The Hard Won, Not Done commemoration to celebrate 100 years of the 19th Amendment will kick off Friday.

One of the lectures of the day will feature award-winning journalist and writer, Elaine Weiss.

Weiss’ lecture will be at 1 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Weiss’ “The Woman’s Hour” will bring audience members through the story of the seven-decade struggle to ratify the 19th Amendment. 

Weiss will also discuss Carrie Chapman Catt, an Iowa State alumna and national suffrage leader.

Karen Kedrowski, director of Carrie Chapman Catt Center said Weiss’ lecture will bring audience members through the story of women’s push to get Tennessee to ratify the 19th Amendment.

Kedrowski said without Tennessee ratifying, the women’s movement would have had to push southward, where it wasn’t promising.

“It’s a very dramatic story,” Kedrowski said.

The lecture isn’t just about achieving the 19th Amendment for a few. Kedrowski said Weiss will discuss how women of color and other individuals were impacted by the Amendment’s ratification.

“There’s a lot of really interesting intersections, and Ms. Weiss does a lovely job of doing it,” Kedrowski said.

A question about the event may be, “why is it on Valentine’s Day?” 

Carrie Chapman Catt gave her presidential address at the National American Woman Suffrage Convention in order to create a “League of Women Voters,” and on Valentine’s Day 100 years ago, the national League of Women Voters was organized by Catt. 

With Valentine’s Day being a day of importance to the suffrage movement, Weiss’ lecture isn’t the only component of the day. Weiss’ lecture is only one event in the Hard Won, Not Done commemoration that kicks off the celebration of 100 years of suffrage that occurs all around the state.

Kedrowski said there will be presentations, a documentary video, breakout sessions, picture booths, buttons, free food and much more.

“We are going to try to have fun,” Kedrowski said.

Iowa State is one of many universities and colleges to put on events to celebrate suffrage. Kedrowski said the Ames area is also getting involved.

“There’s a lot of really cool things happening locally and statewide,” Kedrowski said. “We are going to work together on a common theme to celebrate suffrage.”

Although Kedrowski said the goal is to have fun, she also said it’s important for Iowa State students to attend to learn about the Amendment that enfranchised about 20 million people “overnight.”

“Understanding our history is an important thing,” Kedrowski said. “Women’s history isn’t only for the women.”

Kedrowski said although the day is to celebrate how hard it was to get to the point women are now, the name of the ceremony hints what is still left.

“In terms of achieving equality […] we aren’t done,”Kedrowski said.

Weiss will also have a “Suffrage in the South” Q&A at 3:30 p.m. Friday along with book signings in the Memorial Union.

More information about the events of the day can be found on the Iowa State events page: Kickoff: 19th Amendment Centennial.