The 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution: 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.

On June 10, 1919, three midwestern states—Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan—became the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment. Acting quickly (the Senate passed the proposed amendment and sent it to the states for ratification on June 4), these three states ushered in a year-long process to ratify the 19th Amendment, and the era of federal suffrage for American women.

The passage of the 19th Amendment is the reflection of a long road traveled, of activism and organizing across state and national organizations including the National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA).

The NAWSA papers are housed in the New York Public Library's Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books at the Stephen A. Schwarzman building.

Join us over the next year as we explore, through the Library's collections, the movement that led to the successful passage of the 19th Amendment. We will discuss the ongoing challenges of equal suffrage, and the evolution of political activism and organizing since the early 20th century.




 

Resources

ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Online Access

National American Woman Suffrage Association records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library: http://archives.nypl.org/mss/2097