"This mural celebrates the leaders of our past, the present way finders, and the future warriors. The suffragettes pass their banner on to continue fighting for women’s rights. The play on color and portrayal of the female form throughout highlights the century since the ratification of the 19th amendment. The figures allow the audience to see themselves and their suffrage heroes within the imagery. It is meant to be bold, inspiring, and a strong commemoration of how the suffrage movement brought us to the present, passing the baton to new generations continuing to march forward.” - Kendra Beitzel (Mural Artist)
100 Years is a mural by artist Kendra Beitzel that was commissioned by The Fund and unveiled in fall 2020 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted most women the right to vote.
The idea for the mural originated from a board member, who envisioned a large-scale public art installation that would celebrate the history of women's suffrage and inspire future generations of women. The board partnered with the West Chester Public Art Commission to find a suitable location for the mural and ultimately chose the side of a building in Historic West Chester, Pensylvania at 119 East Market Street.
The Fund hired the local artist Kendra Beitzel to design and paint the mural. The mural was painted over the course of several weeks in the summer of 2020 with Beitzel working with a team of volunteers to complete the project.
The Centennial Mural is a testament to the and the important role that women continue to play in shaping our communities.
The artwork honors the legacy of the suffragists’ struggle for women’s rights and depicts the women of the early twentieth century passing the banner forward to a larger and more diverse group of women. It symbolizes that the fight for equity, representation, and full participation did not end with ratification, but remains part of the ongoing and unfinished work of democracy and inclusion.
At its center is the recognition that while the 19th Amendment marked a historic milestone, voting rights were still denied or obstructed for many women, particularly Black women and women marginalized by race, ethnicity, class, language, and education. They were subjected to barriers such as poll taxes, intimidation and threats, and lack of translation. Voting rights continue to be threatened for people of color; most recently with the Supreme Court overturning Section II of the Voting Rights Act. This work is critical now more than ever, because while great gains were made with the passing of the 19th Amendment, it did not guarantee voting rights for all citizens.
Today voting rights continue to be threatened for people of color, most recently with the Supreme Court overturning Section II of the Voting Rights Act. This work remains critical now more than ever, because while the passage of the 19th Amendment represented significant progress, it did not guarantee voting rights for all citizens.
The Centennial Mural is a reminder that we have made significant progress, but there is much more work to do. The Fund for Women and Girls remains committed to this work, ensuring that every citizen can safely vote, without burden or barriers, in every election.
To read more about the mural's unveiling, click here.