Being born in the girl power generation, it's hard to believe that women didn't have the right to vote when your great-grandma was your age. August 26th marks Women's Equality Day, which celebrates the huge achievements women have made.
History
Women's Equality Day celebrates the 19th Amendment to the American Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. This amendment was passed on August 26, 1920 after a group of women who called themselves the Suffragettes, led by Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, spent 72 years petitioning the government to recognize women's rights. Now that's dedication!
How to Celebrate
Women's Equality Day isn't really a balloons and cake kind of holiday. It's a day to reflect on how far women have come in the last century and how far they still have to go. If you're in Texas, why not check out the Women's Hall of Fame in Denton? Or, if you're in New York, check out the Women's Rights National Historic Park.
This stamp commemorates women getting the vote
Did You Know?
- The American Women's Suffrage movement began at a New York tea party in 1848.
- Charlotte Woodward was the only original Suffragette to survive to see women get the vote in 1920.
- Even though women got the vote in 1920, Women's Equality Day wasn't made an official holiday until 1971.
- While America has still not had it's first female president, many other countries have had female leaders, including India, Britain, The Republic of Ireland and Canada.
Have Your Say
Do you have any cool facts about the history of women's equality? Let us know!
