Suffrage

August 18, 1920 will forever be remembered in the history books as the day women were given the right to vote. Twenty-nine simple words that changed everything- "The right of the 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."

Ninety-three years is not all that long ago. When my grandmother was born in 1919, her mother did not have the right to vote. I'm so grateful for my foremothers that fought so long and so hard for this right. This right that allowed me to vote in my city's primary election five short days ago. Did I think of those foremothers as I cast my ballot? No. I should have, though. I'm remedying that now, by thinking and reading about them tonight.

I love this article about how the deciding vote came from a young Tennessee state representative who was against giving women the vote until he received a note from his mother that included these lines: "Hurrah, and vote for suffrage!" and “be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt (a suffragette) put the ‘rat’ in ratification.”

The website A Mighty Girl has this great list of books to teach children about the suffrage movement. For older teens and adults, I recommend the film Iron Jawed Angels.  If you're in the mood for a fun parody video paying homage to the suffragettes, here's one: