TOPEKA, Kan. — A new mural has been unveiled in the Kansas Statehouse, celebrating the tireless efforts of women who fought for voting rights long before the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, which officially granted those rights nationwide.

On Wednesday, coinciding with the anniversary of Kansas gaining statehood as the 34th state in the U.S. in 1861, Governor Laura Kelly and various state officials presented the mural titled “Rebel Women.” This impressive piece occupies an entire wall on the first floor of the Statehouse.

In addition to the traditional celebrations of Kansas Day that typically include performances of “Home on the Range,” this occasion featured the women’s voting rights anthem, the “Suffrage Song,” set to the familiar melody of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The mural’s creation was authorized by a law passed in 2022, and the winning artist, Phyllis Garibay-Coon from Manhattan, Kansas, created a vibrant portrayal depicting 13 notable suffragists from the state. Among the audience of several hundred attendees, some women embraced the spirit of the day by dressing in attire reminiscent of 19th-century suffrage campaigners who were active long before Kansas achieved statehood.

Kansas is recognized for entering the union as a free state opposed to slavery but also has a legacy of progressive actions regarding women’s suffrage. Women in the state earned the right to vote in school elections in 1861 and later in city elections starting in 1887, marking significant milestones. Notably, that same year, Susanna M. Salter became the first woman ever elected mayor in the United States when she was chosen to lead Argonia, Kansas. By 1912, voters in Kansas amended the state constitution to ensure full voting rights for women.