Cat Island Cinema

The Black Suffragist - Hidden In History No More

At a time when millions of enslaved U.S. citizens were stripped bare of their basic human rights, pioneering Black women pursued the right to vote. In a unique position of being neither male nor white, these activists advocated for universal suffrage from convention halls and across continents. Women in America won the right to vote on August 18, 1920, due to the passage of the 19th Amendment. It was a 72-year uphill battle fought by two generations of activists, including Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Over time, the contribution of women of color became undervalued, hidden and lost.

The documentary film The Black Suffragist: Trailblazers of Social Justice brings to light crusaders like Sojourner Truth and their pursuit of social justice and gender equity. While many believe that women’s rights officially began in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York, it should be noted that years earlier trailblazing women like Jarena Lee
were challenging patriarchal norms within the church, as they assisted in the anti-slavery movement. Despite the passage of the monumental 19th Amendment, it would take several decades before all women would have the constitutional right to vote. The Black Suffragist: Trailblazers of Social Justice is due for release in 2025. Please forward inquiries to catislandcinema@gmail.com