By: Estefani Cruz
Scattered across the courtroom, men with red roses pinned to their lapel waited for their names to be called. The room was filled with commotion as the decisive moment came to fruition: it was August 18th of 1920, and Tennessee was the last remaining state needed to officially ratify the 19th Amendment, granting women across the nation the right to vote in U.S elections. By March of that year, a total of thirty five states had passed the amendment, leaving Tennessee as the state to cast the deciding vote. Although several amendments were crucial in making the United States an equal place for both men and women, the Susan B. Anthony Amendment would leave an undeniable mark in American history by granting women the right to vote on a national level.
In July of 1848, the first woman's rights convention was held by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott in Seneca Falls, Virginia. They introduced the Declaration of Sentiments—modeled off of the Declaration of Independence—expressing eleven resolutions on women’s rights. In Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s first public speech at the Seneca Falls gathering, she recounted her contempt towards the unjust laws set in place at the time: “to have such disgraceful laws as [to] give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife” (Stanton). Stanton thus presented a critique on how men were allowed to unfairly take the wages women earned, the property that they were supposed to inherit, and their children in cases of divorce. She showcases her courage in standing up for a cause that went against social norms, potentially putting her life at risk. Later, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association alongside Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone. The National Woman Suffrage Association’s primary focus was to secure the vote for women, however, its other aim was to make women equal members of society. As such, they adopted white and golden yellow as the primary colors to represent the optimistic spirit of their movement. Suffragettes all across Tennessee would parade down the street handing out yellow roses to people. In contrast, anti-suffragettes would wear red roses pinned to their lapel to highlight their opposition to the other side. It became what was widely known as “the war of the roses.”
The youngest representative of the Tennessee legislature was Harry T. Burn who was elected at the young age of twenty-two. In his suit pocket, he carried a letter written to him by his mother, asking him to “be a good boy” and vote for the amendment (Bomboy). He was not an exception to the lobbying that was occurring across Tennessee and proudly wore a red rose on his jacket. With the majority of men bearing red roses, it appeared as if the amendment was doomed. However, representative Banks Turner had a change in heart during the roll call, moving the ratification forward. This meant that only one vote was needed to make the 19th Amendment officially part of the U.S. Constitution. Consequently, it came as a surprise when Burn, who came from a conservative district, exclaimed “aye” in an eager voice after being asked if he would ratify the amendment. The fearlessness of this act is highlighted by him placing his morals above his political career, and when questioned about his vote, he explained that it was a privilege to “free 17 million women from political slavery” (Bomboy). His courage in utilizing his voice to stand for women’s suffrage solidifies his place in American history, as rather than ignoring the voices of millions of women, he showed compassion and listened to his mother’s advice.
The 19th Amendment indisputably remains among the most vital and important laws for women in U.S. history. Without the selfless acts of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Harry T. Burn, Lucrieta Mott, and Lucy Stone, millions of American women would still be subjected to the cruel injustice of subjugation and silence. Although having courage may seem daunting, the outcome is without a doubt worth it when it benefits those around you.
Works Cited
“19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right To Vote (1920).” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment.
19th Amendment - Definition, Passage & Summary - History. https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/19th-amendment-1.
Seneca Falls Convention - History. https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/seneca-falls-convention.
“Today in History - July 19.” The Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/july-19/.
Skinner, Mary. “A Look Back at Tennessee's War of the Roses.” Tennessee State Museum - Nashville Attractions, https://tnmuseum.org/Stories/posts/a-look-back-at-tennessees-war-of-the-roses?locale=en_us.
“Representative Harry T. Burn.” Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA), https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll27/id/75/.