Future Home of the Women's Suffrage Museum - Events & Cultural Center

Women's Suffrage Museum

Located at 706/708 South Gay Street in Knoxville, TN. We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of both buildings.

Having successfully completed the initial fundraising for our first building, our focus shifted to expansion. We have secured the acquisition of the 708 S. Gay Street, at a cost of $2.9 million. This acquisition was the essential next step to building a significantly larger museum dedicated to the fight for the 19th Amendment and to continue the journey for all people.

We are proud to be the future home of the World’s Largest Women’s Suffrage Museum… the Journey Continues.

Why This Expansion Matters

Knoxville is more than a footnote in history; it is the finish line of the 19th Amendment. This expansion will finally honor that pivotal role by allowing the Women’s Suffrage Museum to:

- - Display a larger Collection: Over 1,000 suffrage artifacts, most currently held by Suffrage Coalition President Wanda Sobieski.
  - Tell the Full Story: Develop new, engaging, and diverse physical and digital exhibits to present the complex, often untold stories of women’s contributions with the nuance and depth they deserve.
  - Expand Educational Programs: Increase & use the technology to reach young people & create a variety of learning opportunities, including the development of K-12 lesson plans and programs for educators and the public. Development of digital information on the web.
  - Bring the Story to Life: Build a “living story” designed to be a call to action—inspiring future leaders of tomorrow.

“This museum is not just about a law, it’s about a mother’s courage, a son’s conscience, and the power of one individual to change the course of history,” says Wanda Sobeski, President of the Women’s Suffrage Museum. “Their story, born in East Tennessee, belongs to the world.”

New Perfect 36 Circle Membership

The Perfect 36 Circle was formed to provide insight, feedback, advice, and assistance to ensure that this project moves forward efficiently and addresses the legitimate concerns of all those who care about history and this woman suffrage history in particular.

The planning sessions for the museum will be open to all members of the Perfect 36 Circle. Members will be kept advised of progress and planning-even in the preliminary stages. You will be viewed by the Suffrage Coalition as the core constituency to help guide this project and ensure it is not only successful, but worthy of your time and trust.

The cost of membership is small ($36 a year) so that no one is excluded. We hope to be able to draw on the knowledge and talent of the Circle to make this project better than we so far have imagined.

Join Today!

The Burn Memorial

This monument honors Febb Ensminger Burn, whose letter persuaded her son, legislator Harry T. Burn, to cast the deciding vote that made Tennessee the “Perfect 36” and secured women the right to vote in 1920.

Woman Suffrage Memorial

Knoxville, TN

Located in Market Square, the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial honors three trailblazing leaders:

Lizzie Crozier French, Knoxville, TN
Anne Dallas Dudley, Nashville, TN
Elizabeth Avery Meriwether, Memphis TN

These Tennessee women helped secure Tennessee’s place as the Perfect 36. Dedicated in 2006, the monument stands as a tribute to the courage and persistence of the women who fought for the right to vote.

Preserving the Past. Empowering the Future.

The Women’s Suffrage Museum is dedicated to honoring the courageous efforts of those who fought for women’s voting rights. As a project of Suffrage Coalition, Inc., our mission is to educate and inspire future generations by preserving the rich history of the suffrage movement, particularly in Tennessee. Through engaging exhibits and educational programs, we aim to highlight the diverse voices and stories that contributed to this monumental cause.

Wanda Sobieski, President of Suffrage Coalition & Women's Suffrage Museum

“The announcement today (11/6/2025) marks the culmination of more than 30 years of passion, perseverance, and purpose. The Women’s Suffrage Museum will be a tangible, enduring tribute, a place where the legacy of the courageous women who fought for the right to vote is preserved, interpreted, and taught for generations to come.”

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon

“Located right here in Tennessee, the Women’s Suffrage Museum will celebrate the brave women who secured the right to vote, Knoxville is proud to be the home of this national treasure, a place where history and innovation meet to inspire the future generations.”

Former Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero

“From the earliest days of this project, I have believed deeply in the importance of telling this story right here in Knoxville, where the spirit of progress has always run strong. The major donation gift Tim Hill gave to start our fund raising on the second building represents the best of who we are as a community, people who honor our past while investing in our shared future.”

Rebecca Ensminger McCombs, a descendant of "Febb" Ensminger Burn

“Something I love about this museum is that it will hold many stories, some famous, some quiet. It will be a place that tells our sons and daughters, your voice matters.”

Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, Executive Producer & Director of Museum Development for the Women's Suffrage Museum & Co-Founder, builder, and former COO of the Titanic Museum Attractions.

“This dream to build a Women’s Suffrage Museum is Wanda Sobieski & to everyone who believed in her vision. For three decades, Wanda has worked tirelessly, collecting more than 1,000 artifacts, raising funds to build two monuments that now stand proudly in downtown Knoxville, and never losing sight of her dream to give these stories a permanent home. Because of her leadership and the support of so many, that dream is finally beginning to take shape.”

The Suffrage Coalition now owns both the 706/708 S. Gay Street Buildings!

Your Donations Count!

Donate Now!

What the Knoxville Suffrage Coalition has Accomplished

1995

The Suffrage Coalition was formed to address the lack of recognition for the courageous leaders of the women’s suffrage movement in the South. Despite Tennessee being the pivotal, final state to ratify the 19th Amendment and securing the right to vote for all women citizens, there was not a single plaque, statue, or bust in the state to honor these brave individuals. At the time, few people in the state were even aware of Tennessee’s critical role in this historic achievement.

