordinary, and that’s what the suffrage movement was all about,” Kurita said. Kurita also recognized local historian Brenda Harper who co-chaired the Tennessee Triumph Steering Committee with Kanervo.
Clarksville’s First Lady, Cindy Pitts, wife of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, read the names of 14 women both past and present, who have served as elected officials for the city.
Pitts was followed by Montgomery County Trustee, Kimberly Wiggins who read the names of 26 women past and present, who have served as elected officials for Montgomery County.
Kurita also talked about the 20 women, past and present, who were elected to the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board.
A group of 20 women community leaders began working on the project two years ago under the leadership of Kanervo and Harper. Nashville Sculptor Roy Butler created the 1.25-times, life-sized statue to represent all Clarksville women who worked for suffrage and voted in that first election.
The base of the statue features commemorative bricks with inscriptions which were offered to the public as a fundraising initiative for the statue.