Finish the Fight! The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote

Declaring “suffrage history needs a makeover,” Chambers and other staff writers at the New York Times mark the centenary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification with this refreshing compilation featuring some of the American suffrage movement’s unsung heroines. Thirteen chapters highlight these lesser-known champions, who were often part of other rights struggles. African American, Native American, Asian American, Latinx, and queer suffragists occupy pages illustrated by various artists in the hues of the movement: purple, blue, and gold. Striking full-page color portraits and simple floral motifs accompany archival photographs of suffragists such as newspaper founder Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin and journalist Jovita Idár. Straightforward reportage reveals the movement’s complexity, with attention paid to internal discrimination, as well as to inspiration derived from matriarchal Native American societies. Sidebars add context, one cleverly depicting the state ratification process through a game board. A timeline, bibliography, and index conclude, along with eye-catching spreads of colorful trading cards featuring many more voting rights pioneers. A “Women by the Numbers” spread compares statistics from 1920 to 2020. A welcome, more inclusive panorama of suffrage history. Ages 8–12. [em](Aug.) [/em]