# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nevertheless, They Persisted: Women's Voting Rights and the 19th Amendment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This original exhibit connects Oregon history to the national history of woman suffrage and commemorates the bravery of the women (and men) who demanded the vote and used their rights to shape our nation and our world.

# data[].attributes.body
Library of Congress & Smithsonian: Find articles & videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Women actively participated in shaping the nascent film industry of the early twentieth century, both as screen stars and behind the camera. But why is this history missing from our understanding of early Hollywood? A comprehensive catalog from the American Film Institute and their "Women They Talk About" project offers an opportunity to discover these forgotten stories and the powerful women who shaped the industry.
(National Endowment for the Humanities)

Image credit: Image credit: Promotional poster for silent film directed by Lois Weber. Image by Burton Rice for Bluebird Photoplays (Life time: pre-1925 publication of advertisement by defunct film company; expired copyright) - Original publication: The Moving Picture World (New York, N.Y.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Women actively participated in shaping the nascent film industry of the early twentieth century, both as screen stars and behind the camera. But why is this history missing from our understanding of early Hollywood? A comprehensive catalog from the American Film Institute and their "Women They Talk About" project offers an opportunity to discover these forgotten stories and the powerful women who shaped the industry.

# data[].attributes.headline
21 Facts about women and Women's History 

# data[].attributes.subject
21 Facts about women and Women's History 

# data[].attributes.body
From Biography.com

# data[].attributes.body
History Channel: videos, stories, and people

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Women's History Month is a celebration of women's contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. Women's History Month 2022 will take place from Tuesday, March 1-Thursday, March 31, 2022.
WATCH: Women's History Documentaries on HISTORY Vault
Why Do We Celebrate Women's History Month?

Women's History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women's history milestones stretches back to the founding of the United States.

The actual celebration of Women's History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women's contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a "Real Woman" essay contest and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.

A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women's History Week. The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women's History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.
READ MORE: Women's History Milestones
International Women's Day

International Women's Day, a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women, took place for the first time on March 8, 1911. Many countries around the world celebrate the holiday with demonstrations, educational initiatives and customs such as presenting women with gifts and flowers.

The United Nations has sponsored International Women's Day since 1975. When adopting its resolution on the observance of International Women's Day, the United Nations General Assembly cited the following reasons: "To recognize the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms require the active participation, equality and development of women; and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security."
READ MORE: The Surprising History of International Women's Day
Women's History Month Theme 2022

The National Women's History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women's History Month. The 2022 theme is "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope." This theme is "both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history."

Photo Galleries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Women's History Month is a celebration of women's contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. Women's History Month 2022 will take place from Tuesday, March 1-Thursday, March 31, 2022.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Discover the Women of the Hall - National Women's Hall of Fame

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These are the Inductees of the National Women's Hall of Fame. Select any of the women to discover their stories and learn how they have influenced other women and this country.

# data[].attributes.body
Biographies and articles on Women's History past and contemporary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why Women's History?

Women's contributions and accomplishments have largely been overlooked and consequently omitted from mainstream culture. The National Women's History Museum helps fill that void. To this end, the Museum serves to place women's history within current historical narratives because inclusive history is good history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Women's contributions and accomplishments have largely been overlooked and consequently omitted from mainstream culture. The National Women's History Museum helps fill that void. To this end, the Museum serves to place women's history within current historical narratives because inclusive history is good history.

# data[].attributes.body
From FactMonster

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Women's History Month is observed every March in the United States. Learn about the history of Women's History Month, read biographies of famous women, try our quizzes and crosswords, find stats and facts about women, and more.

History and Timelines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
History and Timelines About Women?Women's History Month

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Women's History Month is observed every March in the United States. Learn about the history of Women's History Month, read biographies of famous women, try our quizzes and crosswords, find stats and facts about women, and more.

# data[].attributes.body
From Biography.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who Is Greta Thunberg?

Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate youth activist who sparked an international movement to fight climate change beginning in 2018. With the simple message "School strike for climate" handwritten on poster board, Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays and protesting outside the Swedish Parliament. Thanks to social media, her actions have spread and influenced millions of young people all over the world to organize and protest.

