Tennessee Women’s Suffrage Mural Project

Posted May 12, 2022 | Posted in: News

Murals featuring colorful portraits of women and suffrage-themed imagery are painted on brick buildings. Text reads Tennessee Women’s Suffrage Mural Project with logos of supporting organizations at the bottom. By Shannon Ford, Director of Community Arts Development –

The Tennessee Arts Commission worked in partnership with DMA-events, Inc. (DMA), to install two murals that commemorate the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the history of women’s right to vote in the United States and Tennessee in Sweetwater and Lawrenceburg. South Arts awarded the Commission $25,000 in National Endowment for the Arts funding for the projects.

Sweetwater

The Sweetwater mural is entitled “This Girl Can” and was installed by Nashville artist Kim Radford in May 2021. The mural is located at 120 W. Morris St. in Sweetwater and spans the entire length of the two-story building. Students at Sweetwater’s Brown Intermediate School selected the final design from three options in a school-wide election.

A two-story brick building with seven tall windows and a white door on the ground floor, located on a wet street with overcast skies. The exterior shows signs of weathering and some cables run down the wall.

Before: 120 W. Morris St, Sweetwater, TN

A brick building on a street corner features a large mural of a womans face with flowing hair, yellow flowers, vibrant colors, and a ribbon with the text Fountain City across it. — After: 120 W. Morris St, Sweetwater, TN with mural “This Girl Can” by Kim Radford

Lawrenceburg

The Lawrenceburg mural entitled “Wave of Lace” was installed by Oak Ridge artist Megan Lingerfelt in April 2022. The mural is located at 119 E. Gaines St. in Lawrenceburg and spans a 50-foot-long wall. The artist was selected by Lawrence County Schools fifth-grade students from four options in a mock election.

A wide, empty gravel lot in front of a long, plain brick building with two boarded-up windows and visible weathering, under a clear blue sky. — Before: 119 E. Gaines St., Lawrenceburg, TN

A mural on a large wall shows a hand holding a white flower with colorful geometric shapes and blue abstract floral patterns in the background. Wooden pallets are stacked on gravel in front of the wall. — After: 119 E. Gaines St., Lawrenceburg, TN with mural “Wave of Lace” by Megan Lingerfelt

Sponsors

The Women’s Suffrage Mural Project is supported by South Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission.