Update, Aug. 26, 2020 / Happy HERstory Day at Naper Settlement, a time to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Ticketed events run from 10AM – 4PM, Wed., Aug. 26, 2020. $5 Per Person. HERstory Day features all-day activities and ticketed programs focused on the women’s suffrage movement and the contributions women have made throughout history!
Original Post, Aug. 18, 2019 / Monday, August 26 is Women’s Equality Day. Did you know that?
If I’m being honest, I didn’t really know about this day of observance – perhaps because I wasn’t born in the U.S., or possibly because it doesn’t get a lot of press, or maybe I just haven’t been paying enough attention.
However, it is on my radar now.
August 26, 2019, is a very important date. It marks the 99th anniversary of women in the United States winning the right to vote. When Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, the amendment passed its final hurdle of obtaining the agreement of three-fourths of the states. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby then certified the ratification on August 26, 1920, changing the face of the American electorate forever.
The passage of the 19th Amendment was the culmination of a 72-year peaceful civil rights movement that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, NY. It seems only fitting that decades later in 1971 U.S. Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY) introduced a Congressional Resolution to ensure this historic event would be commemorated each year on August 26.
While this day of observation commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, it also raises awareness about the importance of ensuring gender equality across all areas of society.
There are many women in leadership roles within Naperville’s government, our schools, and our business community. At NCTV17, a female Executive Director has led us for 15 years. We have a female President of the Board, and the majority of our TV shows – including our weekly sportscast – are anchored or hosted by women.
These appointments were not about choosing a woman, but about choosing the most qualified candidate for the job. That’s equality.
So, on Monday, August 26, I will be reflecting on the women (and men) who led the movement to give women the right to vote. And every time I set foot inside a voting booth, I will thank those that paved the way for that right, and I hope you will join me!
