Little Rock, Ark. (Press Release) – Governor Asa Hutchinson and
First Lady Susan Hutchinson welcomed over 200 guests to the Governor’s Mansion this afternoon to kick off the Yellow Rose Project that will commemorate 100 years of women’s suffrage.
After serving tea, cucumber sandwiches, and cookies, the couple invited
guests outside as they planted the first of a planned 75 yellow rose bushes one in every county in Arkansas.
“Susan and I are pleased to be the first to plant a yellow rose bush to get this statewide project started,” said Gov. Hutchinson. “The rose bush is a tribute to all who worked for a woman’s right to vote and a greater future for the generations of women who would follow.”
Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism,
and Kathleen Pate, chair of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemoration Committee (WSCCC,) as well as representatives of the Girl Scouts Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas participated in the ceremony.
Governor Hutchinson issued an executive order creating the WSCCC in 2017 to commemorate, preserve and honor the efforts of all Arkansans who worked for women’s suffrage and ensured the state’s timely ratification of the 19th Amendment.
Arkansas ratified the 19thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution 100 years ago on July 28, 1919. The WSCCC is being administered by the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
The Committee’s plan is to plant a commemorative yellow rose bush in each county in Arkansas over the next year. Girl Scouts across the state will be partnering with the committee to ensure that a rose bush is planted in every county.
The bushes will be planted at public sites, such as court houses, public libraries and city halls. Cox Family Nursery of Benton, Ark., donated the “Julia Child” yellow rose that was planted today.
About the Department of Arkansas HeritageThe mission of the Department of Arkansas Heritage is to identify Arkansas’s heritage and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors by the discovery, preservation and presentation of the state’s natural, cultural and historic resources. This is accomplished through the work of eight divisions: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas State Archives, Delta Cultural Center, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and Old State House Museum.
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