August 2010

August 18, 1920—19th Amendment Ratified

The 19th Amendment gave American women the right to vote. Beginning in the 19th century, women's vote advocates—called suffragists—met fierce resistance when they demanded a constitutional amendment that would allow women to vote. On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, changing the character of the American electorate forever.

Following the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, suffragist pioneers like Susan B. Anthony came forward to campaign for women's rights. Seventy-two years later, the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.