On August 18, 1920, Harry Burn, a 24-year-old state legislator from Tennessee, changed his vote in the House chamber, which was deadlocked at 48-48. His decision was influenced by a letter from his mother, Febb Burn, urging him to support the ratification of the 19th Amendment. This amendment, which granted women the right to vote, passed with a final tally of 49-47, marking a significant moment in the 72-year history of the women's suffrage movement.
The organized suffrage movement began in July 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. They argued that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, highlighting the exclusion of women from this process as a structural contradiction.
Despite persistent efforts, opposition to women's suffrage was rooted in claims that voting was a state matter and that a federal amendment would be overreach. However, the movement gained momentum as states like Wyoming and Colorado granted women voting rights, creating a coalition that ultimately supported the federal amendment.
The 19th Amendment states that the right to vote shall not be denied on account of sex, and Congress has the power to enforce this right. However, the ratification did not eliminate barriers for all women, particularly Black women in the South, who continued to face discriminatory practices.
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which has faced challenges since its introduction, is currently in a state of limbo. Following the expiration of its ratification deadline in 1982, the process to include it in the Constitution may need to be restarted. The historical context of the suffrage movement illustrates that effective arguments and political coalitions are essential for constitutional change.