On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the last state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment. A proclamation was issue on August 26, 1920 declaring the 19th Amendment ratified and part of the U.S. Constitution. (Source: Women’s Vote Centennial)
In recognition of this significant historical event, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation convened a round-table of nonprofit, governmental and educational organizations in November, 2019 and January, 2020 to discuss how best to recognize and honor this momentous anniversary. The consensus was to weave the theme through events during the year, encourage voter education and share the established and less well known stories of women in Hawaiian history –helping to highlight how far we’ve come.
The Hawai‘i Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemoration website was launched as a result of these discussions. It is a collaborative effort and public groups are encourage to share relevant events, opportunities to advocate for civic education and profiles of notable women in Hawaiian history as well as those today who continue to impact our community in a positive way.
Email events, advocacy actions and profiles of notable women in Hawaii’s history to outreach@historichawaii.org. Questions? Call Historic Hawai‘i Foundation at (808) 523-2900.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
88 Block Walks
Created by Adele Balderston in 2014 and named for the 88 blocks which comprise the Kaka’ako neighborhood of Honolulu, this ongoing series of walking tours explores themes of gentrification, displacement, urbanization and generational change within Kakaʻako’s cultural, historical and physical landscape. By providing greater public access to archival materials and other diverse histories of the neighborhood, 88 Block Walks aims to remove the lens through which landowners and developers present Kaka‘ako’s narrative to the public and invite the community to create their own.
AHL
AHL is a multi-disciplinary architectural firm with international experience in architecture, planning, and interior design. We see design as a process that identifies essential values, functions and goals. We are passionate about design, and committed to achieving design excellence. We embrace change and have the knowledge to deliver award-winning projects on time and within budget.
Common Cause Hawai‘i
is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.
Common Cause Hawaii aims to: strengthen public participation in government; curb the excess influence of money in politics; ensure that government serves the common good, rather than special interests; promote fair, honest, and modern elections; and fight for a vigorous, independent, and diverse media.
Distinctive Women in Hawaiian History
Program Mission:
To advance and examine scholarship on distinctive women in Hawai‘i ’s history who have lived in Hawai‘i and impacted its social and cultural history. It also explores the activities of women over the ages – activities that helped create ‘community’ amongst women and helped them find ways to move their families and communities forward.
To introduce lifelong learners and students to these stories through engaging, accessible, and culturally authentic public programs. The presentations invite the audience to embrace aspects of the Hawaiian culture within the shared intimacy of our storytelling of these under-examined stories.
To be a bridge between academia and public history and a conduit and catalyst to lifelong learning by providing scholars, students, and cultural practitioners the ability to share their research and engage the community on distinctive women in Hawai‘i No one academic discipline nor institution dominates the telling of Hawaiian history…we acknowledge and showcase the multitude of organizations that contribute to that body of knowledge and their exploration of the stories of our female ancestors.
Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women
Mission Statement:
The Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women (HSCSW) is a statewide feminist government agency the works toward equality for women and girls in the State by acting as a catalyst for positive change through advocacy, education, collaboration and program development.
About the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women:
The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women was created by executive order on May 15, 1964 to function as a central clearinghouse of resources, services and advocacy for women and girls. The Commission was established to assist in legislative advocacy and implementation, to develop programs for women and girls, and to serve as an informational resource for Hawaii’s women and girls on a broad range of policies and issues.
Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking
Mission: Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking is a feminist nonprofit organization committed to achieving intersectional gender equity in filmmaking. We are a creative and safe space where film and media-makers connect, create, mentor, and inspire current and future generations of women to explore and pursue careers in the field of filmmaking.
By providing access to a broad network of resources, education, leadership, and support, we create the conditions for women and girls to express themselves through the medium of film; raise awareness and visibility of women’s and girls’ work in film; and promote a diverse and positive representation of girls and women in media.
Hawai‘i Women’s Legislative Caucus
Encompassing women legislators’ viewpoints from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Women’s Legislative Caucus of the State of Hawai’i was established over 20 years ago to advocate bills on behalf of the women of the state of Hawai’i. Through a careful voting and selection process, those bills that pass more than 75% of the WLC members’ votes are added to the Caucus’ official package, which has, in previous years, included subjects such as human trafficking, health, domestic abuse, and education.
