>> THAT’S YOUR LATEST WEATHER.
GUYS?
>> Announcer: WOMEN’S VOTE
TODAY.
IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ANCESTRY.
MAKE THEM COUNT.
>>> WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT
THIS.
IT’S A NEW SERIES "WOMEN VOTE
TODAY."
WHEN THE 19th AMENDMENT BECAME
LAW AND GUARANTEED WOMEN THE
RIGHT TO VOTE.
TO MARK THE OCCASION, YOU SAT
DOWN WITH THE DESCENDANTS OF THE
SUFFRAGISTS WHO PAVED THE WAY.
>> BOOKS HAVE THE TALES OF OUR
FOREFATHERS.
BUT THE WOMEN BESIDE THEM WERE
OFTEN JUST A FOOTNOTE.
OUR VIEW OF HOW THIS NATION CAME TO BE AND WHO HELPED US GET HERE
TO BE AND WHO HELPED US GET HERE
IS NOW CHANGING.
TODAY THERE IS CAUSE TO
CELEBRATE FROM PARTIES IN THE
SKY --
>> TODAY BELONGS TO THE
SUFFRAGISTS OF TENNESSEE!
>> Reporter: -- TO IMPASSIONED
RE-ENACTMENT, STAMPS, AND OTHER
TRIBUTES.
AMERICANS ARE HONORING THE
PASSING OF THE 19th AMENDMENT
THAT GAVE WOMEN THE RIGHT TO
VOTE.
A TURNING POINT IN OUR HISTORY.
NEW YORK CITY A CHANGE IN THE
LANDSCAPE BRINGS WOMEN INTO
VIEW.
SO HERE WE SIT.
WE’RE IN THIS ICONIC CENTRAL
PARK.
I FEEL LIKE IT HAS EVERYTHING.
BUT SOMETHING IS MISSING.
>> WELL, AFTER 160 YEARS OF
EXISTENCE, REAL WOMEN STATUES
ARE MISSING.
THE ONLY FIGURES ARE ALICE IN
WONDERLAND, MOTHER GOOSE, A
WITCH.
THEY’RE ALL FICTION AND WE
WANTED REAL WOMEN.
>> Reporter: COLLEEN JENKINS IS
A BOARD MEMBER FOR MONUMENTAL
WOMEN, THE GROUP DETERMINED TO
CHANGE THE FACE OF CENTRAL PARK.
>> WE ARE DEDICATING IN HONOR OF
THE 19th AMENDMENT OF THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION A STATUE OF WOMEN
RIGHTS PIONEERS.
SOR
SORJERNER TRUTH, ELIZABETH KATIE
STAN
STANTON WHO WERE LEADERS WHO
MADE A RIPPLE EFFECT TO A MASS
MOVEMENT.
>> Reporter: SOME CALL IT THE
GREAT BLOOD LESS REFLESS REVOLUT
WOMEN WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES.
IT TOOK SEVEN YEARS FOR
MONUMENTAL WOMEN TO OVERCOME THE
NAYSAYERS AND RED TAPE HERE IN
CENTRAL PARK.
FOR COLLEEN AND DAUGHTER
ELIZABETH, THE FIGHT IS
PERSONAL.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
ELIZABETH KATIE STANTON MEANS TO
YOU.
>> SHE’S MY GREAT GREAT
GRANDMOTHER.
THERE’S IDEAS OF HOW TO ACT IN
LIFE.
>> Reporter: AND HOW TO CHAMPION A CAUSE.
A CAUSE.
ELIZABETH KATIE STANTON LED THE
SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.
WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT WERE
THE STORIES YOU HEARD ABOUT
ELIZABETH KATIE STANTON?
>> THE ONE I REMEMBER MOST IS
THE STORY OF ELIZABETH AROUND
THE AGE OF 8 YEARS OLD
OVERHEARING SOME OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN HER FATHER’S LAW
OFFICE.
SO WOMEN WERE COMING IN SEEKING
LEGAL COUNSEL AND APPARENTLY
LEAVING IN TEARS BECAUSE OF THE
REALIZATION THAT THEY REALLY
WEREN’T PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW.
>> Reporter: AS THE STORY GOES,
YOUNG ELIZABETH PLANNED TO TEAR
OUT ANY PAGES FROM HER FATHER’S
LAW BOOK THAT OPPRESSED WOMEN.
SO IT BEGAN A JOURNEY TO ENSURE
THAT ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE
CREATED AND TREATED EQUAL.
>> CAN YOU PICTURE SHE’S
STANDING IN FRONT OF THESE
PEOPLE.
THEY’RE HURLING INSULTS TOWARDS
HER.
AND SHE STANDS AND SHE BEGINS TO
SPEAK.
AND HER WORDS JUST PENETRATE.
>> Reporter: SHE KNOWS ALL THE
STORIES OF HER ANCESTOR
SORJERNER TRUTH WHO FOLLOWED A
DEFINE CALL TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL
OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE.
>> SOON BECOMING CAPTIVATED BY
HER.
THEY’RE RECEIVING WHAT SHE’S
SAYING.
>> Reporter: TRUTH’S MESSAGE NOW
FLOWS THROUGH MARIKA WHO IS ALSO
A MINISTER.
WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD
THINK IN THIS MOMENT?
>> I THINK SHE WOULD BE LIKE,
AFTER ALL OF THIS WORK YOU GUYS
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOME THINGS.
BUT IT’S NOT FINISHED.
>> Reporter: PAM ELAM, PAM IS
THE WOMAN WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY
FOR SEVEN YEARS TO MAKE THIS
MOMENT HAPPEN.
WHAT’S IT FEEL LIKE FOR YOU THIS
MORNING?
>> IT’S THRILLING.
AND I’M SO EXCITED THAT YOU’RE
HERE AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE
MONUMENTAL WOMEN BROKE THE
BRONZE CEILING.
>> Reporter: COLLEEN, ELIZABETH,
AND I ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A
SNEAK PEEK BEFORE THE OFFICIAL
UNVEILING.
ALL RIGHT. ONE, TWO, THREE, PEEK UNDER.
ONE, TWO, THREE, PEEK UNDER.
>> OH, MY GOODNESS.
>> TALK ABOUT MONUMENTAL WOMEN.
THIS IS LARGER THAN LIFE.
>> I RECOGNIZE THAT TABLE.
IT’S IN MY LIVING ROOM.
THAT’S THE TABLE ON WHICH THEY
WROTE ALL OF THOSE IMPORTANT
DOCUMENTS.
>> I WOULD ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT
THE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT, BUT I
GUESS THAT’S FOR US TO IMAGINE.
>> Reporter: BY THE WAY, HOW
COOL IS THAT?
ON A PERSONAL NOTE FOR YOU, WHAT
IS IT LIKE TO LOOK AT YOUR FLESH
AND BLOOD KIND OF UP THERE IN
THAT BIG STATUE?
>> WELL, THE FLESH AND BLOOD HAS
TRANSFORMED TO BRONZE.
AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT MY
GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND THE
OTHER WOMEN IN THIS STATUE ARE
STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH MEN.
THAT’S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
I JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT SHE
DIDN’T DIE IN 1902.
SHE LIVES.
>> OKAY.
THAT IS A TEASE.
ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW US WHAT’S
UNDER THAT TARP?
>> BY THE WAY, IT IS
SPECTACULAR.
I WOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU, BUT
I THINK WE’LL DO IT TOMORROW.
WE’LL DO A BIG REVEAL TOMORROW
WHERE WE’RE GOING TO SHOW THE
STATUE.
AND THE FACT THERE ARE NO WOMEN
STATUES IN ALL OF CENTRAL PARK.
AND IF YOU GOOGLE STATUES OF
WOMEN AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE
ARE SO FEW.
BUT ANYWAY, IT’S GOING TO BE FUN