On August 18, 1920, the Tennessee state legislature voted to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees and protects women’s right to vote. As the 36th state to approve the amendment, Tennessee completed the three-quarters majority needed to make it the law of the land. One hundred years later, this country holds elections with significantly fewer legal restrictions on who is allowed to vote. In attempting to count every person currently living in the United States, including individuals experiencing homelessness, the 2020 U.S. census collected data that will determine the allocation of resources and funding, the boundaries of legislative and congressional districts, and the number of seats representing each state in the U.S. House of Representatives.
We Count: First-Time Voters honored the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment and the importance of civic engagement by highlighting the history of voting in the United States and the first voting experiences of a diverse group of Nashvillians. Five local artists created visual representations of these voting experiences in a variety of mediums.
All artworks appear courtesy of the artists, who retain the copyright to their work. All artwork photography: John Schweikert. Artist headshots: Aisha S. Kaikai (@ishpicturesque)
Click each artist’s name to visit their section of the exhibition.
We have more for you to see and enjoy!
We encourage you to make sure your voice is heard. To view guidelines and requirements for online voter registration in Tennessee, click this ballot box.
Organized by the Frist Art Museum
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Presenting Sponsor
Supported in part by
Supported in part by
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Supported in part by
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Exhibition gallery

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jerry Bedor Phillips. they gathered on the streets after the results • we all stood up and said where we came from • our conversation began with tea • she marched in protest then stood in hope • so there I was, in between two countries, on a ferry, from We Count: Four Voices, 2019. Colored pencil on paper, each sheet 15 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Jerry Bedor Phillips. Photo: John Schweikert

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jerry Bedor Phillips. as she spoke, different strands of her story became a strong braided band in my mind • they sang of light • existing in a bubble • confronting the fifty-eight • they walked arm-in-arm to hear him speak, their hopes weaving together with each step, from We Count: Four Voices, 2019. Colored pencil on paper, each sheet 15 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Jerry Bedor Phillips. Photo: John Schweikert

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jerry Bedor Phillips. thank goodness it was just a wheel • chance encounter on the greenway • make eye contact before crossing • discovering the forgotten/reclaiming the found • watching neighborhoods change, from We Count: Four Voices, 2019. Colored pencil on paper, each sheet 15 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Jerry Bedor Phillips. Photo: John Schweikert