On this day, we celebrate the 101st anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States. Last year, we as a nation celebrated the centennial of this historic day, and to honor the occasion, the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library hosted a symposium. Titled “Votes for Texas Women,” The event focused on the history of women’s voting rights in the U.S. and the importance of inclusion in government and the law. A recording of the event is available for viewing on the Law Library’s website. Until September 22, 2021, licensed Texas attorneys can earn one hour of CLE credit for viewing the video, available here.
Read moreLucy Burns: Fanning the Suffrage Flames
March is Irish-American Heritage Month as well as Women’s History Month. As discussed in our Ex Libris Juris blog post on 3/8/2021, the Women’s History Month theme for 2021 is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced.” In recognition of all these things, today’s post features famous Irish-American suffragist Lucy Burns.
Read moreVotes for Texas Women Celebrates Today's 19th Amendment Centennial Anniversary
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.
— United States Constitution, Amendment XIX, Ratified August 18, 1920
On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, thereby adding it to the Constitution of the United States. Finally, after decades of campaigning for the right to vote, protesting and petitioning their representatives, and facing opposition and, even, imprisonment, suffragists achieved their goal of a national constitutional amendment.
Today, to commemorate the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the Harris County Law Library is hosting virtual symposium featuring three accomplished women from our local legal community, Marie Jamison, Partner at Wright Close & Barger, Professor Renee Knake Jefferson, and Justice Frances Bourliot. They will discuss the history of voting rights for women and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
For details on the symposium, please visit Votes for Texas Women online.
A list of Further Reading, available here and at the link below, will connect you to resources that trace the fight for women’s suffrage from its origins at the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 to the full ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Law Day 2020: “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100”
This year’s Law Day celebration commemorates the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed that the right to vote could not be denied or abridged on the basis of sex. The success in gaining the right to vote was a culmination of a women’s rights movement that began nearly a century before, predating the United States Civil War. The road to equality was a rough one, interrupted and tempered by a period of turmoil in United States history. The period between the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement to its ultimate success with the adoption of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920, saw the country torn apart by civil war, bear the assassination of a president, endure the pains of the Reconstruction era, fight in a world war, and suffer through a global influenza epidemic.
Today in 2020, we are facing another global pandemic that has forced the world to alter the way its citizens live, work, and play. There are lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, social distancing rules, and mandatory mask-wearing requirements. Among all of this upheaval we are reminded that this is a presidential election year. This is not the first time that our country had to make difficult choices in balancing the public’s health and safety with the public’s right to vote. The 1918 influenza pandemic began in the spring of 1918, but there was a resurgence of cases once fall arrived. In October 1918 alone, 195,000 Americans died. What did all of this mean for the women who were clamoring for the right to vote and Americans who were looking to show their patriotism by casting a ballot in the November 1918 midterm elections? History showed that the word still got out. Quarantines, business shutdowns, and bans on public gatherings did not deter the suffragists in their crusade for equal voting rights and the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. Although the 1918 pandemic had the potential to derail their efforts, the women changed course, and instead of train tours and public speaking rallies, they turned to leafletting and newspaper advertising to draw attention to their cause. Relying upon wartime sentiment, they stressed patriotism and emphasized presidential support and urged eligible male voters to cast their votes in favor of the referendums pending in four states. Despite a much lower voter turnout due to the pandemic, suffrage referendums passed in three of the four states.
How then did the United States manage to hold an election during a time when an epidemic was ravaging the nation and killing thousands? It wasn’t easy. Most reports indicated that the flu peaked just before the November 5 election. Thus, to carry out these mid-term elections, certain precautions had to be taken on Election Day to ensure that the health and safety of the voters would not be compromised. Measures, such as social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing, were put in place. However, even with these planned precautions, some polls could not open because there were too many infected people suffering with the flu. The conditions on Election Day were also dependent upon one’s location in the country. By that time, many cities on the East Coast were easing their restrictions as the flu’s peak was passing. The pandemic’s toll shows up in the number of people voting. Approximately, 40% percent of the voting population turned out for the election. Although the lower voter turnout did not affect the legitimacy of the election itself, would it have been better to postpone the election until more voters could safely cast their ballot?
Here, in 2020, states are grappling with how to handle the upcoming elections in light of the coronavirus. Of course, the general election is still months away. However, states need to consider how to manage a presidential election at a time when the nation could be facing a resurgence of the coronavirus. The National Conference of State Legislatures has compiled a list of legislative actions and executive actions that have ben issued in response to the pandemic threat. Some states have submitted bills to postpone the primary elections and to allow absentee and mail voting for more than just limited members of the population for the general election. No one can say for certain what the conditions will be like on Election Day in November, but it’s important for states to be prepared. The suffragists worked hard to win the right to vote for women. Now, it’s up to our governments to determine how its citizens can exercise that right to vote in a manner that ensures not only the safety of the voters and poll workers but also maintains the integrity of the election itself. In that way, it can truly be our vote, our voice, our democracy.
Further Reading
A Pandemic Nearly Derailed the Women’s Suffrage Movement
Voting During a Pandemic? Here’s What Happened in 1918
The Lessons of the Elections of 1918
How the US Pulled Off Midterm Elections Amid the 1918 Flu Pandemic
Happy Women's Equality Day!
Today, August 26, is Women's Equality Day. The date commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees women the right to vote. It states 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."
Women’s Equality Day was established at the behest of Congressional Representative, Bella Abzug (D-NY), to observe women’s suffrage and to recognize the contributions of women throughout history. This day of recognition also celebrates women’s accomplishments in public and private spheres.
For resources on Women's Equality Day, visit the National Women's History Museum online.