HIAWASSEE, Ga. – The Old Unicoi Trail Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), is celebrating women’s right to vote – the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which took place August 18, 1920. The Amendment reads, “The rights 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 Amendment of two sentences and 39 words represent generations of dedicated work.

“Americans rightfully consider the right to vote fundamental to one’s citizenship,” Unicoi Trail Chapter Regent Annette Hopgood said. “American women, however, were long denied that right. Over the next months, individuals will ask for your vote so they can represent you in your local, state and national governments. Additionally, you may be asked to cast a vote to express your opinion on an issue. Women – don’t take your right to vote for granted.”

The 1787 U.S. Constitution left states the power to determine eligibility for voting. Eighty years later, in 1866, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony first proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to secure women’s right to cast ballots. Several similar efforts also failed before 1920. Prior to ratification of the 19th Amendment many states did allow women to vote. In 1870, Wyoming became the first state to give women the right to vote. Additional states were Colorado, Utah, and Idaho.

Image Credit: villages-news.com

In 1868, the ratification of the 14th Amendment caused women to believe they had obtained the vote. In part, it read, “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States”. Women argued that the “privileges” of the Amendment guaranteed citizens including women the privilege of voting. The court, however, ruled that the right to vote continued to be a state matter and that U.S. citizenship did not guarantee the right to vote.

Two years later in 1870, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. The Amendment prohibited states from barring voters based on “race, color or previous condition of servitude”. With no mention of sex, states continued to deny women the vote. The debate continued another fifty years. On June 4, 1919, in the middle of World War I, the “Woman’s Suffrage Amendment” known as the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment” was passed by the 66th Congress by a vote of 56 to 25 and sent to states for ratification. Only one U.S. Senator from the South, Georgia’s William J. Harris of Cedartown, Polk County, supported its passage.

The issue was controversial and similar attempts had failed in Congress. Previous votes even caused shifts in U.S. House and Senate majorities in Congress. A few states ratified the 19th Amendment within a week of passage. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th required state to ratify. The vote was 49 to 48. A tie was broken by a
bachelor legislator, Harry Burn, encouraged by his mother to vote for the women. The Tennessee vote was certified on August 26 and the Amendment became effective securing millions of women the right to vote. Few early supporters from 1866 forward lived to see the final victory in 1920.

Following Tennessee’s vote, twelve states remained to ratify the 19th Amendment. On June 4, 1920, Georgia had become the first of eight states to reject ratification. Georgia belatedly ratified the Amendment on February 20, 1970. Only three states, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi, were later (excluding states that were nonexistent and territories). It took more than 60 years for the remaining twelve of 48 states to ratify the Amendment.

While women across the county were able to cast ballots in the 1920 presidential election, Georgia women were not able to vote until 1922, when the legislature rescinded a requirement that one must be registered in Georgia six months before an election in order to vote. Most other states waived rules, allowing women to vote in the November 1920 National election.

Information in this article is attributed to the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, the National Archives, the American Bar Association, and authors of articles in The New Georgia Encyclopedia.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution promotes historic preservation, education, and patriotism. For information on DAR membership or to attend meetings of Old Unicoi Trail Chapter. email [email protected].