The battle for the right to vote in this country began to gather strength in the 1840’s. The first National Women’s Right Convention took place in 1850. As it gained momentum so did the push back. Susan B. Anthony was the first female to vote in 1872, but was then arrested for the act and was convicted of the crime. It was widely publicized and was a boon for the journey to suffrage, giving the movement much needed power.
Later, the Supreme Court ruled against women voting in the case of Minor v. Happersett which then began decades of protest and campaigns across the country to enable women to vote.
Leading up to the passing of the Constitution’s 19th Amendment began the the National Woman’s Party started in 1916 by Alice Paul. The NWP was a group focused on getting the amendment passed no matter the obstacles to overcome. The women picketed in front of the White House in 1917, had a major hunger strike and some were even sent to prison. Different areas around the country granted rights to vote before the national right to vote was achieved for females.
The right to vote took years and put pressure upon the state legislatures and the US Congress. The women’s right to vote, without respect to color, became part of the US Constitution on August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment reads, “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.”
Mark Holtsberry, Paulding County Commissioner, stated, “The opinions for voting were so close that the vote in the House (of Representatives) passed by only one vote.” That vote took place in January of 1918, and was then forwarded to the Senate where President Woodrow Wilson supported the amendment to the Constitution. Wilson asked, “Shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and right?”, referring to the work females did during WWI. The senate vote fell short by two votes. In the years of 1918-1919 the House and Senate voted on the federal amendment five times. Each vote was close, but continued to be held back by Southern Democrats.
In May of 1919, President Wilson called a special session of Congress, after being pressured again by suffragist. On June 4, 1919 the Democrats finally abandoned their filibuster, passing the amendment 56-25, with 19 of the Democrats joining the 37 Republicans in passing the amendment. Only 40% of the Democrats voted for the amendment, while the Republicans had 24% vote against the measure.
The passing of the 19th Amendment in Congress still had the long road ahead to get the needed ratification in the state legislatures. The members of the various suffrage groups moved people in immediately to influence state legislatures. The first states to pass were Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan — passing within days of Congress passing the amendment. Soon after, Montana, Arkansas, and Nebraska had also ratified the bill. The main states of opposition was in the south. Southern Democrats rallied and Alabama and Georgia voted to defeat the Suffrage Amendment. Louisiana and Maryland refused to ratify the amendment. Carrie Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, worked with activists in the western states to pass the amendment and by December of 1919, 22 states had the amendment ratified, and by June of 1920 35 of the 36 legislatures had ratified the amendment. Only Tennessee was left that had not decided. Both the suffragists and the anti-suffragists convened at the statehouse in Nashville. The governor, Albert H. Roberts was in favor of ratification and the Senate passed 24-5 in favor of the right for women to vote. However, the vote in the house was not near so easily passed. Twice the vote failed at 48-48. The deciding vote came from Harry Burn, a 24-year old Republican cast his vote against because that’s what his constituents wanted. Burns changed his vote, believing it was a moral right, after his mother sent in a note that urged him to vote yes.
After Tennessee passed the amendment, the Secretary of State, Bainbridge Colby, signed on August 26, 1920, the proclamation of the Women’s Suffrage Amendment to the US Constitution, guaranteeing all women the right to vote.
The Paulding County Commissioners recognized that on June 16, 1919 Ohio ratified the 19th Amendment. August 26, 2020 is marked as a nationwide centennial of the 19th amendment. The Commissioners proclaim 2020 as the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the County of Paulding, OH.
