Constitutional Amendment: The 19Th Amendment Explored

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920. The amendment guarantees women the right to vote, stating that the right to vote shall not be denied or abridged [...] on account of sex. The 19th Amendment was the culmination of a lengthy and difficult struggle for women's suffrage, with the first women's suffrage amendment being introduced in Congress in 1878.

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The 19th Amendment grants women the right to vote

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Suffrage Amendment, was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920. This amendment guarantees women the right to vote, stating that:

> "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

The road to achieving this milestone was long and challenging. The women's suffrage movement began in the mid-19th century, with supporters lecturing, writing, marching, lobbying, and practising civil disobedience to bring about what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.

Initially, the movement focused on gaining voting rights at the state level, with nine western states adopting women's suffrage legislation by 1912. Wyoming, for example, granted women the right to vote in all elections in 1869 and was accepted into the Union with no changes to its constitution in 1890. By the end of the 19th century, Wyoming was joined by Utah, Colorado, and Idaho in allowing women the right to vote.

However, it became clear that an amendment to the federal Constitution was necessary. In 1878, a proposal for the 19th Amendment was introduced in Congress but was rejected in 1887. It wasn't until 1919 that the amendment finally passed in Congress, thanks to the tireless work of suffragists and a shift in political attitudes during World War I.

The 19th Amendment's ratification was a significant moment in American history, ensuring that women's voices would be heard and represented in the political sphere. To commemorate this achievement, an annual celebration known as Women's Equality Day began on August 26, 1973.

The Amendment was ratified in 1920

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote, was ratified on August 18, 1920. This amendment was the culmination of a lengthy and difficult struggle by women's suffrage supporters, which began in the mid-19th century. The movement involved lectures, writing, marches, lobbying, and civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.

The first women's suffrage amendment was introduced in Congress in 1878 but was rejected in 1887. In the 1890s, suffrage organisations focused on a national amendment while still working at the state and local levels. By 1916, almost all major suffrage organisations were united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment. The amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and was then submitted to the states for ratification.

The road to achieving women's suffrage was not without its challenges. Opponents of women's suffrage heckled, jailed, and sometimes physically abused supporters of the movement. Despite this, women's suffrage organisations persisted, using legal arguments and calling for a new constitutional amendment that would guarantee women the right to vote. The National Woman's Party, for example, argued that if women were willing and able to serve the country in times of war, then they should have the same right to vote as their male counterparts.

The 19th Amendment was finally ratified in 1920, with 36 states ratifying it, and it went into effect on August 18 of that year. This amendment legally guarantees American women the right to vote and prohibits the United States and its states from denying the right to vote based on sex. The anniversary of its ratification is celebrated annually as Women's Equality Day.

The women's suffrage movement

The first women's suffrage amendment in the US was introduced in Congress in 1878 but was rejected in 1887. In the 1890s, suffrage organisations focused on a national amendment while still working at the state and local levels. The movement was made up of women and men with a wide range of views, and it was not limited to wealthy white women. For example, Frederick Douglass, a leader of the abolition movement, attended the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 and published an editorial in his newspaper, The North Star, in support of women's suffrage. By 1877, Douglass's family had also become involved in the movement, signing a petition to Congress for women's suffrage.

In Britain, the demand for women's suffrage was first advocated by Mary Wollstonecraft in her 1792 book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. The demand was later taken up by prominent liberal intellectuals in England from the 1850s onwards, notably John Stuart Mill and his wife, Harriet. The first women's suffrage committee was formed in Manchester in 1865, and in 1867, Mill presented to Parliament a petition with about 1,550 signatures demanding the vote for women. However, every major suffrage bill brought before Parliament was defeated, largely due to opposition from Queen Victoria. It was not until 1906, after the return to power of the Liberal Party, that women taxpayers were granted the right to vote in municipal elections.

In the US, the women's suffrage movement was split into two organisations with different strategies: the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), formed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in 1869, and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), founded by Lucy Stone, Julia Ward Howe, and Thomas Wentworth Higginson. The NWSA opposed the 15th Amendment, which granted Black men the right to vote, because it excluded women, while the AWSA supported it and focused on gaining access at a local level. In 1897, the various suffragist societies in Britain united to form the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, bringing greater coherence and organisation to the movement. A similar unification occurred in the US in 1916, when most major suffrage organisations united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment.

