Women’s Equality Day, celebrated every August 26, commemorates the passage of women’s suffrage in the U.S. in 1920 and reminds us of the hurdles overcome by the heroic women who faced violence and discrimination to propel the women’s movement forward.
In the early 19th century, American women, who generally couldn’t inherit property and made half of a man’s wages in any available jobs, began organizing to demand political rights and representation. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote was first introduced in 1878, but it failed to gain traction. It wasn’t until women’s involvement in the World War I effort that women’s suffrage finally gained enough support. Women’s rights groups pointed out the hypocrisy of fighting for democracy in Europe while denying it to half of the American citizens at home.
Because a Constitutional amendment requires approval from two-thirds of the states, 36 of them had to ratify the 19th Amendment before its passage. The deciding vote in the Tennessee legislature came from Harry T. Burn, a young state representative whose mother’s plea to support the amendment became a deciding factor in his vote (which he switched at the last minute).
Women aren’t done fighting for equal rights. Today, the wage gap between men and women still impacts women’s economic power, and gender-based discrimination still plagues workplaces and business transactions. To remind us of the struggles of the past, present, and future, Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day in 1971.
Ways to Observe the Day:
- Thank the Women in your Life We all depend on hardworking women — moms, grandmas, partners, sisters, and friends. Take some time today to thank them for all the physical and emotional labor they do for others!
- Support Women-owned Companies Use your consumer power to support female entrepreneurs. You can find lists of women-owned businesses on the Small Business Administration’s website or by reaching out to your local chamber of commerce.
- Register to Vote Women and their allies fought for decades to win the right to vote. Do your part to honor their sacrifices by making sure you’re registered to vote in your community.