10th State to Ratify | Iowa | Annie Swarm, Artist
Her Flag Artist, Annie Swarm
The Iowa stripe is inspired by the great heritage laid down for me and all women, as well as all Americans, by the women of the suffrage movement.
They were looking ahead of them, to the future generations and the country as a whole that would benefit from their difficult work.
The sash throughout the piece is inspired by the sashes worn by the suffragettes, and the stripe is being held up and pulled forward continuously by strong hands. The first portion contains “Votes for Women” which is the slogan used on the original sashes. The second portion is a quote that inspired the theme of forward movement by Carry Chapman Catt: “Progress is calling on you to make no pause. Act.” The third is first names of Iowan suffragettes: Augusta Chapin, Mary Darwin, Arabella “Belle” Mansfield, Mary Newbury, Annie Savery, and Amelia Bloomer. The last portion is the Iowa state motto: “Our Liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” The word Iowa is above the sash with the date that Iowans voted “yes” to ratify the 19th Amendment, July 2, 1919.
The original piece is hand printed in oils on panels and is 120” long by 12” high.