Women fought for the right to vote and in turn the right to be heard in government for decades. This right was finally granted in August 1920—now 100 years ago—when the 19th amendment was ratified. The hard-fought struggle and the hard-earned opportunities following are depicted in a new mural in downtown Hattiesburg.
The What
This is the fourth mural in a series commissioned by the Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art as part of a growing public arts collection around the city. Artist Heidi Pitre is a former resident of Hattiesburg and proud to be a part of creating such a momentous piece.
The impressive mural can be found in downtown Hattiesburg on McLeod Street next to Thirsty Hippo and near the Hattiesburg Public Library.
The Mural Itself
Vibrant shades of patriotic red, blue, and white and beautiful symbolism can be found the entire height of the wall the mural, titled “Suffrage,” adorns. In a recent article published in The Pine Belt News, the artist said she was inspired by the way women continued to support and empower each other even as they struggled to register to vote once the right was won. One way this was accomplished by setting up registration tables in places men didn’t often visit like grocery stores and department stores.
This is depicted by the woman holding a grocery list in the hand wearing a cleaning glove and the opposing hand adorned in a white glove gripping her voter registration application. An insignia next to the image takes it a step further and honors the founding women of Hattiesburg and Forrest County.
The Other Three
Besides the new mural in downtown Hattiesburg, three more were unveiled earlier this year. The first two were both created by Prince Sign Co. and both can be found along Hardy Street. One is titled “Hattiesburg, the Birthplace of Rock & Roll” and is painted on the side of T-Bones Records & Cafe.
The second mural is titled “Wonderful Day” and features a quote by Maya Angelou. This bit of inspiration can be seen across from the public library.
The third mural was painted by Spence Townsend and is a colorful 54´ x 16´ work of art titled “Let’s Go.” It features an array of animals riding on bikes and trikes having a grand time in Hattiesburg. It brightens the wall of The Avenues at Sunflower Grocery store.
Summary
With a town rich in history and a present commitment to celebrating it through the arts, who would want to live anywhere else? The community of Hattiesburg is not just a great place to visit! If you are thinking about making a move, check out the move-in ready apartments available at Point O’Woods apartments. For other inspiring news around town, read our blogs.