Launching "Fridays For Future," Thunberg and other concerned youths throughout Europe have continued to pressure leaders and lawmakers to act on climate change through their regular walkouts. Thunberg has also traveled the world, meeting with global leaders and speaking at assemblies to demand climate solutions and a recommitment to the Paris Agreement. Recently diagnosed with Asperger's, the activist has publicly shared her views on her disorder, referring to it as her "superpower."

Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in March 2019, and a few months later she became the youngest individual ever to be honored as Time's Person of the Year.

Early Life

Thunberg was born on January 3, 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden. Thunberg began her climate activism at age 15. Thunberg was born and raised in an artistic family. Her mother, Malena Ernman, is an opera singer, and her father, Svante Thunberg, is an actor. She has a younger sister, Beata, who is a popular singer in Sweden. Like her sister, Beata has been open about her own challenges dealing with disorders like ADHD and OCD.

Climate Activism

Thunberg was only eight when she first learned about the climate crisis. Since then, she has made efforts to lower her carbon footprint by not flying and becoming vegan and has influenced her family to do the same.

As the face of the climate youth movement, Thunberg has been invited to speak at numerous rallies including ones in Stockholm, London and Brussels. In December 2018, her speech at the United Nations COP24 in Katowice, Poland, went viral.

"You are not mature enough to tell it like is," she said at the summit, addressing the Secretary-General. "Even that burden you leave to us children. But I don't care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the living planet."

Cross-Atlantic Trip to the United States

Invited to speak at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City, which took place in September 2019, Thunberg traveled across the Atlantic on a zero-emissions yacht, accompanied by her father and a supporting crew. Taking a little over two weeks, the yacht arrived in New York City on August 28th, and from there, Thunberg visited with President Barack Obama and later spoke before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Select Committee in Washington D.C. on September 18th.

Known for her blunt speaking style, Thunberg barely spoke before the committees and instead pushed forward the latest UN report. "I don't want you to listen to me," she said. "I want you to listen to the scientists."

Historical Climate-Change Protest in NYC

Two days later on September 20th, Thunberg walked with millions of protesters in New York City to demand climate action at the New York City Global Climate Strike. The demonstration became the largest climate protest in history with a total of 4 million people marching all over the world. The next day, she spoke at the UN Youth Climate Summit.

United Nations Climate Action Summit, 'How Dare You' Speech

Although the world's eyes were already on the teen activist, her speech on September 21, 2019, at the United Nations Climate Action Summit brought headline news. Speaking before leaders, lawmakers and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Thunberg lambasted them with one of her most indignant speeches.

"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing," she said. "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"

Photo: LIONEL BONAVENTUREAFP via Getty Images

She added: "For more than 30 years, the science has been crystal clear. How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you're doing enough, when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight... You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you."

Days later, Thunberg joined 15 other young climate activists to file an official complaint that five countries - Argentina, France, Germany, Brazil and Turkey - have not honored their Paris Agreement pledges and have therefore violated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty.

President Trump's Response

Thunberg's "How Dare You" speech attracted so much attention that President Donald Trump, a vehement climate change denier, felt compelled to offer a mocking tweet: "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!" he wrote.

In response, Thunberg changed her Twitter bio temporarily, using Trump's language against him. Her profile read: "A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."

COP25

In December 2019, Thunberg was among the speakers at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain. She also attended another major climate demonstration in the city, telling her fellow protesters, "The hope is not within the walls of COP25; the hope is out here with you."

Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

In March 2019, Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her climate activism. However, she lost the award to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

'Time' Person of the Year

On December 11, 2019, Thunberg was named Time magazine's Person of the Year; a month shy of her 17th birthday, she became the youngest individual to earn the honor.

"Thunberg has become the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet," wrote the Time editor-in-chief. "This was the year the climate crisis went from behind the curtain to center stage, from ambient political noise to squarely on the world's agenda, and no one did more to make that happen than Thunberg.

