Boise City Department of Arts & History Receives Award

BOISE, ID — On June 17, the Boise City Department of Arts & History received the City Achievement Award for Community Engagement from the Association for Idaho Cities (AIC) at this year's AIC Annual Conference awards banquet.

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The award distinguishes the department’s community engagement efforts around So We Did: Celebrating Women's Suffrage at 100, a campaign and year-long series of programs and events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which recognized the right to vote for many women, but not all. So We Did celebrated the Boise individuals who mobilized and empowered women to advocate for the right to vote, and expanded the conversation to include underrepresented groups.

"The work Boise Arts & History has been doing to center our diverse communities and champion cultural equity in their research and work is so important," said Mayor Lauren McLean. "I'm proud of the work they're doing not only to make our city a more beautiful and culturally rich place, but also shine a light on stories often omitted from standard historical research while engaging residents in the process."

In 2020, So We Did brought Boiseans together – both in person and virtually – to talk about the importance of civic participation in our community and address the work still to be done.

Programming highlights included:

• An exhibit and opening reception produced in partnership with the National Woman’s Party at Boise City Hall.
• A public forum featuring Laura Woodworth-Ney, executive vice president and provost at Idaho State University, on Water, Silver & Activism: Idaho's Women's Suffrage Movement, 1894-1920
• Brief historical accounts by Brandi Burns, History Programs Manager, about the history of women’s suffrage through the lens of Indigenous women, Women of Color, Latina women, and Chinese women.
• The publication of The Little Book of Boise Suffrage, a short and incomplete story of the suffrage movement in Boise.
• Themed coloring pages that could be downloaded.
• A “Suffrage Quilt” that tells the story of Boise’s suffrage history with colorful key symbols and patterns. It hangs on the side of Boise City Hall.
• A short film called “So We Did: Celebrating Women’s Suffrage at 100” reflecting on the year-long commemoration.
• A dedicated resource page www.boiseartsandhistory.org/suffrage, along with a public information and social media campaign.
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