PRESS CONTACT
John Eding, Manager of Communications and PR
303-594-2133 | john.eding@state.co.us

Bold Women. Change History. features captivating artifacts and details compiled by a team of Colorado’s foremost experts on the history of women’s right to vote. It is accompanied by a full slate of programs including a headlining speaker series featuring free on-site child care, an academic symposium (February 22), and an all-day public summit on women who lead (May 27). The exhibit opens Saturday, March 7 at the Center for Colorado Women’s History just in time for International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8.

Bold Women. Change History. is a memorable and telling story of how Colorado’s voters became America’s first to extend voting rights beyond men on November 7, 1893. The exhibit highlights topics that are especially resonant during this presidential election year, like grassroots organizing, the influence of news outlets, and racism in political advocacy. Visitors to this intimate display adjacent to a beautiful historic home will gain a newly informed perspective on the significance and power of the right to vote.

“We want this work to create a buzz within every Colorado community about the journey and struggle to achieve voting rights,” said Dawn DiPrince, chief operating officer of History Colorado. “Bold Women. Change History. offers both entertaining, untold stories and compelling touchpoints that bridge history with modern-day Colorado.”

Bold Women. Change History.
March 7, 2020 – February 2021
Center for Colorado Women’s History
1310 Bannock St., Denver CO 80204
303-620-4933 | https://h-co.org/boldwomen
Tickets: $4-$8 (guided tour included)

As an effort that empowers people in Colorado to see themselves making an impact in their communities, Bold Women. Change History. mirrors several ongoing initiatives at History Colorado. They include What’s Your Story?, a new core exhibit opened in October 2019 that introduces visitors to 101 passionate Coloradans, and guides guests to their own powers for positive change; the Year of La Chicana, a community partnership that connects the core issues of the Chicano movement with present-day  issues of social justice, identity, and inclusion; and the Museum of Memory, a neighborhood public-history project to help communities reframe challenges and struggles into histories of resilience and pride.

About the Bold Women. Change History. Speaker Series
The primary public forum of the Women’s Vote Centennial Colorado // 2020—a grassroots initiative led by History Colorado, the governor’s Women’s Vote Centennial Commission, and you—Bold Women. Change History. features scholars, authors, and history-makers who illuminate what happens when voters knock down barriers and prohibit discrimination. All events take place at the History Colorado Center (1200 Broadway). Astronaut Susan Helms, Presidential Medal of Freedom winner Dolores Huerta, and former US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power are among the previous speakers in the series; human rights advocate Carol Anderson (February 12) joins Harvard scholar Liette Gidlow (March 11) among upcoming presenters. Bios, event details, and tickets for all events are available via h-co.org/BoldWomen.

Call to Action
History Colorado, the state agency leading the Women’s Vote Centennial Colorado, invites interested organizations and individuals across the state to collaborate together to create space and events for civic engagement, commemoration, impact, and support. Statewide partnerships between local museums, libraries, clubs, schools, arts organizations, and individuals in communities will provide settings for voting-related events and dialog. For more information about ways to get involved and participate, visit COWomensCentennial.org, call 303-620-4933, or email HC_COWomensHistory@state.co.us.

About the Center for Colorado Women’s History
The Center for Colorado Women’s History focuses on scholarship, research, lectures, tours, and exhibits that expand the understanding and collective memory of the history of women in Colorado. Most importantly, the Center is connecting local stories to the broader stories of women’s history worldwide.

The historic building that houses the museum has been home to inspiring women since 1883. It has been beautifully restored to the era of 1912-1924. Guided house tours weave together stories of the many women who lived and worked in the home, such as Anne Evans, and the impact of them and their families in early Denver.

About History Colorado
Inclusive, values-driven, and intentional, History Colorado has become a force for finding new ways to serve people in Colorado. In 2018 History Colorado provided programs to more than 18,000 students in their own schools, and assisted more than 40 schools with bus funds, to expand efforts that now serve more than 85,000 students annually. Its all-day Hands-On History program at El Pueblo History Museum responds to the four-day school week that is now administered by 61% of Colorado school districts.

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and nine other museums and historic attractions statewide. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information.

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