On August 18, 2020, many across the nation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution; on that date, the state of Tennessee became the 36th and final state to vote in the amendment’s favor. Often heralded as the historic moment in which American women were finally granted the right to vote, these centennial celebrations will honor almost a century of suffrage activism that led to such a significant, legal victory. And while those celebrations will rightfully encompass tales of heroism, persistence, mass protests, formidable allies and powerful solidarities, far too many will overlook the virulent racism, classism and xenophobia that plagued a storied movement for women’s right to the elective franchise.
On August 18, 2020, many across the nation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution; on that date, the state of Tennessee became the 36th and final state to vote in the amendment’s favor. Often heralded as the historic moment in which American women were finally granted the right to vote, these centennial celebrations will honor almost a century of suffrage activism that led to such a significant, legal victory. And while those celebrations will rightfully encompass tales of heroism, persistence, mass protests, formidable allies and powerful solidarities, far too many will overlook the virulent racism, classism and xenophobia that plagued a storied movement for women’s right to the elective franchise.
