From August 15 through September 13, the self-guided tour takes participants throughout the city to explore the history of St. Louis’s women’s suffrage movement and beyond.
The 2020 Bike the Vote Community Ride focuses on the St. Louis suffragists who brought home the national issue and added some important voices to the larger movement. The ride also reflects on the hard truth that Black Americans were stripped of those same rights for generations.
“For this tour, I really wanted to address the many angles one can look at the history of suffrage in St. Louis. While the ride will visit several spots where big history was made and follow in the footsteps of those that made it, it also visits spots that connect to the realities of how race and class relate to suffrage history,” said Amanda Clark, Missouri History Museum’s community tours manager.
“We’re excited to partner with Missouri History Museum to bring folks a physically active way to learn about the impact of voting rights and the significant roles played by local women activists of the past,” said Joe Windler, Trailnet’s mobility coordinator.
Originally created as a group bike ride, the event was changed to a self-guided tour to allow for social distancing. The event uses a GPS-based scavenger hunt smart-phone app to direct participants to each site, where they’ll be able to access information related to some of the most significant places related to women’s suffrage in St. Louis, all while biking or walking.
Participants can begin the tour at any of the stops and can complete the tour in any order, with suggested routes taking people on slower, low traffic streets. The app also allows participants to complete the tour at their own pace and over the course of several days.
The 2020 Bike the Vote Community Ride is sponsored by The Missouri Humanities Council and St. Louis Public Radio. It was made possible through partnership with the Missouri Historical Society and their work to bring the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the Missouri History Museum as featured in their ongoing exhibit: Beyond the Ballot.
DATE: Saturday, August 15 – Sunday, September 13
TIME: The tour and app is available throughout the dates
LOCATION: St. Louis City
COST: $10, free for Trailnet members
DISTANCE: Approximately 12-14 miles total by bike, with an individual’s flexibility to do more or less
EVENT PAGE URL: https://trailnet.org/calendar/