Flying Corgi Media

06/02/2023

Do you know what suffrage means? Watch this short video and learn more! https://youtu.be/1-nDsWfRAGs

06/02/2023

Do you know the definition of suffrage? Watch this video and learn more!

04/01/2022

Mama voted because of the work of Lucretia Mott!

Happy Birthday, Lucretia Mott (1793-1880) a suffragist and abolitionist, born and raised in Nantucket, MA to a Quaker family, she became a powerful and renowned orator and advocate for ending slavery and for women’s rights. After working as a teacher receiving less than half the salary as her male counterparts, Mott began advocating for women’s rights. She married James Mott in 1811, they had six children and both advocated for abolition and women’s rights. Women speaking in public was not acceptable, but Mott persisted and became an excellent orator. In 1821 and only 28 years old, she was recognized as a Quaker minister. In 1833, Mott attended the founding convention of the American Anti-Slavery Society and organized and was chosen President of the PA Female Anti-Slavery Society. Mott was elected as a delegate to the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, England in 1840, but the first day of the Convention ended with a vote denying women the right to participate and relegating them to separate seating. There she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton and it is said they agreed on the need for a women’s rights convention. Eight years later in 1848, Mott was visiting upstate NY and reconnected with Stanton who was now living in Seneca Falls, NY. Mott, Stanton, Mott’s sister, and others organized the first women’s rights convention with three hundred attendees in Seneca Falls. Two years later, Mott spoke at the first National Women’s Rights Convention with a thousand attendees in Worcester, MA. She protested against the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, and her home was a stop on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. After the Civil War, Mott continued to fight for suffrage and civil rights. In 1866, Mott was elected the first president of the American Equal Rights Association. Into her eighties, she gave impassioned speeches to large crowds -continuing to fight for equal rights for all until she died in 1880. We honor Mott’s passion and lifelong dedication to fighting for equality for all!

23/12/2021

Happy Birthday C.J. Walker (1867-1919), the first American woman and first African-American woman to become a self-made millionaire, creating hair care products and revolutionizing the hair care and cosmetics industry in the early 20th century. Born as Sarah Breedlove, she was the first in her family to be free-born. After developing a scalp disorder that caused her hair loss in the 1890s, Sarah began experimenting and creating products in an attempt to improve her own hair conditions. She developed a line of hair care products, traveling the country to promote her products, eventually changing her name to C.J. Walker and becoming Madame C.J. Walker. With her financial success, Walker founded philanthropies that included educational scholarships and donations to homes for the elderly, the NAACP, the National Conference on Lynching, and other organizations working to improve the lives of African Americans. In 1981, the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company stopped production and in 1998 the United States Postal Service created a stamp of Walker to honor her legacy. We too honor her perseverance and entrepreneurship to become the first American woman and first American Black woman self-made millionaire, and for her extensive philanthropy!

20/10/2021

Happy Birthday, Vice President Harris! Mama approves!

Happy Birthday, Kamala Harris (1964-)! Harris became the first female African American and Asian American U.S. Vice President and thus the highest-ranking female official in the U.S. when she was sworn in on January 18, 2021. A career of many firsts, in 2010 she was elected attorney general of California and became the first female and the first African American to hold that position. In 2017, Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate and was the first Indian American and the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. We celebrate Harris as our U.S. Vice President and for all of her achievements!

14/09/2021

Mama Votes!

Representative Carolyn Maloney of New York arrived at the Met Gala in a dress with streaming epaulets bearing the message “Equal Rights for Women” and a matching bag advocating for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Follow live updates: https://nyti.ms/3k5TVlN

27/03/2021

A long life well spent. We salute the works of Beverly Cleary and we're glad they stand as a memorial to her understanding of her readers!

We are saddened to share that Beverly Cleary, one of the most beloved children’s books authors of all time, passed away yesterday, March 25, at 104 years old.

Looking back, Beverly would often say, ‘I’ve had a lucky life,’ and generations of readers count themselves lucky, too—lucky to have the very real characters she created, including Henry Huggins, Ramona and Beezus Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse, as true friends who helped shape their growing-up years. https://bit.ly/3lTZovk

26/03/2021

Happy Birthday, Sandra Day O’Connor!

Happy Birthday, Sandra Day O'Connor! Born March 26, 1930, in Texas, O’Connor became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court when President Reagan nominated her and she was unanimously approved by the Senate in 1981. She graduated from Stanford Law School with academic achievements, but law firms wouldn’t hire her because she was a woman, except one that offered her a job as a secretary. O’Connor was considered a moderate conservative and a pragmatist, and she often served as a swing vote in a variety of important cases. One of O’Connor’s most well-known cases was when she joined the majority in the 1992 case upholding Roe vs. Wade, the court’s 1973 case making abortion legal. For twelve years, O’Connor was the only woman on the court until Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined the court in 1993. In 2006, O’Connor retired from the Supreme Court to care for her husband, and she became a tireless advocate for civic education, founding the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy. President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Happy Birthday and thank you, Sandra Day O’Connor!

24/03/2021

Flying Corgi Media congratulates Mayor Janey!

Congratulations to Kim Janey, the first woman and first Black Mayor of Boston! Janey represented the city’s 7th district and served as the president of the Boston City Council. She was elected in 2017 and made history then, becoming the first woman to represent the 7th district. Janey is the 55th Mayor of Boston! With a career full of historic firsts, we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes as Mayor of Boston! Pictured L to R: Katrina Huff-Larmond, Suffrage100MA Vice-President; Mayor Kim Janey; and Fredie Kay, Suffrage100MA Founder & President

12/01/2021

Here's a Birthday tribute to the great suffragette Alice Paul, who appears in the play adaptation of our latest book, *Mama Votes!*

Alice Paul, the American suffragist who led the fierce final fight for passage of the 19th Amendment, was born on this day in 1885. Along with her friend and fellow organizer Lucy Burns, Paul was a driving force behind the campaign that finally won passage of 19th Amendment -- which outlawed s*x discrimination in the right to vote in the United States -- after a 72-year long struggle for women's right to vote. She is pictured here toasting its passage in front of a suffrage flag in 1920.

Paul was raised as a Quaker and once said that “one of their principles was and is equality of the s*xes. So I never had any other idea... the principle was always there." After moving to England to continue her studies following her graduation from University of Pennsylvania in 1907, Paul quickly became deeply involved in the British Suffrage Movement, learning many of the civil disobedience tactics that she would later use to win the fight for women's suffrage in the U.S. from the legendary British suffrage leader Emmeline Pankhurst. While in England, she met fellow American suffragist Lucy Burns, who was also frustrated with the state of the U.S. Suffrage Movement, which had stalled in making significant progress toward winning the vote.

Together, in 1916, Paul and Burns formed the National Woman’s Party and began to put more direct pressure on the government to give women the vote. In January 1917, they began the “Silent Sentinels” vigil in front of the White House -- which continued for two and a half years until June 1919 when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed both the House and the Senate. In July 1917, Paul and many other protesters were arrested for "obstructing traffic" and incarcerated at the Occoquan Workhouse. To protest the poor conditions of the women held there, Paul led a hunger strike which resulted in her being force-fed. Widespread press coverage of these abuses, along with on-going protests, strongly influenced the Wilson Administration who declared, in January 1918, that women's suffrage was urgently needed as a "war measure" and asked Congress to act.

Together with Burns and others in the National Women’s Party, Paul’s dramatic efforts brought the attention of the world to the struggle for women’s rights in America, and led to the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920. Its passage was achieved after a 72-year long struggle which began at the first women's right conference organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848.

A lifelong activist, Paul went on to author the Equal Rights Amendment, which passed both Houses of Congress in 1972; though it never received sufficient support to become adopted nationally, nearly half of U.S. states have adopted the ERA into their state constitutions. Two years after her death in 1977, she was inducted posthumously into the National Women’s Hall of fame.