Future Plans

Taking a year off of school to campaign for climate action, Thunberg plans to travel to Mexico, Canada and South America to meet with environmental activists and see firsthand the regions most affected by climate change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate youth activist who sparked an international movement to fight climate change beginning in 2018. With the simple message "School strike for climate" handwritten on poster board, Thunberg began skipping school on Fridays and protesting outside the Swedish Parliament.

# data[].attributes.headline
National Women's History Museum Digital Exhibits

# data[].attributes.subject
National Women's History Museum Digital Exhibits

# data[].attributes.body
Photos and text showcasing trailblazers in women's history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore our collection of virtual exhibits and learn about trailblazing women, past and present.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Event Description

Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations. Although women's history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors - social, religious, economic, and biological - have worked to create a unique sphere of women's history. This year's theme is "Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics".

The stories of women's achievements are integral to the fabric our history. Learning about women's tenacity, courage, and creativity throughout the centuries is a tremendous source of strength. Until relatively recently, this sphere of women's history was overlooked and undervalued. Women's achievements were often distorted, disdained, and denied. But, knowing women's stories provides essential role models for everyone. And role models are genuinely needed to face the extraordinary changes and unrelenting challenges of the 21st century.

Classroom Activity

Explore the accomplishments of women in U.S. history with your class by creating a scrapbook that highlights the accomplishments of famous American women.

First, decide how to organize the scrapbook. Group entries thematically, such as Women in Sports, Women in Politics, or Women in Science. Pages can be arranged chronologically, by date, year, or decade. Students may also choose a unique approach, such as Women's History A-Z, with an entry for each letter of the alphabet. Use the Alphabet Organizer to get started.

Have students work individually, or in groups, to complete each page. Each entry should include biographical data, a photograph or other representation, and a summary of the famous woman's contribution to history. The Bio-Cube can be used to organize the information.

Your completed scrapbook can be displayed in the school library during Women's History Month and can serve as a reference tool in your classroom. You may also want to expand this activity to include women's contributions to world history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
March is National Women's History Month.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Event Description Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations. Although women's history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors - social, religious, economic, and biological - have worked to create a unique sphere of women's history. This year's theme is "Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics".

# data[].attributes.body
6 lessons for Upper Elementary and Middle School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Image: From left to right, the women featured above are Malala Yousafzai, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Rosa Parks.
Every March, we celebrate Women's History Month. The year 2020 was a particularly special milestone, as we marked a century of women's suffrage. The passage of the 19th Amendment in August 1920 secured American women's right to vote for the first time in history. It was a hard-fought victory spanning decades in which suffragists made speeches, marched, picketed, and went on hunger strikes. For some, the effort landed them in jail.

Yet passage of the 19th Amendment was just one step in making change for American women. At the time, discriminatory laws kept many Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian women from voting. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that the vote was protected for all citizens of the United States.

Women's History Month is a great time to honor the accomplishments of suffragists, activists and all those who work to make the world a better, more equal place for women-from Malala Yousafzai to Harriet Tubman, from Susan B. Anthony to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to Rosa Parks. Let students who are turning 18 know that by exercising their right to vote, they will be carrying on the work of these women. With the right to vote comes the opportunity to inspire change, for women, for our local communities, and humanity as a whole.

Women's History Month Lesson Plans and Activities: Elementary and Middle School

Use these Women's History Month activities for students to celebrate women's history and give them a peek at the climate for women in the early 1900s as they fought for their right to vote. Additionally, you can share this podcast conversation with your class, where Girl Scouts CEO Sylvia Acevedo discusses how the organization prioritizes teaching civic responsibility and ways young girls can make change happen in their local governments.

1. Power of Persuasion (Rhetorical Analysis)

Have students read a speech advocating for women's suffrage. They might read Sojourner Truth's " Ain't I a Woman?" or Susan B. Anthony's " Women's Rights to the Suffrage." Have them answer the following questions about the speech:

Who is the audience? How do you know?

What assumptions does the writer make about her audience?

