Welcome to Women and Politics | Empowered to vote, Empowered to Lead,
a new virtual exhibit from the Western Reserve Historical Society, presented by PNC.

Experience the story of women’s empowerment, from the early days of the suffragist movement to the election of northern Ohio women to positions of power on the local, state and national levels.

Click below to Start viewing the exhibit, with video introductions from Kelly Falcone-Hall, WRHS President & CEO, and speakers from our exhibit partners, the Greater Cleveland League of Women Voters

Enter Exhibit
"the ballot! the talisman that makes our dreams come true!"
Carrie Williams Clifford - Ohio-born suffragist

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Women & Politics, presented by PNC, transports visitors through Northeast Ohio's pivotal role in the tumultuous fight for woman suffrage. By examining the lives and stories of local suffragists, this digital exhibit reveals the complicated and at times controversial intricacies of the movement, as well as its long-lasting effects on society. Stories of women challenging convention encourage visitors to reexamine what they thought they knew and inspire them to exercise their rights, today.

Watch the videos below to learn more about how this exhibit came about, and then navigate using the thematic pages, Suffrage Milestones and Empowered to Fight, Vote, and Lead.
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About the Exhibit: WRHS President & CEO Kelly Falcone-Hall
A Partnership: Greater Cleveland's League of Women Voters

suffrage milestones

start with the Timeline

From the 1840s into the early years of woman suffrage, explore key Ohio moments and its power players. Women like Belle Sherwin, Elizabeth Hauser, and Florence Allen put Ohio on the map in the fight for the vote before making a national impact with the League of Women Voters.

empowered to fight

Discover the pivotal roles played by Ohio women in the fight for suffrage

empowered to vote

Explore the grassroots beginnings of the League of Women Voters

empowered to lead

Get inspired by Ohio's leaders, past and present, to make your own change