2006

Fundraised for and installed the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial in Knoxville’s Market Square—the first monument in the state dedicated to the suffragist movement and its leaders. That year, the Coalition also organized and funded its first re-enactment Suffrage Parade in downtown Knoxville.

2008

Received the East Tennessee Foundation’s Community Enhancement Award.

2009

Secured a grant to digitize the McClung Collection’s holdings of Lizzie Crozier French’s scrapbook and Representative Harry T. Burn’s suffrage papers. This initiative made these significant, original documents free and easily accessible to

the public.

2010

Performed a reenactment of Lizzie Crozier French’s groundbreaking 1912 speech to the Tennessee Bar Association—the first time a woman addressed the all-male group. This same year, Suffrage Coalition held an open suffrage tea in Market Square.

2016

Designed and began fundraising for the Burn Memorial, honoring Febb Ensminger Burn and her son Representative Harry T. Burn, whose tie-breaking vote enfranchised millions of American women.

2018

Installed the Burn Memorial in the heart of downtown Knoxville as a permanent tribute to Febb Burns’ influence and Harry T Burns’ courage. That same year, organized and funded the second re-enactment Suffrage Parade in downtown Knoxville.

2020 - 2022

In 2020 through 2022 the Suffrage Coalition developed and hosted a weekly community TV program dedicated to exploring the rich history of the suffrage movement, with a special focus on Tennessee.

2021 – Worked closely with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to place a permanent marker at suffragist Lizzie Crozier French’s gravesite, including a QR code and the Suffrage Coalition provided a detailed oral history of her life. Additionally, in 2021 organized and funded a third reenactment suffrage parade to celebrate the 2020 Centennial of Suffrage (the delay was due to

the pandemic).

The Burn Memorial

Celebrate the historic legacy of Febb and Harry T. Burn, whose decisive vote in 1920 made Tennessee the final state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment, securing women’s right to vote nationwide.

The banquet serves as a vital fundraiser supporting The Suffrage Coalition’s ongoing efforts to preserve and share the history of women’s suffrage in Tennessee through education, public memorials, and community outreach.

OnGoing and Annual Efforts of the Suffrage Coalition

Collaborative Spirit

Since 2010, the Suffrage Coalition has hosted an annual August 18th fundraiser honoring Febb Burn, featuring music, reenactments of pivotal moments from the 75-year campaign, and programs celebrating suffrage history. Since 2006, the Coalition has partnered with cities and towns across Tennessee to help honor suffragists with statues, busts, murals, and more. From its inception, the Coalition has supported and participated in musical suffrage documentaries including The Perfect 36, How Southern Women Won the Vote, and the award-winning A Vote of Her Own, which continues to tour today.

Honoring Tennessee’s “Perfect 36” Role.

Tennessee was the “Perfect 36,” the final state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed all women citizens the right to vote. This pivotal action made Tennessee central to American history. The Suffrage Coalition is devoted to preserving and sharing this legacy, ensuring that our state’s role is never forgotten.

Each Year, the Coalition

Judges National History Day on suffrage and women’s rights topics.
Organizes voter registration events.
Participated in the East Tennessee Historical Society’s “History Fair”.
Give hundreds of presentations to schools, clubs, and civic groups.
Dresses downtown suffrage statues with sashes, roses, and banners for Women’s History Month.
Assists authors and producers with research and historical accuracy.
Offers East Coast tours of historic suffrage sites.

Memorializing Key Figures and Events

Knoxville was home to prominent suffrage leaders, such as the indomitable Lizzie Crozier French, a devoted suffragist, who spoke truth to power on the local, state, and national stages for more than four decades. The most famous story from the ratification battle also has strong Knoxville ties: Representative Harry T. Burn, who cast the deciding vote, lived his entire life in East Tennessee—as did his mother, Febb Burn, whose famous letter urging him to “be a good boy” led to his historic vote.

The Suffrage Coalition has created lasting memorials in the heart of downtown Knoxville to honor these patriots and their contributions.

Current Focus

Today, the Suffrage Coalition:

Continue researching and preserving the history of the local suffrage movement. In particular, the current research committee is documenting contributions of women of color in East Tennessee’s suffrage history.
Works with organizations across the city to plan Women’s History Month events each March.

Preserving Historical Records

Nearly 900 important artifacts and documents related to the suffrage movement will be housed in the permanent Women’s Suffrage Museum.

The Suffrage Coalition continually works to locate and preserve the invaluable historical records of the most wide-reaching political change in our country’s history.

Education and Public Awareness

For over 25 years, the Coalition has worked tirelessly to keep these stories alive through speaking engagements, slide shows, educational programs, public events, documentaries, articles, musicals, and two major memorials. These efforts ensure that the sacrifices and triumphs of the suffragists are remembered and celebrated—not only as history, but as a living example of what ordinary citizens can achieve when they believe in democracy.

Get Involved

The Perfect 36 Circle was formed to provide insight, feedback, advice, and assistance to ensure this project moves forward efficiently and addresses the legitimate concerns of all those who care about history and the woman suffrage history in particular.

Text Code 1920 to 44321 to DONATE to the Suffrage Coalition!

Text Code 1848 to 44321 to DONATE to the Museum Project!

Join Perfect 36 Circle

Who is the Suffrage Coalition?

For over 30 years, the Coalition has worked tirelessly to keep these stories alive through speaking engagements, slide shows, educational programs, public events, documentaries, articles, musicals, and two major memorials. These efforts ensure that the sacrifices and triumphs of the suffragists are remembered and celebrated—not only as history, but as a living example of what ordinary citizens can achieve when they believe in democracy.

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