Jillian Hartley: Being a Good Citizen and Upstander, Arkansas

Between December 2019 and January 2020 (just weeks before the pandemic), Smithsonian staff and their storytelling partners at the Peale, Baltimore, traveled to multiple states in the U.S. to ask residents of those states about voting experiences, the current state of American democracy, what issues brought them to the polls, how they made a difference in their communities, and what Americans' civic responsibilities were, among other complex questions.

Jillian Hartley (00:00): I think my responsibilities as a citizen is to stay abreast of the issues, and to try to stay informed, and to always take into account different viewpoints when it comes to issues. And so I think that that is my responsibility, in addition to voting and being active in the community.

(00:18): As far as what makes somebody a good citizen, I think that comes in many, many different forms. But I think really, it's having the drive to, one, do something for your community, and contribute to the best of your ability. And of course, I think voting is a major part of that.

(00:37): We are in a country where voting was limited initially, where most people were not a part of the process. And to be a true democracy, most people should want to be a part of the process. So, as somebody who really prizes citizenship, I really think it's important to have to follow the laws and to do your citizenship duties. I didn't say that very well, did I?

(01:04): But to do your duty as a citizen. And one time when I was a teenager, I was a teenager back when people would cruise and stuff like that. I was actually in a parking lot with other teenagers. And across the street, a man actually pulled up in a truck and got out and assaulted a woman who was walking down the street. And people watched him grab her, and hit her. And it was very, very traumatic.

(01:31): So we weren't really sure what to do. We were very young. And within a few days, the husband of this woman actually came to my house and he said, "I was wondering if you would sign a statement saying that you saw this happen." Which I clearly had, along with a lot of other people. And I said, well, yes, I'll do that because he should not have assaulted her that way.

(02:00): And he said, "Well, I'm really glad you said that. Because I've gone to everybody else who was on that parking lot, and not a single person is willing to do it."

(02:08): And I said, "Well, I will." Because that's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to look out for each other, and you're supposed to try to make sure that if somebody is hurt, that the law is able to do what it needs to do, to try to make the situation better for that person.

Asset ID: 2023.02.06.a-b
Themes: Voting, Citizenship, Voting Restrictions, Democracy, Responsibility, Education, Upstander, Crime, Law Enforcement
Date recorded: December 4, 2019
Length of recording: 0:02:28
Related traveling exhibition: Voices and Votes: Democracy in America
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Arkansas Humanities Council, Little Rock
More information or related assets: https://arkansashumanitiescouncil.org/voices-votes-democracy-in-america/