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PASSING THE TORCH OF VOTING RIGHTS TO THE NEXT GENERATION 

Passing the voting rights torch to future generations was important to Edna Buckman Kearns, a young wife, mother and fledgling journalist when she joined New York suffrage activists demanding the vote in 1910. Edna campaigned from her “Spirit of ’76” wagon and picketed the White House with Alice Paul. Family stories drew her granddaughter Marguerite Kearns to discover more and to pen this compelling, beautifully illustrated, and inspiring glimpse into the life of one engaged woman and her family of the time.  

7 x 10 paperback, 332 pages, 100+ images, Excelsior Editions, SUNY Press (State University of New York), 2021, $35 retail.

“… a moving, vivid tale of early activism for voting rights”

“… fascinating archival photographs”

Amy Boaz, Taos News

“Edna and Wilmer Kearns were the ‘new woman’ and ‘new man’ of a generation defying gender stereotypes, and their marriage formed a remarkable egalitarian meeting of the heart”

VIDEOS ABOUT THE EARLY WOMEN’S MOVEMENT—PASSING THE ACTIVIST TORCH TO THE FUTURE

Video by Marguerite Kearns giving an overview of the long and uphill struggle for women’s voting rights.
Marguerite Kearns and the “sneak preview” of her book, An Unfinished Revolution: Edna Buckman Kearns and the Struggle for Women’s Rights released by SUNY Press, summer 2021. Here she shares the story of her grandfather Wilmer telling her the story of marching in the men’s division of the 1913 suffrage parade in Washington, DC. Video recorded in May 2021 by James McGrath Morris. He produces this series and includes it in the YouTube video archive of New Mexico Writers.

Suffrage Wagon News Channel follows the “Spirit of 1776” suffrage campaign wagon used by Edna Kearns and others that has been exhibited at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY in 2010, 2012, 2017-2018, 2020-2021. The suffrage wagon has been returned to the museum warehouse for a rest from light exposure from continuous exposure since 2017. The wagon will return to public exhibition in the future.