The League of Women Voters evolved from a mighty political experiment designed to help 20 million newly enfranchised women vote in 1920 to what it is today - a unique nonpartisan organization that is a nationally and locally recognized force in inspiring political leaders, shaping public policy, and promoting informed voting and citizen participation at all levels of government. In 2019, we opted to celebrate our Centennial in grand style with an event every month. In order to celebrate our Centennial at the local level, the LWV-LF/LB created a large Centennial Committee which planned and executed these events:
- Suffrage Film Festival - Lake Forest and Highland Park libraries
- Local Suffrage and LWV-LF/LB History Display- Lake Forest and Lake Bluff Libraries
- “Liberty” – The League’s entry for “Dogs on the Bluff” was designed and painted by our league to promote voting
- City of Lake Forest 2020 Parking Sticker featuring LWV Centennial theme
- Suffrage Stroll – walking tour celebrating local suffrage history
- Directory of Women in Government
- Parade Marshall in Lake Bluff Fourth of July Mini Parades
- Face masks with “VOTE” and “LWV-LF/LB” messaging
The global pandemic interfered with the execution of many events. We note with regret that the following activities were planned but cancelled due to COVID-19:
- Centennial Gala at Ferrari Lake Forest honoring local women elected or appointed to office
- Lighting up City Hall in Lake Forest to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment
- “The Agitators”- theater outing to see a play about the friendship between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
- Night at Ravinia—League members dressed in suffragist white garments for Ravinia’s celebration of the Centennial of the Right to Vote
- Joint program with The History Center on Woman Suffrage
Many thanks to the members of the Centennial Committee who planned and executed the Centennial events!
In 2020, our League was honored to receive two proclamations issued in connection with the Centennial of the League of Women Voters and the passage of the Nineteeth Amendment to the United States Constitution. These historic proclamations, adopted by the Lake Forest City Council and the Lake Bluff Village Board of Trustees, can be found here:
Lake Bluff Proclamation Centennial
Lake Forest Proclamation Centennial