For an excellent new children's book about this courageous suffrage leader, we highly recommend "Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea" for ages 7 to 12 at https://www.amightygirl.com/how-women-won-the-vote

There is also a fantastic new picture book about Alice Paul, "Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote" for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/fight-of-the-century

For older kids, we recommend "Alice Paul and the Fight for Women's Rights" for 10 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/alice-paul-women-s-rights

For adult readers, we also recommend, "Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote," at https://www.amightygirl.com/how-long-must-we-wait-alice-paul

Alice Paul and Lucy Burn's incredible story and their important legacy in securing women's right to vote is also told in the powerful film "Iron Jawed Angels," highly recommended for viewers 13 and up, at https://www.amightygirl.com/iron-jawed-angels

To introduce children and teens to more amazing women of the Suffrage Movement, check out the reading recommendations in our blog post, “How Women Won the Vote: Teaching Kids About the U.S. Suffrage Movement, ” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11827

11/01/2021

Celebrating the Birthday of Carrie Chapman Catt, a leading suffragette. She appears as a young girl in *Mama Votes!,* a work of fiction, with play, that we published in August 2020 to mark the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

On the eve of LWV’s 100th anniversary, today we celebrate the birthday of our founder, Carrie Chapman Catt.

18/11/2020

Continuing with some crafts ideas from the book Mama Votes, Faye and Carrie make a Pilgrim hat for Gerald. Here are some links to easy Pilgrim hats for that you could make.



https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-pilgrim-hat.html

https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-pilgrim-bonnet.html

Create this easy paper bonnet to wear as part of a pilgrim costume.

15/11/2020

Thanksgiving is on the way and the children in Mama Votes! make paper decorations for the table. Your child can do it too! https://dorkingmuseum.org.uk/mayflowermodel/?fbclid=IwAR3Ig87sA3cKAuCSKax6J8gLMaL8LRlPpEl9ksNhwFiskixpseNkk6DDb6Q

Museum volunteer, Robin Cooper, has created this brilliant paper model of The Mayflower for you to print out and create at home.

03/11/2020

Activities for Mama Votes!

Activities to help you talk about Mama Votes!

In the story Mama Votes! Mama and the other women are determined to cast a ballot in the presidential election.

o If your state allows it, download a sample ballot and show your young person what one looks like or go to Ballotpedia.org to see what will be on your ballot.
o Talk about what the requirements for registering to vote are in your community.
o If it is allowed, take your young person with you to vote.
o Talk about the fact that our votes are secret, and no one has to know for whom you voted.

The story Mama Votes! takes place during a time when only men are legally allowed to vote. In this activity, explore what that means to your young person.

o Talk about things like jobs that she/he thinks are open only to men or women?
o Talk about sports that are only open to men or women. Find exceptions (like girls who are now playing football) to these stereotypes.
o Talk about how she/he would feel to be excluded because of gender.

In the story Mama Votes!, Susan B. Anthony talks to the young women at the party for Faye’s mother. Susan B. Anthony was famous for her speeches about women’s rights.

o Go online and find a copy of one of her speeches.
o Write a speech about something that is important to you. Try to memorize that speech and present it to your family, Scout group, or class.

In the story Mama Votes!, Carrie moves back to her home state and Faye cannot walk with her to school, or play with her in the afternoon; so Faye and Carrie wrote letters to each other to keep in touch.

o Talk about a special friend or family member who lives far away.
o Talk about the ways that you can communicate and even see them.
o Ask your young person if they like to get letters or packages in the mail. Suggest that they write to someone special who lives far away.

In the story Mama Votes!, Faye and Carrie are making decorations for Thanksgiving.

o If your family celebrates Thanksgiving, talk about the similarities and differences with Faye’s house.
o Go to the library and find a book about the first Thanksgiving,
o Go online and find the instructions to make a turkey or pilgrim hat.

In the story Mama Votes, Faye is frightened when her mother is arrested that she will be put in jail.
o Talk about Faye’s fears for her mother.
o Talk about why a person might be put in jail.
o Go online and find a picture of a jail if your young person is curious.

IN the story Mama Votes!, Faye takes her young brother to the factory to see a new fire wagon.

o Talk about the fact that there was a time when we did not have motors and fire wagons were pulled by horses.
o Go online and find pictures of old fire wagons.
o Go to the fire station and see if they have an antique fire wagon or engine your young person can see.

