2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted some women, not all, the right to vote. Making Her Mark: Philadelphia Women Fight for the Vote highlights the timeline of ratification, local activists’ vital contributions to the fight, and how efforts to protect and expand voting rights continue today.
The exhibition’s visual identity strikes a balance between reverence—for the fight and under-told stories of the many women featured—and irreverence—a recognition of all those who have and continue to take bold, unsanctioned action to ensure equal rights for women everywhere. Woodblock type conjures the DIY spirit of innovation and defiance shown by so many activists. The bright, contemporary color palette pays homage to the suffragist flag, but updates it to appeal to a modern audience and to serve as a countermeasure to the racial and economic discrimination that mars early victories.
The exhibition was on display from November 2020 to October 2021, in the Parkway Central Library’s West Gallery.
Done at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Design Studio
Role: Research & Concepting | Visual Identity | Design
Role: Research & Concepting | Visual Identity | Design
Exhibition photography courtesy of Ryan Brandenberg
Whose Vote? Our Vote!
Direct, thought-provoking questions were featured throughout the exhibition panels, encouraging viewers to reflect upon their personal awareness and role in the fight for women’s rights.
