“Women’s Suffrage in Indiana” is now on display at the university library, bringing history to life for students and the campus community.

Directed by Charla Gilbert, the library partnered with the Indiana Historical Society to host the exhibit which highlights the long fight for women’s right to vote in Indiana.

“Women’s Suffrage in Indiana” goes over  how Hoosier women worked tirelessly through meetings and campaigns in effort to gain the right to vote. The exhibit begins with the first Indiana Woman’s Rights Convention held in Dublin, Indiana, in 1851 and follows the movement all the way to the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. It also shares important local stories like the first woman elected to the Indianapolis School Board in 1909 and highlights organizations such as the Legislative Council of Women.

According to Gilbert, bringing the exhibit to campus was both an opportunity and a learning experience.

“We try very hard to bring in different kinds of displays. We get two per year for free and it’s a really great opportunity to utilize that service to bring hand to hand info to our campus,” she said.

She explained that the exhibit also connects with classroom learning, especially for students in theater professor Kendra Klauss’ class who will be performing monologues about women’s suffrage. Graphics displayed around the library, created by librarian Jamie Cox help bring  the entire presentation together.

Gilbert believes the exhibit strongly supports the university’s educational mission, too.

“Any opportunity we can provide to students and the community to make  them curious about new information over women’s suffrage, that we can get them more informed about, it’s a positive thing to do,” she said.

When asked why it is important for students today to learn about Indiana’s suffrage history specifically, Gilbert connected the past to the present.

“It’s the environment we are currently in,” she said, before adding, “if you don’t know your past, you won’t know your future.”

Hosting a traveling exhibit does come with challenges.

Gilbert explained that scheduling can be difficult because many institutions want the same displays at the same time.

“The biggest challenge is that we are not the only one who wants these exhibits at a time where it goes well with what we have going on, on campus at the time,” she said.

Overall, Gilbert hopes visitors walk away with something small but meaningful.

“Learning just one new thing and telling someone else about it,” she said.

By showcasing the determination of Indiana women who fought for full citizenship and the power to vote, the exhibit reminds students that change often begins with persistence and the will to try.

Through this display, the library is not only sharing history but also encouraging students to reflect on how the past continues to shape the present.