In the story, Mama Votes!, Mama has the cook prepare Papa’s favorite cake for dinner on the night when she tells him that she is going to vote.

o Talk about what it was like to have someone who cooked for your family.
o Talk about your favorite cake and favorite food.
o Get all of the ingredients and make your favorite cake.

25/10/2020

Women of America: we've just published a book for your daughters called, *Mama Votes!* It's about the fight for women's suffrage. As we move toward the final days before this national election, we encourage you all to share this book with your daughters, the future voters of America, to contemplate this statue in Central Park, New York City, that commemorates three leaders of the suffrage movement, and remembering them as the leaders of thousands upon thousands of women who sacrificed and fought to be treated as citizens of this country, to exercise your franchise and always, always vote.

Public monuments, and the artists who create them, are beginning to represent women and their achievements.

20/10/2020

4️⃣ more days until Oct. 24 - the deadline to register to vote! Click the link below to register yourself or send it to a friend or family member. You need a MA Driver's License to register online, otherwise you can print out - or handwrite! - the voter registration form and put it in the mail.

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/

16/10/2020

The Flying Corgi Media Team, using Susan B. Anthony’s words, have all “been and gone and done it. Positively Voted!!” We hope you have a plan to vote in this important election. Read Mama Votes!, and see what people in the past had to do to have the ability to vote.

https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/book/9781647865870

In 1872, fifteen women dared to vote It was a time when women were not allowed to vote in the United States, but these women decided to challenge that rule.

07/10/2020

Priscilla Stevens, playwright, and Susan Julian Gates, FCM Publisher, usetheir jewelry to say, “Women, vote!” and buy a copy of MAMA VOTES! for the child in your life at your favorite independent bookstore. (You can order from Gibson’s Bookstore here: https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/book/9781647865870)

01/10/2020

Michael Pierson is a professor of History at U Mass Lowell. He is the author of the books Free Hearts and Free Homes: Gender and American Antislavery Politics, Mutiny at Ft Jackson: The Untold Story of the Fall of New Orleans, and Lt. Spalding in Civil War Louisiana: A Union Officer's Humor, Privilege, and Ambition, as well as numerous articles.

23/09/2020

Today is National Register to Vote Day!

As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, you keep hearing the word Suffrage and might wonder where did that word come from? The word suffrage comes from an old Latin “suffragium,” meaning the right or privilege to vote. Here are some pins that women wore using the word.

19/09/2020

Flying Corgi Media is proud to underwrite WOMEN VOTE! in honor of the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The outdoor exhibit will be up at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts through November. We encourage everyone to vote in memory of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

31/08/2020

Purchase Audrey's Garden here...

As Audrey and her family move to another town, she says goodbye to her BFF, promising to stay in touch. With a new town, new house, new school, and even a sweet, new friend, life is looking pretty perfect. But things get complicated when the popular girls notice Audrey and begin to vie for her atten...

22/08/2020

We agree. Susan B. Anthony would not have accepted a pardon. Read about it in Mama Votes!

The director of the museum, Deborah L. Hughes, suggests that the best way to honor Anthony would be to take a clear stance against voter suppression and to advocate for human rights for all.

19/08/2020

In 1920, women in the U.S. gained the right to vote - but only after a struggle that lasted more than 70 years! Learn how suffragists fought for the 19th ame...

18/08/2020

TODAY is a red letter Flying Corgi Day! We officially launch the release of MAMA VOTES! https://youtu.be/sgYwf0nazfk We celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution with the publication of the story of 15 women in Rochester, NY, who dared to vote in the 1872 presidential election.

14/08/2020

We LOVE independent bookstores, but we especially love Gibson's Bookstore! Pre-order Mama Votes! HERE: https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/book/9781647865870
and get ready for our virtual video LAUNCH on August 18!

13/08/2020

We are watching this now and it is so very moving. Thank you to the New York Times for making this event possible.

The musical “Suffragist” was due to premiere this fall. Then, everything changed. Join the creators and cast of the show for an evening of conversation and song, as we discuss the pandemic-interrupted journey of “Suffragist,” and watch two numbers from the work in progress — their first-ev...

11/08/2020

07/08/2020

Just in time to celebrate women voting for 100 years! (Hint, this is about the FIRST time women voted in 1872 and were arrested...)