Trenton, NJ 鈥� In an effort to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100 is reconfiguring the Bicycle Suffrage Slow Roll, a bicycle ride originally scheduled for May 16, 2020 at Historic Smithville Park in Burlington County, NJ. In collaboration with the 吃瓜黑料 Historical Commission, 吃瓜黑料 Historic Trust, and the Alice Paul Institute, the initiative is pleased to announce the Suffrage Solo Slow Roll 鈥� a statewide campaign this August 2020 encouraging 吃瓜黑料 residents to get outside on their own or in small family groups and commemorate women鈥檚 history while adhering to social distancing and safety guidelines. For more information and to register visit, .
NJ Women Vote is 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 suffrage centennial initiative, marking 100 years since the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted American women the constitutional right to vote. The Suffrage Solo Slow Roll, a key program for the centennial, invites 吃瓜黑料ans to explore the through an interactive scavenger hunt. The Women鈥檚 Heritage Trail is a guide of historic places throughout the state that collectively tell the stories of 吃瓜黑料 women, past and present. A project of the NJ State Historic Preservation Office, Preservation NJ, and the Alice Paul Centennial Foundation, work on the Trail started in 2000 and, at the time, represented the first comprehensive state-wide survey of women鈥檚 history sites in the country.
Kicking off August 1, 2020, participants are encouraged to bike 鈥� or, if preferred, walk or drive 鈥� on their own or in small family groups, to various sites on the heritage trail, submitting a selfie and caption at each site along the way. Those who visit the most sites will enter to win special prizes. Younger participants will also have the opportunity to submit and share artwork inspired by NJ women鈥檚 history to be considered for a prize. The official campaign period will close on August 31, 2020.
鈥淲e are delighted to continue our 2020 centennial activities in a way that keeps residents safe while also immersing them in the state鈥檚 rich history,鈥� said NJ Historical Commission Executive Director Sara Cureton. 鈥淭he Suffrage Solo Slow Roll allows 吃瓜黑料ans to explore some of our great historic sites and learn more about the contributions that groundbreaking women have made to our state.鈥�
Cycling played an important role in the suffrage movement and women鈥檚 history. For many women in the early 19th century, the bicycle represented a newfound sense of liberty and independence. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a leader of the suffrage movement and NJ resident, once stated that the bicycle had the power to give women 鈥渕ore courage, self-respect, and self-reliance.鈥� In launching the Solo Slow Roll, NJ Women Vote seeks to pay homage to the opportunities and liberation cycling afforded a generation of women.
For those who decide to participate in the Solo Slow Roll via bicycle, please be advised that it is 吃瓜黑料 law that cyclers must wear helmets. NJ Women Vote also encourages all participants to following Center for Disease Control pertaining to face covering when visiting sites.
The first 100 registrants will receive a free NJ Women Vote t-shirt. A 鈥淧lan Your Ride鈥� guide of sites along the Women鈥檚 Heritage Trail will be shared with all who register. Once again, for more information and to register for the Suffrage Solo Slow Roll, please visit .
About NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100
NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100 is multi-faceted initiative featuring a year-long series of events, programs, and projects in 2020 set to mark the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment in 吃瓜黑料. The , in collaboration with the non-profit , has gathered over seventy partners, representing a range of historical and cultural organizations, women鈥檚 groups, government agencies, libraries, and higher education institutions to help plan this pivotal year. To learn more about NJ Women Vote, please visit and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram @NJWomenVote100. You can also join our email list by contacting NJWV Communications Assistant Erica Meline at njwomenvote100@gmail.com.