What strategies does she use to persuade? Do you think those strategies would be effective for her particular audience? Why or why not?

Then, challenge students to write a one-minute speech tackling an issue facing women today, such as equal pay, paid maternity leave, the lack of women in positions of power, or gender bias in the workplace. Tell students to take a position on the issue and back it up with evidence, including the opinion of experts or data from studies. Remind students to consider their audience and which persuasive strategies might be most effective: hard facts, emotional appeal, or a combination of both. Allow time for students to make their speeches to the class.

2. Get the Message? (Editorial Cartoon Analysis)

Tell students that an editorial cartoon is an illustration depicting a political or social message that typically relates to current events. Invite students to examine the scene depicted in the 1909 editorial cartoon "Election Day!" available on the Library of Congress website. Ask questions including:

What is happening in the scene?

What issue does the cartoon address?

What do you think is the cartoon's message? How can you tell?

Who might disagree with the message and why?

Have students create speech bubbles for the man and woman in the cartoon to represent what each might say in this situation. Allow time for students to share their writing with the class. Then, challenge students to create an editorial cartoon expressing support for women's right to vote. This includes first having them brainstorm a list of reasons why women should be guaranteed the right to vote. Students can read some of the arguments women of the time made here. Challenge students to convey those reasons in the cartoon.

3. Lights, Camera, Action! (Research and Art)

Challenge students to produce a short "film" spotlighting an influential woman. Choose a theme for a film series, such as "Voting Rights Heroes" (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Alice Paul, Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin, or Adelina Otero-Warren); "Female Firsts" (Shirley Chisholm, first African American congresswoman; Sandra Day O'Connor, first woman to serve on the Supreme Court; Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman physician in U.S.; Ellen Ochoa, first Hispanic woman to travel into space; or Junko Tabei, first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest); or "Women in STEM" (Marie Curie, Katherine Johnson, Edith Clarke, Mareena Robinson Snowden, Mary G. Ross, or Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski).

Once you've settled on a theme and students have chosen a woman to spotlight either individually or in small groups, they can begin researching and writing a short script describing their subject's background and accomplishments. Then have students fill in the frames of this "filmstrip" organizer with drawings depicting the highlights of the woman's life and work. If you wish, you can have students bring the script and drawings to life by creating a short film. The film might involve actors or use photos and voiceover to tell the story. It should be limited to five minutes and include any historical information that would help their audience understand the woman's contribution.

For background information, students might read Women's Suffrage Movement by Jill Keppeler. You can download a lesson plan based on the book here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Women's History Month Activities for Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Image: From left to right, the women featured above are Malala Yousafzai, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Rosa Parks. Every March, we celebrate Women's History Month. The year 2020 was a particularly special milestone, as we marked a century of women's suffrage.

# data[].attributes.body
Biography.com: These women shaped history and society.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The month of March celebrates the contributions women have made throughout history in science, politics, law, sports, the arts, entertainment and many other fields. Explore biographies, videos and articles that celebrate all of these women's historic achievements.

# data[].attributes.body
Mini biographies of famous women
Women Leaders and other firsts. Lots of cool facts,

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A celebration of women's many accomplishments

March is the month when we take the time to look back and honor the many achievements of women through history and the vast strides made by women today. Learn more about some of the world's greatest women, the struggle forwomen's rights, and a bit about the history of women's history.

Modern Women's Issues and Activities

To learn more about various issues that affect women today, teachkids the importance of women's history, or just quiz yourself and prove your knowledge, try our facts and activities page.

The National Women's Hall of Fame

The National Women's Hall of Fame is the only national membership organization that honors and celebrates the achievements of American women. Founded in 1969 in Seneca Falls, New York, where in 1848 the first Women's Rights Convention was held, the Hall inducts distinguished women and offers programs and exhibits in Seneca Falls, the Finger Lakes area, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

Women are chosen for inclusion in the Hall of Fame on the basis of:

The value of their contribution to society, to significant groups within society, or to the progress and freedom of women.

