Lynn Shore Drive was awash in white Sunday as the Nahant Women’s Club took to the streets to celebrate the 19th Amendment’s centennial year in suffragette style.
Dressed primarily in early 20th century-era white dresses, straw sun hats, and cross-body sashes bearing the words “VOTES FOR WOMEN,” the group of roughly 30 women and girls — some of whom were there representing Lynn leadership organization, Girls, Inc. — made their way from the Nahant traffic circle to Red Rock Park, where guest speaker Dr. Eleanor Fischer spoke to the crowd about the history and importance of voting rights.
When Congress finally passed the 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919, it was a monumental moment for women’s rights, she said.
“This was a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States that (took) nearly 100 years (and was) marked with viciousness and violence by the opposition so that women could not have the same rights as men,” Fischer said. “Today, it’s apparent that we take the right to vote for granted. Many people have not even registered to vote, and others who are registered voters do not vote.”
She stressed the importance of casting a vote in elections as a way to honor those who have previously fought for the opportunity to have their voice heard in the political process.
“We are born with free will. We will make choices,” she said. “I hope you will make a choice to vote so as to carry out your rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States of America, and that the thousands who have marched, knowing they would be abused and could die for your right to vote, will not have been in vain.”
Fischer, who is on the Nahant Women’s Club board of directors, later told The Item she was grateful for the opportunity to speak at Sunday’s rally, which was limited to NWC members and their guests in order to maintain COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
“I was thrilled to be able to connect with (other) women, and to encourage other people to vote and take control of themselves,” she said.
NWC board member Barbara Schaye, who helped organize the rally, added that the event was not only a good way to commemorate such an important occasion, but also allowed members to reconnect with one another and find something to celebrate during otherwise uncertain times.
“When (the anniversary of) the passage of the 19th Amendment came around, we decided we wanted to do something special for it. We couldn’t exactly have a grand party because of COVID, so we thought of a number of things,” she said. “We decided that, in order to draw attention to the importance of the passage of the 19th Amendment, we would become very visible on Lynn Shore Drive.”
Other community members seemed to enjoy the idea as well, with many passing motorists honking their horns in support.
“The walk drew lots of toots from passing cars and much joy from participants,” she said.