In the early 20th century, suffragists began staging large and dramatic parades to draw attention to their cause, including a march in Washington, DC, on March 3, 1913, with over 5,000 participants. During World War I, suffragists tried to pressure President Woodrow Wilson into supporting a federal woman suffrage amendment, but these tactics often met with hostility and violence. In frustration, Alice Paul broke with the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) to form the more militant National Woman's Party (NWP), which organised the first White House picket in US history on January 10, 1917.

The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, granting women the right to vote, was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920. This amendment was the culmination of a decades-long movement for women's suffrage at both the state and national levels and was part of a worldwide movement towards women's rights. The achievement of this milestone required a lengthy and difficult struggle, with victory taking decades of agitation and protest.

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The Amendment's impact on society

The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, prohibits the United States and its states from denying any citizen the right to vote based on sex. This amendment was the culmination of a prolonged and challenging women's suffrage movement, which began in the mid-19th century. The movement witnessed women and their supporters lecturing, writing, marching, lobbying, and even resorting to civil disobedience to bring about this significant change.

The impact of the 19th Amendment on society was profound and far-reaching. Firstly, it legally guaranteed American women the right to vote, marking a pivotal moment in the fight for gender equality. This amendment changed the demographic landscape of voters by adding millions of potential female voters to the electorate. It was the first step towards granting women equal citizenship status in the political and civil spheres of American life.

However, it is important to acknowledge that the amendment's impact was not immediately felt by all women. Despite the 19th Amendment, many African-American women and other minority women continued to face barriers to voting due to discriminatory state laws and racially discriminatory tactics of the Jim Crow era. It was not until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the subsequent extension in 1975, that most women of colour were able to fully exercise their right to vote.

The 19th Amendment also had a cultural impact, inspiring artistic works such as songs, films, and television programs that celebrate the achievement of women's suffrage. An annual celebration, known as Women's Equality Day, began on August 26, 1973, to commemorate the passage of the amendment. Additionally, the amendment has led to an increase in the number of women holding public office, with a visible legacy in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Overall, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was a significant milestone in the history of women's rights, empowering women with the right to vote and paving the way for their equal participation in the democratic process. While challenges remained for minority women, the amendment set a precedent for the ongoing struggle for equality and representation in American society.

The Amendment in popular culture

The 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, has been depicted and referenced in popular culture numerous times.

Film and Television

The 2004 drama film *Iron Jawed Angels* depicts suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, played by actors Hilary Swank and Frances O'Connor, respectively, as they help secure the Nineteenth Amendment.

The 19th Amendment has also inspired television programmes, such as the PBS documentary "One Woman, One Vote", narrated by actor Susan Sarandon, and the 2013 video by bestselling author John Green, entitled "Women in the 19th Century: Crash Course US History #31", which provides an overview of the women's movement leading to the Nineteenth Amendment.

Theatre

The play "Failure is Impossible" brings to life the momentous struggle for voting rights for women. It was first performed in 1995 as part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the 19th amendment at the National Archives.

Music

The 1976 song "Sufferin' Till Suffrage" from *Schoolhouse Rock*!, performed by Essra Mohawk and written by Bob Dorough and Tom Yohe, references the Nineteenth Amendment, with lyrics such as "Yes the Nineteenth Amendment / Struck down that restrictive rule".

Celebrations and Commemorations

An annual celebration of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, known as Women's Equality Day, began on 26 August 1973. There is usually heightened attention and news media coverage during momentous anniversaries, such as the 75th, 100th, and during election years. For the amendment's centennial in 2020, several organisations announced large events or exhibits.

Organisations

The 19th, a nonprofit, independent news organisation based in Austin, Texas, is named after the Nineteenth Amendment, reflecting the organisation's mission "to empower women—particularly those underserved by and underrepresented in American media—with the information, community and tools they need to be equal participants in our democracy."

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