Utah State Historical Society History Conference "Rights and Responsibilities"

In 1920, with the passage of the nineteenth amendment, women throughout the United States won the right to vote. In recognition of that event, the 2020 conference will focus on the question of rights and responsibility in Utah history. Those who have sought legal, political, and social equality have often had to disentangle ideologies, legal doctrines, and established opinion. The push for women’s suffrage is a prime example of this process.

Other topics to be addressed may include women’s rights, Native voting rights, religious and secular liberty, disability rights, LGBTQ rights, questions of family law, desegregation, free speech, property rights, equal access to education, conscientious objection, and protection of labor. The conference promises to present other interpretations of rights and responsibility, as they pertain to Utah history, to encourage a broad understanding of the topic.

The conference is attended by scholars, students, policymakers, organizations, and members of the general public. We feature a range of formats, from the traditional panels and sessions to more innovative formats.

DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THE 68TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY. WE WILL MISS SEEING EVERYONE IN PERSON BUT THINK IT WISE TO PLAY IT CAUTIOUS DURING THIS CRISIS. WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US VIRTUALLY.