Their contributions to art, athletics, business, government, philanthropy, humanities, science, and education.

The enduring value of their achievements.

For further information, contact The National Women's Hall of Fame, 76 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, N.Y. 13148. Phone: (315) 568-8060.

Women's Hall of Fame Honorees

To read more about the remarkable women singled out for recognition by the Hall of Fame, be sure to check our Biographies of Notable Women. Theseinclude:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
March is the month when we take the time to look back and honor the many achievements of women through history and the vast strides made by women today. Learn more about some of the world's greatest women, the struggle forwomen's rights, and a bit about the history of women's history.

# data[].attributes.body
DK: Mini facts about women in US history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

# data[].attributes.body
Women who led the right to vote

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On a warm August evening, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. It was the culmination of a 144-year odyssey from the Declaration of Independence and clarified once and for all, the meaning of "all men are created equal." As was the case throughout this journey, the final vote did not come easy.

It all came down to one man, 24-year-old state legislator Harry Burn. On the morning of August 18, 1920, Mr. Burn, who had been against ratification, received a letter from his mother which stated, "Dear son... Vote for suffrage and don't keep them in doubt... Don't forget to be a good boy..."

As the roll call neared his name, he clutched the letter from his mother in his hand.

"Mr. Burns..." the assembly clerk called his name.

"Yea."

And then, it was done. The painful struggle was over. American women had the right to vote and with it, full citizenship. The arduous work of thousands of women-and men-had finally been rewarded. However, to truly appreciate this achievement, one has to understand how far American attitudes towards women had evolved from the previous century.

Women were restricted in society

By the early 19th century, American society had fully embraced the "Cult of True Womanhood," an ideology that claimed women were best suited in the home, serving as the family's moral guide. This protected-class status was intended to shield women from being sullied by the nefarious influences of work, politics and making war. In reality, the custom paved the way for laws banning women from attending colleges, entering professional work, voting, serving on juries and testifying in court. Many states outlawed women from owning property or entering into contracts. From an early age, women were placed on the path of marriage and motherhood. For single women, options were limited to teaching or nursing, with the social label of being an "old maid."

However, during this time the United States was also going through a tremendous transformation. Industry was surpassing agriculture in productivity and profitability. Slavery's days were numbered, though its demise would only happen through civil war. Religious enlightenment was engaging Americans to think of themselves as a chosen people with a mission to improve society. The political climate was ripe and in need of women's moral guidance. At the top of the list was the abolition of slavery. Two sisters from a South Carolina plantation, Angelina and Sara Grimke, wrote and spoke fervently to end slavery. The subsequent disapproval by some clergymen of their activities led them to expand their efforts towards women's rights.

Photo: John Opie [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Fueled by the writings of 18th-century women's rights activist Mary Wollstonecraft, whose book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, many women began to push for greater rights. The seminal moment for Elizabeth Cady Stanton came while attending the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London when she, and the other women attending, were banned from participating in the proceedings.

When Stanton returned to her hometown of Seneca Falls, New York, she and her friend Lucretia Mott organized the first women's right convention, held on July 19-20, 1848. There she introduced a "Declaration of Rights and Sentiments" modeled after the Declaration of Independence. As she stood before the delegation, she nervously read from the document,

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The convention delegates nodded approvingly, hearing the familiar words spoken. Emboldened, Stanton introduced several resolutions, the last advocating a woman's right to vote. Many delegates, both men and women, were appalled at the audacity. Some doubted whether women were qualified to vote, while others felt that such a right was unnecessary as most women would likely vote with their husbands. After a stirring speech by African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the resolution passed. The partnership between abolition and suffrage had been solidified and, it seemed, the two movements would achieve their respective goals together.

The NWSA was formed to support the 15th amendment

The next pivotal battle for women's equality took place in 1868 during Congressional debates on the 15th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote. Women had worked hard over the past 20 years for Black freedom and enfranchisement and expected they would be included in this goal. While many abolitionists were initially supportive of suffrage for both African Americans and women, leaders felt that it was now "the Negro's hour" and to ask for more would jeopardize the cause. In an unexpected turnaround, Frederick Douglass made an impassioned plea at the American Equal Rights Association convention to let the Black man go first, turning the effort away from enfranchising women.

