A parade of Ford Model T cars carrying suffragists in long, white dresses Saturday offered a glimpse of what visitors to downtown Naperville might have seen had they been out on a hot, sunny afternoon back in the late 1910s.
The women waved their hands and banners and the old “tin Lizzie” drivers honked their horns as they caught the attention of shoppers and diners.
The parade was one of the many activities hosted by the League of Women Voters of Naperville has held recently leading up to Aug. 26, the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote.
Before television and social media, suffragists needed to attract attention to their cause. They were imaginative and persistent, organizing driving trips across the country and stopping at cities of all sizes, including Naperville.
The event was a way of demonstrating how things were back 100 years ago, while delivering an updated message urging people to vote in the Nov. 3 election.
Picture Source: Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun
