Ballot & Beyond is a podcast series that explores the lives of Maryland’s suffragists, many of whom had been forgotten. It is a collaboration between the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center and Preservation Maryland with support from Gallagher Evelius & Jones.
The Maryland Women’s Heritage Center brought together researchers, writers, editors, and voices from across the state to produce Ballot & Beyond, 28 original podcast biographies about Maryland suffragists who fought for equal access to the voting booth as well as an equal voice in government. Many of these women are still famous. Other have been forgotten over the years. These podcasts tell their stories and how they changed the world for women in future generations, even though they would never meet them.
Ballots & Beyond reminds us that the best way to honor these foremothers is to preserve and carry on their legacy. Listen to their stories. They include:
- Margaret Briggs Gregory Hawkins who, along with her next-door neighbor Augusta Chissell, worked within her West Baltimore neighborhood to bring full benefits of citizenship, community improvement and having a voice in the public square to African American women.
- Sadie Jacobs Crockin brought women together in organizations that empowered diverse Americans to participate fully in civic life. Her granddaughter, Sally T. Grant, shares her accomplishments in the podcast.
- Florence & Bertha Trail, of Frederick, worked diligently to win the vote for Maryland’s women. Their writing, speeches and constant activism did not end when the battle was won. Both sisters continued to be active in the community.
- Harriet Tubman, though best known for her heroism on the Underground Railroad, also was an advocate for women’s rights and equality.In 2020, we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
This was a collaborative project made possible with grant funding from the Heritage Fund, a cooperative effort of Preservation Maryland and the Maryland Historical Trust.
