Locals can help celebrate Women’s Equality Day with an event entitled “A Night in Suffrage White: A Pop-Up Dinner at Paulsdale.”
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing women the right to vote was certified into law on Aug. 26, 1920.
Five decades later in 1971, Congress designated Aug. 26 as Women’s Equality Day in the United States, acknowledging the day as a symbol of women’s ongoing fight for equality.
To mark Women’s Equality Day this year, The Alice Paul Institute, birthplace and childhood home of suffragist leader Alice Paul, is inviting locals to help celebrate the day with an event entitled “A Night in Suffrage White: A Pop-Up Dinner at Paulsdale.”
According to the Alice Paul Institute, the event will follow “pack it in/pack it out” guidelines, in which guests will bring all of their own supplies for the event — tables, chairs, food, flatware, linens, etc. — and then take everything with them when they leave.
To honor the suffragists who wore the color white in their clothing as a symbol of bringing purity to politics, guests at the event are also asked to wear all-white clothing and bring white linen for their dinning.
“The legend is that white stood for purity, with the idea that women were the morally pure half of society,” said Kris Myers, director of programs at the Alice Paul Institute. “A lot of people thought women would use their vote to address moral issues, like building hospitals or feeding hungry children.”
In addition to showcasing the life and work of Paul, Myers said she hopes the event will show guests the amount of work that remains to achieve true equality for women.
“Women have only had the right to vote since 1920, so it’s relatively recent, and this is our anniversary to celebrate the 19th Amendment. Even if she was alive today, Alice Paul would say there’s still a lot inequality, at least legally, that she would what us to focus on,” Myers said.
Myers said the event would also inform guests about the institute’s ongoing programs meant to educate young women as a new generation of leaders.
“We always hope people become involved with the institute and our leadership programs, which are designed to develop young girls to work toward positive change in their lives,” Myers said.
Attendees for “A Night in Suffrage White: A Pop-Up Dinner at Paulsdale” can register for the event as a table captain or a guest.
Table captains must make the initial purchase of the table and then invite guests to join. Captains may can cover the cost entire of the table, or share the expense with their party.
Spots for the dinner can be reserved in groups of four, six, eight, 10 or 12, with the first 50 registered spots guaranteed a dining location on Paulsdale’s wrap-round porch.
Registered spots after the first 50 will can “pop-up” their tables on Paulsdale’s surrounding grounds.
Setup for the event begins at 5:30 p.m., with the event lasting from 6 to 8 p.m.
Fees for the event are set at $10 per person.
For more information about “A Night in Suffrage White: A Pop-Up Dinner at Paulsdale, contact the institute’s development director Paige Salvador at psalvador@alicepaul.org or (856) 231–1885.
