The Long Struggle for Women’s Voting Rights

By: Dennis and Merilyn Elliott

The longest struggle for civil rights in the United States was for women’s right to vote. This was historically documented when Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, Founding Father John Adams, to “not forget the women” during the time the Federalist Papers were being published in 1787. The Federalist Papers justified the United States independence from Britain, promoted the ratification of the newly written US Constitution and spelled out the rights of citizens.

However, those rights did not extend equally to women or people of color. The African American civil rights movement did not begin until 74 years later in 1861 with the Civil War. Out of that came the passing of the 15^th Amendment in 1870. The 15^th amendment promised that “…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 race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This same protection for women did not occur until August 18, 1920, some 50 years later.

Chairman Hannigan and Board of Supervisors Presenting Resolution

In recognition of the long struggle for women’s right to vote, at the Solano County Board Supervisors July 21^st meeting, the board unanimously passed resolution 2020-137 for the month of August, celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th amendment.

Before the 19^th amendment, married women could not own property, even if inherited, or keep their wages, and were generally expected to stay home raising children and staying out of politics.

That began to change when Elizabeth Cady Stanton, founding leader of the suffragette movement, hosted the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention in New York. This was the beginning of the first national organization for the women’s suffrage movement. Mrs. Stanton opened the convention stating its purpose was “…the protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed—to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love.”

After the convention, the membership felt it best to focus on voting rights and sought individual states approval. Wyoming was the first territory, and later a state, granting women the right to vote in state elections. Later, between 1910 and 1918, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, California and 15 more states extended statewide voting rights. During this time pressure was mounting on the US Congress to take action, and the eventual result was the 19^th amendment. The text of the amendment is “…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. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation…”

For more information about women’s rights of all types, the Solano County League of Women’s Voters is a good source. Their web site is www. my.lwv.org/California/solano-county. Their motto is “Democracy is not a spectator sport.” For historical background, visit www.history.com/topic/womens-history/19th-amendment. This web site also accesses the summarized version of the History Channel tv presentation on this subject.