Saturday's Women's March demonstrations across the country may have been the largest in U.S. history. According to data collected by researchers at the University of Denver and the University of Connecticut, at least 3.3 million people attended marches across the U.S., with more marches taking place around the world.
Now, museums and libraries are recognizing the historic significance of the Women's March, collecting signs from various demonstrations. According to social media reports, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, Temple University in Philadelphia, the Newberry Library in Chicago and the Indiana State Library are among the institutions collecting signs for their archives.
@boydwalker You can meet our political history team here: https://t.co/DT4MMFDnK7 They’ve been collecting since before the 2016 caucuses.
— amhistorymuseum (@amhistorymuseum) January 22, 2017
The signs displayed at the marches across the world have made headlines for their creativity and cleverness, and many of them were left behind at the National Mall and at state capitol buildings in other cities, including Austin, Texas. The Smithsonian Museum of American History had curators at the National Mall collecting the signs after the march.
The collections are extending beyond the U.S., too — the Bishopsgate Institute in London and the Royal Alberta Museum in Canada are also collecting signs.
If you are in London and have signs from yesterday's #WomensMarch the @BishopsgateInst are collecting placards https://t.co/9AKdUDnBcx
— History Workshop (@HistoryWO) January 22, 2017
Albertans who marched #WomensMarch: @RoyalAlberta is collecting signs and pins from the #womensmarchyeg, #womensmarchyyc
— Sarah Walshaw (@SarahCWalshaw) January 22, 2017
No word yet on if #WokeBaby's iconic sign will be collected for posterity.
Best. Women's March. Sign. Ever. #WokeBaby#WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/YAEs4H0wqe
— chu 🤦🏻♀️ (@piecesofchi) January 23, 2017
