Articles

December 28, 2020 It’s safe to say 2020 didn’t turn out like we expected. Although countless events and exhibits had to be cancelled or postponed, we’re proud of the creative ways Utahns honored trailblazing women in our history. We hope you’ll follow along as we continue these efforts next year! 2020 by the numbers: 3 […]

November 22, 2020 Happy Holidays from Better Days 2020! We’ve curated some of our favorite inspiring gifts from women-owned businesses, mostly based right here in Utah. From books and magazines to crafts to limited edition art, we’ve got you and your stocking stuffers covered. Find more inspiring products for you and the kids in your […]

November 3, 2020 We’ve been posting this on our social media, but want to make sure it’s available here as well. This historic election marks the 150th year since Utah women voted in a general election, the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Isn’t it a […]

By Jessica Breiman October 15, 2020 Ivy Baker Priest and Reva Beck Bosone are two Utah politicians who served in national leadership roles on opposite sides of the political aisle. Campaigning for elected office, particularly as a woman in Utah, is no easy feat; while Utah’s women have long been politically active, they make up […]

We’re thrilled with the new memorial to Utah women’s history! We unveiled this gift from Better Days 2020 to the state of Utah in a special ceremony for the centennial of the 19th Amendment in August 2020. “A Path Forward” was created by artists Kelsey Harrison and Jason Manley to honor Utah women’s contributions to […]

by Katherine Kitterman, Better Days 2020 Historical Director September 24, 2020 In honor of National Voter Registration Day this week, let’s take a look at Utah women’s involvement in voter registration over the years. When Utah was becoming a state, women hoped to regain the right to vote that Congress had taken from them in […]

by Katherine Kitterman, Better Days 2020 Historical Director September 10, 2020 As we’ve described in past blog posts, Utah suffragists were involved in the national movement for women’s voting rights from the 1870s onward. In the 1910s, Utahns worked with two rival suffrage organizations—the more moderate National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), and the more radical […]

August 17, 2020 It’s 19th Amendment centennial week! As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we honor the women (and men) who worked for women’s equal voting rights long before and long after 1920. We’ve been creating resources to help you learn about this history for the past 3 years! If you’re […]

August 13, 2020 There are hundreds of exhibits and digital programs happening across the country to commemorate this year’s voting rights anniversaries! Although the pandemic has closed most exhibits to visitors, there are still great virtual tours and other resources you can check out virtually. Here are some of our favorite national websites, documentaries, and […]

August 1, 2020 by Tiffany Greene, Better Days 2020 Historical Consultant August 1, 1870: Utah Territory. In the peak of the summer season, when crops were nearing harvest and trees were heavy with fresh fruit, women in Utah went to the polls for the second time in six months. The first time, back in February, […]

August 3, 2020 We’re thrilled to have two temporary art installations up this month celebrating voting rights in Utah! The Voting Rights Act became law on August 6, 1965 to ensure that all people had access to the ballot, regardless of race. Our interactive art pieces celebrate the women of color who fought for equal […]

By Maya Brimhall, Better Days 2020 Historical Intern July 21, 2020 Although many exhibits and libraries are closed due to COVID-19, we wanted to give you a taste of some records here in Utah that highlight women who made a difference in our country’s history. Zitkála-Šá (Gertrude Bonnin) was a committed activist for Native citizenship […]