Through its existence, the Women’s Legislative Caucus strives to assist women on both a legislative and community level. The members of the WLC work together to promote the interest of Hawaii’s women and improve the overall quality of life here in Hawaii.
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
Mission
- To preserve and encourage the preservation of historic buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts relating to the history of Hawai‘i;
- To promote awareness of and respect for all that is historically significant and architecturally distinctive in our State; and
- To keep alive and intact for the enrichment of present and future generations the inherent beauty of the Hawaiian Islands and its unique historic role in the development of the Pacific Basin.
Junior League of Honolulu
MISSION
The Junior League of Honolulu is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center
The King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center (the Center) is an administrative program of the Hawaii State Judiciary and a permanent educational institution created to inform and provide learning opportunities about the judicial process and Hawaii’s legal history from pre-contact to present. The Center receives financial support from the Friends of the Judiciary History Center of Hawaii, a non-profit attached to the Center.
The League of Women Voters of Honolulu
The League of Women Voters of Honolulu is a local chapter of the League of Women Voters of the United States encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
Office of the Hawai‘i State Attorney General
Mission Statement: To provide excellent legal and public services in a timely manner.
Roles and Responsibilities. The Attorney General is the chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer of the State of Hawaii. The Attorney General is appointed by the Governor. 180 attorneys and over 500 professional and support personnel assist the Attorney General in fulfilling the responsibilities of the office.
Public Access Room, Hawai‘i State Capitol
Mission
The Public Access Room (PAR) provides the public with information, facilities, and services to assist them as they participate in the State legislative process. This includes knowledge of how things work at the Capitol, as well as a physical location (room 401) for use by members of the public. PAR is a non-partisan office, and there is never a fee for services.
The Outdoor Circle
MISSION:
To keep Hawai`i clean, green, and beautiful by preserving, protecting, and enhancing our environment.
UH Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission celebrates the achievement and recognition of women throughout the university community. The Commission also encourages the inclusion of more women in higher level administration, senior faculty and policy-making positions.
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Center for Oral History
The Center for Oral History (COH), in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, collects, documents, preserves and highlights the recollections of Native Hawaiians and the multi-ethnic people of Hawaiʻi. It produces oral histories and interpretive historical materials about lifeways, key historic events, social movements and Hawaiʻi’s role in the globalizing world, for the widest possible use.
COH was first established in 1976 by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature as a part of the Social Science Research Institute in the College of Social Sciences at UH Mānoa. COH also develops books, articles, podcasts, and videos based on oral histories, serves as a resource center for oral history materials, and trains groups and individuals in oral history research.
https://ethnicstudies.manoa.hawaii.edu/center-for-oral-history
University of Hawai‘i Department of American Studies
An interdisciplinary field that focuses on the diverse histories, cultures, institutions, and peoples of the United States and its territories in transnational context. University of Hawaiʻi’s unique location in the Pacific supports areas of special expertise in Indigenous Studies and U.S. relations with Asia and Pacific. Many American Studies scholars explore the workings of power through the lens of race, ethnicity, sexuality, region, class, immigration status, and gender as they think beyond the boundaries of the nation state, examining the United States in interaction with broader regional, oceanic, and global systems.
University of Hawai‘i Department of Women’s Studies
The Department of Women’s Studies at UH Mānoa is proud to offer an interdisciplinary approach to the study of women and gender issues. Our department emphasizes multicultural and global education and innovative feminist research on issues of gender, sexuality, ethnic and national diversity, and social justice with a focus on women in Hawaiʻi, Asia, and the Pacific.
Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i
The mission of Women’s Fund of Hawaii is to support innovative, grassroots programs that empower women and girls statewide. The Fund provides information and education on women’s and girls’ philanthropy, shines a light on women’s and girls’ issues, and increases the visibility of our grantees.
YWCA O‘ahu
YWCA O’ahu is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
The YWCA USA is a women’s membership movement nourished by the richness of many beliefs and values. Strengthened by diversity, the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership, and power in order to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. The YWCA will thrust its collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary.