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Junior Curators

Each week on the Junior Curators blog, we travel back in time to a different place in Tennessee history. Stories may be about a famous person, place or event from Tennessee’s past. They will include things like priceless artifacts, pictures, videos, and even some games. Be sure to better understand the story by answering the questions at the end of each post.

After learning the story, be sure to share what you've learned with your parents, family, or friends. Try making your own exhibit about it, shooting a movie, or writing a story about it. Let your creativity run wild!

8-27-20

The War of the Roses in Tennessee: Woman Suffrage turns 100

  by Grace Allen One of my favorite events in Tennessee history happened 100 years ago on this very month, Aug. 18, 1920. It has all the parts of a great story: a fight for equality, a last-minute letter, and a decision that changed the country. It’s the true tale of how women got the right to vote in the United States.  Tennessee State Museum Collection. Did you know women couldn’t vote in some places in the United States until 1920? Women fought for the right... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-27-20
Tennessee in the 20th Century Women's History

8-25-20

Cats, Colors and Causes: How Symbols Won the Vote

by Katie Yenna How do you express yourself to the world? Do you wear brightly colored clothes, wild hair or big jewelry? These are all symbols of ourselves. They tell others who we are and what we believe is important. This idea was certainly true during the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, and Tennessee. Suffragists carefully chose colors, objects and clothing to communicate to others. One of the most well-known ways these suffragists expressed themselves, and their vi... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-25-20
Tennessee in the 20th Century Women's History

8-20-20

Voting Rights Scavenger Hunt

by Grace Allen Do you know what suffrage means? It means the right to vote. Right now, you might be hearing a lot about the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, but it wasn’t the only time people have challenged the law for the right to vote. Here is a scavenger hunt to test your knowledge on the history of voting rights in Tennessee! Using the link below, click on any lock and answer the question. If you need a hint, click on the lightbulb. When you type the answer in, click ... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-20-20
African American History Women's History

8-18-20

Showdown in Nashville

by Christopher Grisham The final fight to ratify the 19th Amendment occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, in August 1920.  The Tennessee State legislature was called into special session. Their one job was to vote on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote. The amendment had been passed by Congress the year before. Under the U.S. Constitution, it needed to be approved by 36 states. Thirty-five states had approved it by the spring of 1920. S... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-18-20
Tennessee in the 20th Century Women's History

8-17-20

Tennessee to Commemorate Ratification of the 19th Amendment with Reenactment of Historic Vote on the House Floor

Happening tomorrow, August 18th at 9:30CT, be sure to watch a reenactment of the historic events that took place here in Tennessee 100 years ago!  Watch the reenactment! Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-17-20
Tennessee in the 20th Century Women's History

8-13-20

Suffrage Matching Game

by Lauren Grizzard Suffrage Matching Game Tennessee had an important part in giving women across the United States the right to vote. To celebrate Tennessee's role, we wanted to show you artifacts about women's suffrage (the right to vote), but to do it with a twist: A matching game! To play, click the word and picture that match each other. Click the right word and picture and the pair will turn green and go away. If you click the wrong pair, the cards will turn red and you can tr... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-13-20
Women's History

8-11-20

“Lifting as We Climb” Mary Church Terrell and the 19th Amendment

by Matthew Gailani August 18, 2020 will be 100 years since the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, or change, to the Constitution says that, “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” In other words, you can’t keep someone from voting just because they are a woman. While this still did not mean everyone could vote at the time, it was a big st... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-11-20
African American History Tennessee in the 20th Century Women's History

8-4-20

Truth or Telephone: How Historians Learn What Actually Happened

by Grace Allen Have you ever played the game Telephone? It can be very funny to see how a story changes when it is passed down a row of people. Someone starts with a sentence and whispers it to the person next to them. That person tells the next person and so on. It is a great example of how stories can change each time someone tells the tale. Telephone, 1960s, Tennessee State Museum Collection. History is passed down over years, decades, and centuries. That is a long time! When we tea... Read More
Posted by Katie Yenna at 8-4-20

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