National Museum of American History | Young People Shake-up Elections | Episode 1: Taking a Stand @SmithsonianAmHistory | Uploaded March 2020 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
Despite immense obstacles Benjamin Brown Foster and Mabel Lee stood up for what they believed in.

Foster, as a teenager in 1848, advocated against slavery in antebellum Maine. In 1912 Lee, a Chinese immigrant, marched for woman suffrage at the age of 16. They are part of an enduring tradition of young people participating in and impacting elections.

This election year, ask yourself: What will you stand for?

The Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) video series from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History shares 10 stories of young people shaping and changing elections throughout American history. The series, along with additional stories and resources can be found at s.si.edu/youth-democracy.

Teachers, parents, educators! Check out our resources to use these videos in the classroom here: https://historyexplorer.si.edu/resource/young-people-shake-elections-history-proves-it-video-series

The Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) video series was made possible by the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation│Sue Van.