In 2020, the Ladies’ Library Association unveiled a meaningful addition to our historic home: a commemorative stained-glass window celebrating the legacy of women’s suffrage.
Installed on May 30, 2020, the window faces east on the second floor of the 2013 addition to our building, symbolizing the dawn of a new era in women’s rights.
In 2018, the LLA issued a call for artists to mark the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and to honor the pioneering women who founded our organization. Ten artists submitted proposals, each offering a unique and powerful vision of this historic milestone.
LLA members selected Sniedze Janson Rungis’ design, Through Hardship to the Stars, as the winning concept. In the artist’s words:
“Our suffragist, robed in purple, is embodied by Aurora, the Roman Goddess of the Dawn. She strides forward, bearing a bouquet of yellow roses – the symbol of the suffragists – from the east, signifying the dawning of a new era.”
Master stained-glass artist James Rife was commissioned to bring the design to life. The window was completed and installed in May 2020, transforming concept into a stunning work of art.
This tribute was made possible through generous donations, many given in honor or memory of past and present LLA members. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Vanita Aloisio, whose inaugural gift inspired the commissioning of this symbolic work.