"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." 19th Amendment, U.S. Constitution

August 18, 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920 by Tennessee, the 36th and final state needed to make it part of our U.S. Constitution. We honor each person who fought for the amendment through the 1800s and early 1900s. We also recognize that the 19th Amendment was just the starting point, not the destination. Many, including Black, Asian and Chinese, Native American, and Puerto Rican women, did not benefit from ratification in 1920, and were effectively denied the ballot for decades to come.

The 19th Amendment was a starting point, not the destination.

One hundred years later, securing and defending the right to vote for all women and all citizens remains one of our top priorities at the League of Women Voters of Connecticut.