Stanton and Susan B. Anthony saw this as a betrayal and campaigned against any amendment that denied women the right to vote. This caused a breach in the women's movement and led to Stanton and Anthony forming the National Women's Suffrage Association (NWSA), while Lucy Stone, her husband Henry Blackwell, and Julia Ward Howe founded the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), which supported the 15th Amendment.

Many African American women also pushed for women's rights, beginning with Sojourner Truth, who in 1851 made her impassioned "Ain't I a Woman" speech. Other African American women, such as Mary Anne Shadd Cary and Charlotte Forten Grimke (the niece of two abolitionists/suffragists Margaretta and Harriet Forten) participated in suffrage organizations. Unfortunately, as was the case in society, oftentimes African American women weren't always welcomed by white suffragists and had to participate in separate organizations. In 1896, many Black women's clubs affiliated to form the National Association of Colored Women with Mary Church Terrell as president.

Through the second half of the 19th century, the suffrage movement remained divided. In the 1870s, some women used the language of the 14th Amendment to try to vote. In 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested when she illegally voted in a presidential election. She was fined $100, which she never paid, and moved on. This tactic of invoking the 14th Amendment to enfranchise women was permanently squashed when the Supreme Court ruled in Minor v. Happersett (1875) that the 14th Amendment did not grant women the right to vote.

In 1874, Francis Willard founded the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) which soon became the largest and most powerful women's movement in the country. Its hundreds of thousands of members helped support the suffrage movement, but linking suffrage to prohibition was strongly opposed by many who were not against alcohol and weakening the effort.

By the 1890s, the acrimony between the two women's suffrage associations had subsided and they merged into the National American Suffrage Association (NAWSA). With the passing of Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1902 and Susan B. Anthony in 1906, a new generation of leaders assumed control of the women's movement. NAWSA president Carrie Chapman Catt pursued a state-by-state strategy to win the vote for women, which by 1896, proved successful in four states-Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. Still, the goal of national suffrage was a long way off. However, Catt left the organization tired of the internal squabbling.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Progressive movement emerged to address issues associated with industrialization, immigration and urbanization. Many in the labor movement saw women as allies and potential voters for their cause. In 1906, Harriot Stanton Blatch, Elizabeth Cady Stanton's daughter, founded the Equality League of Self-Supporting Women to organize working-class suffragists. In 1910, they conducted the first large-scale suffrage march in the United States. In addition, Black women founded clubs that worked exclusively for woman's suffrage, such as the Alpha Suffrage Club of Chicago, founded by Ida B. Wells in 1913.

In 1915, Carrie Chapman Catt returned as president of NAWSA and turned the organization into an effective political machine, recruiting key supporters, raising money, and conducting public demonstrations with participants wearing white uniforms designed to draw crowds and newspaper reporters. Catt set up a Washington office to exert pressure on members of Congress and convince the Democratic and Republican parties to support women's suffrage. In addition, she developed a close relationship with President Woodrow Wilson to gain his support.

In 1919, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate finally voted to approve the 19th Amendment. The bill went on to the states, seeking the approval of three-quarters of state legislatures. It finally happened a year later on that hot August night in Tennessee, when young Hank Burn followed the advice of his mother and cast his vote for women's suffrage.

However, the battle for women's equality didn't end there. Within a decade, state laws disenfranchised most African American women - and men - under the custom of Jim Crow. It would take another movement in the 1960s before all Black people in the South would be enfranchised. The struggle for gender equality continues today for equal pay and opportunity and equal justice in cases of rape and assault.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, was formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution. Here is a look at the events surrounding this important chapter in U.S. history and the women who made change happen.

# data[].attributes.body
Important discoveries made by women but not recognized

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Alice Ball and 7 Female Scientists Whose Discoveries Were Credited to Men

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The work of these women was overlooked during their lifetime with men receiving recognition instead.