The year 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed the right to vote for many women. This was an important step to ensuring women are equal members of society. With a rich history of accomplished women in Summit County and many dedicated women currently serving in elected and community leadership in our 31 communities, our County is a lighthouse of strong female leadership that other communities can look to.

Our original mission was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We strove to educate the public on the progress made over the last 100 years, honor the fight for voting rights for all women — especially many women of color who were excluded from voting until the 1960s, and to help our community reflect on today’s voting equality and the future of equity for all women.

Our work is now dedicated to honoring Sojourner Truth’s Ain’t I a Woman? speech which was given in Akron in 1851. Sojourner Truth stood tall for equal rights for all women, and her speech in Akron defending all women’s rights electrified the women’s rights and civil rights movements for decades.

Because of our efforts, and the contributions community-wide, Sojourner Truth Memorial Plaza will be dedicated on North High Street, beside the United Way building. To learn more about Sojourner Truth and her legacy here in Akron click on LEARN MORE. To learn more about the Sojourner Truth Memorial Plaza project click on TRUTH STATUE PROJECT.