August 18th, 1920.
More than 140 years after the Declaration of Independence established a United States in which “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” the extension of these very rights to women hung on fate’s precipice within the Tennessee legislature on one hot August day, for one final vote.
At stake, women’s rights, specifically suffrage—the right to vote in political elections. One year prior, both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate voted on and passed the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The amendment was then sent to all 48 states for ratification, with a sunset of one year to vote on the legislation. To be written into the Constitution, two-thirds of the states’ approval (36 total) was needed. By March of 1920, 35 had approved the amendment, but several southern states, including Maryland, had rejected it. Tennessee’s vote on August 18th was the amendment’s last hope for ratification into the U.S. Constitution. The state legislature was deadlocked in a 48-48 tie with the deciding vote resting on the shoulders of 23-year-old legislator Harry T. Burn.
He nervously stood before his peers to cast his vote. Minutes passed, which felt like a lifetime. “Aye,” Burn finally called out, and ratification of the 19th Amendment was written into history.
This history, of how women’s rights and suffrage, came to fruition, will be remembered this year, 2020—the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The word remember is important. Though many aspects of this achievement are to be celebrated, we remember the events before, during, and after “The Vote” because this history was not always celebratory, or beautiful, or exalting. It most certainly was not easy. It was an extreme struggle for basic rights. By extension, the fight for women’s rights was a fight for civil rights.
And this struggle continues today. Throughout the course of this year, What’s Up? Media will present a series of articles, events, and coverage dedicated to women’s rights and suffrage. We’ll help tell the stories of the women (and men) who contributed to this American history. Also, we’ll explore contemporary issues still affecting our society. And it is our hope that, together, we will learn how to improve ourselves and our communities for the benefit of generations to come.
We remember women’s history; we celebrate the Year of the Woman.
