SALISBURY – To mark the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will host a women’s suffrage event on Wednesday, August 26, from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom.

The event, which is open to the public, will feature guest speaker Delores Johnson Hurt, president of the League of Women Voters Charlotte-Mecklenburg, as well as remarks by RCCC President Carol Spalding. A panel discussion will follow including Hurt, Spalding and Rowan-Cabarrus Student Government Association President Taylor Brigman.

Today, more than 68 million women vote in elections because of the efforts of courageous suffragists who never gave up their fight for equality. The suffragists began their quest in 1848 by demanding that women have the right to vote and continued to lobby for more than 70 years, until the U.S. government added the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920.

Hurt, a Charlotte resident, is the second African American president of the League of Women Voters Charlotte-Mecklenburg, a chapter of the national, nonpartisan civic and voter advocacy organization. Since her election as president in 2016, she has raised the group’s public profile and countered various barriers to voting, such as North Carolina’s voter ID law, gerrymandered districts, and voter apathy.

“We are thrilled to have Delores Hurt join us for this exciting event. Her passion and insight will enlighten us about the importance of informed voting and the issues that are especially critical for women voters today,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus.

During the panel discussion, Hurt, Spalding and Rowan-Cabarrus SGA President Taylor Brigman will talk about a variety of topics, including how voters can educate themselves about issues and candidates, the need to vote at the local, state and federal levels, and resources for students and other young voters.

For more information and details about how to participate in the event online, visit www.rccc.edu/womens-equality. For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please visit www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222).