January 5, 2010

Women of Thurston County and winning the vote in Washington
Local historian Shanna Stevenson to speak at Lacey library, February 17

Washington is celebrating its centennial of permanent women's suffrage this year. Local historian Shanna Stevenson will tell the story of how Washington women got the vote 100 years ago, and how they continue in the struggle for equal rights to the present day, in a presentation at the Lacey Timberland Library on Wednesday, February 17 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Ms Stevenson will focus on Thurston County women.

Stevenson’s new book, “Women's Votes, Women's Voices,” tells the full story through a treasure house of historical photographs as well as words. After Washington women first won the vote in the 1880s, court decisions overturned that right. In 1910, Washington men were persuaded to pass an amendment to the state constitution that gave women permanent voting rights. To this day, organizing continues to address concerns of women, children and families. Stevenson’s book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Stevenson is a graduate of Gonzaga University with a B.A. in history and education. She has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College. After a more than 20-year career as a historic preservation professional, she joined the Washington State Historical Society in 2006 as coordinator of the Washington Women's History Consortium.

The presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the Lacey Timberland Library. The library is at 500 College Street SE. For more information, call (360) 491-3860 or go to www.TRL.org.

Revised 02/03/10