We are entering a period worth celebrating. Precisely 100 years ago, the Tennessee House of Representatives narrowly voted to ratify the 19th Amendment, becoming the 36th and decisive state to approve the measure.
Nine days later, August 26th, 1920, U. S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby issued a proclamation that officially declared the ratification of the 19th Amendment and made it part of the United States Constitution.
To celebrate this period, 100 Years of the Vote will be highlighting nine women who played an instrumental part in the Suffrage movement. Each day we will profile one woman (links below) so that you can learn more about how the right to vote came to be and just how much effort it took to achieve.
Suffragette Profiles
Mary McLeod Bethune
Born in South Carolina to parents who had been slaves, Mary McLeod (m. Bethune) was first interested in education, eventually founding a school for African
Jovita Idár
A teacher, writer, and a women’s activist, Jovita Idár was a remarkably powerful force for progress on both sides of the Mexican – US border.
Amelia Bloomer
Amelia Jenks Bloomer is probably best known for the clothing revolution she created for females in the mid 1800’s. The loose fitting pants she fashioned
Mabel Ping-Hua Lee
In May 1914, Lee wrote an essay titled, “The Meaning of Woman Suffrage,” which argued that equality for women was essential for democracy. Lee also
Mary Church Terrell
The daughter of former slaves, Terrell was born on September 23, 1863, inMemphis, Tennessee. Her father, Robert Reed Church, was a successfulbusinessman who became one
Alice Paul
Of the most famous suffragettes, Alice Paul, was among the most militant. After completing her master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she moved to
Lucy Stone
The Orator. The Morning Star. The “heart and soul” of the women’s rights movement. Lucy Stone’s contributions to the suffrage movement were immeasurable. She was
Carrie Chapman Catt
Few women were more important in the early 20th Century fight for suffrage than Carrie Chapman Catt. A skilled organizer, her “Winning Plan” laid a
Ida B. Wells
Born into slavery but freed after the Civil War. Ida B. Wells moved from Mississippi to Memphis, Tenn., where she became a co-owner and wrote
