West Chester Mural Honors 100 Years Of Women's Sufferage

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Women who hold public office in Chester County gathered with artists and other citizens on Sunday for the unveiling of a mural in honor of the right of women to vote.

The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls unveiled its women's suffrage mural at 119 E. Market Street in West Chester Borough, despite heavy rain on Sunday afternoon.

Elected officials, community leaders, and residents joined the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls (CCFWG), West Chester Public Arts Commission (PAC), and Zukin Properties to recall the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment's addition to the U.S. Constitution, granting many women the right to vote.

The 19th Amendment was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920 after nearly a century of protests calling for the right of women to vote.

The PAC's "Call for Art" received several mural design submissions, and ultimately, the mural selection committee chose Kendra Beitzel's design. Kendra designed the mural to embrace the history of women's suffrage and draw passersby in with bold imagery, so that, she said, "the audience can see themselves" represented in the mural.

"In the spirit of the Suffragists who braved so much more, we are here carrying the message to vote at such a critical time," said Michelle Legaspi Sánchez, Executive Director of CCFWG.

"Though a public art project is new for CCFWG, what is not new is being a beacon for gender equity. We leverage our strengths — philanthropy, advocacy, community partnerships, educating young women — and the strengths of those who have come before us to help move women and girls forward. That is why we are so proud to be here presenting this beautiful mural to our community as it captures it all," Legaspi added.

Cheryl Miles, Founder of BWCCA, added, "Our time is now. We have a right, a privilege and a responsibility to use our voice, vote and become politically active. We must boldly carry the banner of the Women's Suffrage Movement because the fight for the right to vote is not over … This mural is an awesome reminder of the tenacity of the women who fought to obtain our right to vote. It is a reminder of our commitment to ensure that everyone’s voice must be heard. And it is a reminder of our responsibility to train up future women leaders in the political process in order to pass the baton and legacy of the power of the vote."

Althea Mae Hutchinson, a senior at B. Reed Henderson High School and a member of CCFWG’s GirlGov Chester County program, shared her impressions as a young woman.

"Art is a necessity — a necessity of both history and of change. And as a student of both, I recognize that the past and the future are clearly linked, in visual language most of all," said Hutchinson.

She added, "In front of us here is a visual representation of our history and the changes it has wrought. A representation of growth and power drawn in bold color and line. And with art such as this, art that displays our histories, and our progresses, so clearly, I cannot help but believe that the future ahead of us is a colorful, intersectional, and bright one."

Also gathering and offering remarks for the occasion were U.S. Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-6th), Chester County Commissioners Chair Marian Moskowitz, Pam Grey of the League of Women Voters, Jimmer Breen of PAC, mural artist Kendra Beitzel, and CCFWG Board Chair Judi Bell.

CCFWG leads and unites the community through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive. Over the past 20 years, CCFWG has awarded over $3.5 million to 80 local non-profit organizations.