Jean Cecil Hudak, Scottie Hughes and Ashley Holbrook (from left) make up the SC Suffs committee
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Three well-known business leaders in South Carolina are joining a national movement to fill a void on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.- a monument honoring women who led the suffrage movement for equal voting rights in America.
“More than 100 years ago, women like South Carolina’s Grimké sisters dedicated their lives to making sure other women and I could vote today,” said Ashley Holbrook of Novant Health. “The fact that women’s contributions are missing from our National Mall in our nation’s capital is a shame, and we have an opportunity to change that.”
In 1920, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited denying anyone the right to vote based on their sex.
In 2020, Congress authorized the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation to lead an effort to fund, design, develop, and construct the Women’s Suffrage National Monument on the National Mall. This is a significant investment. It will come to life through the generosity and vision of philanthropists across our nation.
“The freedom to vote is worth this price and more,” said Jean Cecil Hudak of NP Strategy. “We are making progress, but we need Americans across the country to join us in making this monument a reality.”
In December 2025, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation officially secured a permanent 2.5-acre site for the monument at 19th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. With unanimous federal approval, the monument will sit alongside the nation’s most iconic landmarks—marking the first time in American history that a monument dedicated to women's history will be built in the heart of the National Mall.
South Carolina now fuels this momentum forward. In Greenville, the “SC Suffs” committee (Ashley Holbrook/Charleston, Jean Cecil Hudak/Columbia, and Scottie Hughes/Greenville) held a series of events in advance of Women’s History Month, alongside the South Carolina run of the Tony Award-winning musical Suffs.
“This powerhouse trio is setting the example,” said Kimberly Wallner, Executive Vice President of the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation. “We hope other states will step up and follow their lead. Just like in the early 1900’s, it will take all of us uniting to bring national honor and recognition to the incredible efforts of the women’s suffrage movement.”
The Greenville visit highlighted the deep collaboration between the Foundation and the creators of Suffs. Shaina Taub, the show’s Tony Award-winning creator and an official ambassador for the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, continues to help bridge the gap between the powerful storytelling of the Broadway stage and the permanent commemoration of women’s history in Washington, D.C.
“The enthusiasm we've seen from women and men across the state proves that South Carolinians are more than ready to see American women’s history take its rightful place on the National Mall,” said Scottie Hughes of Crosland Barnes Group. “Our committee is energized by the challenge of raising the funds that will ensure that the legacy of the women who expanded our Democracy is finally honored in the heart of our nation’s capital.”
ABOUT THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation was authorized by Congress in Public Law 116-217 and Public Law 118-226 to lead the effort to fund, design, develop, and construct the Women’s Suffrage National Monument on the National Mall. The monument will transform the National Mall, foster a deeper understanding of the women who shaped American democracy, and inspire the continued pursuit of liberty and equality for all. For more information visit www.womensmonument.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
SUPPORT
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation relies on the generous financial support of our donors. Like most monuments and memorials, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument will be funded entirely through private donations, and your support is essential to telling the stories of generations of women who waged and won the battle for the ballot. Learn more about our movement, donate, and be a part of history.