100 years. That’s how long women in the US have had the right to vote. The 19th amendment — which amended the Constitution to say that citizens can’t be denied the right to vote based on their sex — was ratified on August 18, 1920 after being passed by Congress on June 4, 1919.
It was a long + difficult fight for women, and 100 years of voting rights is a reason to celebrate. 🍾 Before we pop the champagne, let’s take a look at what it took to get here. 👇
National suffrage
🗳 The women’s rights movement began to organize nationally in 1848.
🗳 In July of 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention was organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton + Lucretia Mott (names you’ve probably heard before), and more than 300 people — mostly women — attended.
🗳 Black suffragists, including Sojourner Truth + Ida B. Wells-Barnett, created their own groups, like the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.
🗳 The amendment allowing women the right to vote was first introduced to Congress in 1878. It took 42 years to be ratified.
🗳 15 states adopted complete women’s suffrage legislation prior to the 19th amendment. In the Volunteer State, women could vote for President before the 19th amendment.
🗳 On August 26, 1920 after many marches, protests, and debates, the 19th amendment was ratified, and on November 2, 1920, more than 8 million American women voted for the first time.
Local suffrage
🗳 The women’s suffrage movement in NC began in 1894 with the formation of the NC Equal Suffrage Association in Asheville.
🗳 By the spring of 1920, 35 states had ratified the suffrage amendment — and there was a special focus on NC, TN, and VT to step up as the 36th and final state needed to ratify the legislation into law. The NC Senate voted 25-23 to postpone a suffrage vote, making TN the 36th state to vote in favor of the 19th amendment. NC did not officially ratify the 19th Amendment until May 1971.
🗳 November 2, 1920: Lillian Exum Clement becomes the first woman elected to the NC House of Representatives.
🗳 A new virtual exhibit from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources displays archival documents and other objects related to the NC suffrage movement — including the original copy of the 19th Amendment sent to our state for ratification. She Changed the World: North Carolina Women Breaking Barriers is online now.
Bonus — a comprehensive timeline of the fight for women’s suffrage + a calendar of events for National Women’s Suffrage Month.
Quiz
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