2020 marks a centennial milestone for the women’s suffrage movement, and ETSU has taken the opportunity to highlight this achievement through discussion in a “Pop-N-Doc” series.
This “Pop-N-Doc” event is an ongoing series starting in July highlighting topics through the mediums of film. Joy Fulkerson, director of ETSU Leadership and Civic Engagement, described this event as a way to capitalize on the rising trends of using platforms like Netflix and Hulu during quarantine. This current installment of “Pop-N-Doc” suggests participants watch the popular film “Iron-Jawed Angels” in addition to the documentary “The Vote”.
“I know that during this quarantine time I’ve probably watched more TV than others,” said Fulkerson. “So if we can sort of steer people to watch some educational, meaningful and impactful kind of TV, it just is a great jumping off point for dialogue.”
A discussion will be held pertaining to the films on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. It will be moderated by Fulkerson and Dr. Amy Johnson, the director at the ETSU’s Center for Teaching Excellence. Fulkerson encourages ETSU staff, students, faculty and community members to come and talk about women’s right to vote and the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
“I am a person that likes to be in community with others,” Fulkerson said. “I think I learn and grow by that. It is nice to sort of have people come together and be willing to be open and vulnerable and just stay engaged in those kinds of conversations and we want to create safe spaces for that.”
The women’s suffrage movement also has its roots in Tennessee, with East Tennessee representative Harry Burn being the vote that ended the tie and pushed for ratification. Director of Women’s Studies Dr. Phyllis Thompson mentioned in addition to being a part of our history, this guided conversation also extends beyond the subject of gender.
“It is an opportunity that empowers voice and collaboration and citizenship and gives us the opportunity to talk about what it means to be a democracy and what it means to live in harmony and in community with others,” said Thompson. “It puts the mission of ETSU, which is ‘respect all people’ and puts that practice; It gives that flesh.”
If you are interested in attending, contact Joy Fulkerson at fulkersj@etsu.edu.
