ABSTRACT
Commemoration is the handmaiden of nationalism, as historical narratives mold an image of the nation, with its attendant characters, teams, heroes, foes, victories, destinies, and the rules of engagement. In the United States, the dominant historical narrative about the struggle for women’s voting rights is an example of “white feminism,” as it defines women’s rights in relationship to white women’s rights; elides the racism of famous historical suffragists; and erases the agency, experiences, and political requirements of women of color. This dominant narrative—preserved and promoted in national museums, official commemorative events, and the statements of President Trump and his White House—holds up white women as the heroes of US women’s history and conceals the past and ongoing struggle for voting rights.
