This year, as America celebrates the centennial of women’s suffrage, which took this nation one step closer to true democracy, News reporter Julie Riddle recently took time to look at women leaders in Northeast Michigan, past and present.

Among those she profiled were Joann Gallagher, formerly of Alpena Furniture and Thunder Bay Manufacturing, former Alpena Township supervisor Marie Twite, Alpena Mayor Pro-Tempore Cindy Johnson, Alpena Township Treasurer Laura Ellery-Sommers, longtime Alpena Community College Trustee Florence Stibitz, former Alpena mayor Carol Shafto, and former Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce head Jackie Krawczak.

From Alpena’s history, Riddle found Wilma Johnson Henry, of the Women’s Civic League, Sarah Carter, “first doctor of Alpena,” Lizzie Nason, from the White Ribbon Society and active philanthropist, Harriet Comstock, of the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association, Anna Besser, first vice president of the Besser Co., Ella White, educator and editor at The Alpena Daily Echo, actress Rue McClanahan, and Olympian Angie Herron.

While highlighting women’s success in our area, Riddle also detailed the challenges women still face: Of the 113 sheriffs, judges, prosecuting attorneys, and drain commissioners elected since Alpena County was founded in 1857, two have been women. It was almost 40 years until a woman sat on the county Board of Commissioners, and then another 20 until a second woman was voted in, in 1995. Today, one woman sits on the eight-member county board. The Alpena Township Board of Trustees includes five men and two women. Only five women have been on the Alpena Municipal Council.

A democracy is only truly a democracy when all of its citizens are welcome to contribute. So, today, we celebrate 100 years of women’s enfranchisement and the contributions of the women Riddle profiled and the countless others who have made Northeast Michigan what it is today.