As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the BYU Library hosted its first ever sing-along of songs written by Utah women as they fought for their right to vote in the 1800s on March 25 in the Reynolds Auditorium.
BYU librarian Elizabeth Smart said women in Utah could vote locally in 1870, but had that right taken away less than two decades later. Utah women then persistently rallied to regain their rights until the 19th Amendment passed in 1920.
“The suffrage movement in Utah was really significant,” Annalise Drewes, assistant and music organizer of the event, said. “It was one of the first territories and states to be involved in the suffrage movement, and I think that there’s always still work to be done in terms of equal rights.”
Attendees sang six songs, highlighting the talents and lyrics of Utah suffragists such as L. G. Richards, Augusta Joyce Crocheron and M. A. Y. Greenhalgh.
Drewes not only played the tunes on the piano, but she also chose the songs to sing.
“I just chose either ones that I thought were historically significant or ones that I thought were still really impactful and meaningful today,” Drewes said.
Some tunes can be found in the hymnbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, allowing attendees to sing familiar tunes.
“The fact that it’s a songbook is really cool because we get to give voice to these songs, literally,” Drewes said.
BYU English professor Sharon Harris attended to celebrate Women’s History Month and learn songs written by suffragists.
“I really loved the lyrics, and the lyrics were inspiring and the kind of thing that I want to learn and keep using today,” Harris said.
A digital copy of the songbook can be found here through the BYU Library.