Rosario Dawson and Retta are teaming up for a podcast series on the women’s suffrage movement.
Rosario Dawson and Retta will co-host And Nothing Less: The Untold Stories of Women’s Fight for the Vote. The podcase comes from the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, the National Park Service, and public media organization PRX.
“The full history of the women’s suffrage movement, the work of so many heroes who fought for and secured women’s right to vote, resonates profoundly today,” said Dawson. “It’s an honor to bring such powerful stories from our nation’s history to audiences everywhere.”
And Nothing Less: The Untold Stories of Women’s Fight for the Vote will explore the array of diverse voices beyond Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, telling stories of generations of activists fought for full access to the ballot.
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“It’s a joy to bring the history of the women’s suffrage movement in America (and around the world) to life,” added Retta. “Especially with Rosario, who I’ve been a fan of and whose sense of civic duty I admire. U.S. women’s history is rich with iconic voices and perspectives, many of which I hadn’t even heard of until this project. It really sheds light on what it means to be a citizen, even today. I’m excited to be a part of it, and for listeners to tune in.”
The series will feature guests like historian Dr. Martha S. Jones. She authored Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Also journalist Elaine Weiss, who wrote The Woman’s Hour will appear. As well as Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of suffragist and civil rights icon Ida B. Wells; she will join the pair.
Rosario Dawson and Retta’s podcast is one of two podcast launching in honor of the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote.
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Gold medal gymnast and advocate Aly Raisman will host the other podcast, The Magic Sash. Unlike the one Rosario Dawson and Retta are hosting, this is a historical fiction podcast for tweens. It follows an 11-year-old girl and boy who journey back in time to meet iconic heroes of the movement. Members such as Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman. They also will experience key moments in women’s suffrage history, such as the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848. As well as the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C.
“I believe that voting is one of the most important rights anyone can have,” said Raisman. “I vote because it is an opportunity for change. Just like in The Magic Sash, people today are using their voices to better the world. I hope the story of Lotty, Isaiah, and Florence, and everyone they met on their journey, inspires people and reminds them that their voice and story matters.”
Both series will launch on August 5
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The podcast is co-produced by TRAX from PRX––a podcast network for 9 to 13-year-olds–– and Gen-Z Media.
The Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC) was created by Congress to coordinate the nationwide commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2020. The WSCC will celebrate this milestone of American democracy through a series of campaigns and initiatives throughout the year, ranging from the building of a national suffrage memorial in Virginia to the donation of 18,000 children’s suffrage history books to public libraries across the U.S.