Contact
Sue Racanelli | Director, Vermont Suffrage Centennial Alliance
(802) 225-6032 | lwvofvt@gmail.com
STATE LEADERS REFLECT ON SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL
(Montpelier, VT) – One hundred years ago on Wednesday, August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment was added to the Constitution, and U.S. citizens could no longer be denied the right to vote “on account of sex.”
To commemorate this milestone, the Vermont Suffrage Centennial Alliance has invited state leaders to reflect on its significance. We are honored to share with our fellow Vermonters the following thoughts from Governor Kunin, Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, Congressman Welch, Governor Scott, Lt. Governor Zuckerman, Xusana Davis, Kesha Ram, and Cary Brown.
“It took 100 years to ratify the 19th amendment which won women the right to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were the prime movers of the suffrage amendment. But they were not alone. In this anniversary year, we retrieve more names from history, including Black women: Ida B. Wells, and Mary Church Terrell. In 1913, Wells traveled from Illinois to Washington to march in the Woman Suffrage Procession. Black women were told to march in the back. Today, we march hand in hand–thanks to those courageous women– white, black and brown–to exercise our right to vote.” – Governor Madeleine M. Kunin
“The ratification of the 19th Amendment 100 years ago was a significant step toward making ours a more perfect Union and in drawing us closer to our founding principles, but in reality, we are still fighting to ensure that every American has the right to vote. Now, and always, we should remember those who protested, marched and fought for suffrage for women. Since our Nation’s founding, generations of women have fought injustice and broken down barriers in pursuit of the American Dream. Their courage and commitment should inspire us all to work even harder to eliminate the gender and racial inequalities that still exist in our society.” – Senator Patrick Leahy
“One hundred years ago, women fought for the right to vote, and won. Today, as we celebrate this important milestone, we also recognize that women of color were intentionally excluded from this victory, despite their heroic efforts to help achieve it. This centennial is a reminder that we must redouble our efforts to fight voter suppression that silences far too many voices in our democracy, make election day a national holiday, and ensure everyone who wants to can vote by mail. And we must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to finally guarantee the right to vote.” – Senator Bernie Sanders. Link here to view Senator Sanders’ Congressional Record statement, “100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment”
“Voting is the foundation of our democracy. One hundred years ago, the 19th Amendment for the first time guaranteed women the right to vote—though women of color continued to face many barriers. Today, we reflect and honor the work that was done to ensure access to the ballot box for more Americans. That work continues. We must honor these voting rights advocates by ensuring that every American can vote regardless of their gender, skin color, or what neighborhood they live in.” – Congressman Peter Welch. Link here to view Congressman Welch’s Congressional Record statement, “Honoring The 100th Anniversary of Women Gaining the Right To Vote”
“One-hundred years ago, our nation righted one if its original wrongs with the final certification of the 19th Amendment. This was only possible because citizen activists never gave up the fight, never gave in to pressure, and kept pushing for what they knew was the right thing to do…Even though the 19th Amendment was a giant step forward in creating a more perfect Union, their work wasn’t done, and unfortunately, it still isn’t today. It took another 45 years from that date until the passage of the Voting Rights Act to ensure that all women of color were able to freely vote in this country. And even today, as we’re witnessing in real time, there are still obstacles to voting that disproportionately impact communities of color. So, as we celebrate this important centennial, let us remember: Our work is not complete. We cannot take anything for granted and we must build on the work of those who came before us.” – Governor Phil Scott. Link here to watch a video of Governor Scott’s centennial remarks and Women’s Equality Day proclamation signing.
“I think of my mom as I reflect on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. With a PHD in biochemistry and her tireless advocacy for public schools for all, she lived her values to always stand up and work hard for what you believe in. Gaining voting rights is a lesson of hope, persistence, and determination. It’s a reminder that no matter how difficult the task, we must work together, year after year, decade after decade, to push for what is right. Change is hard. But, with determination, we can make a difference.” – Lt. Governor David Zuckerman
“This centennial is a tremendous occasion. And yet, it is not just a matter of how long women have had the right to vote that matters. Rather, it is that we use it and how we use it that makes this hard-fought privilege worth it. Never squander the duty to vote, because while we have grown comfortable in thinking the right to vote is a given, we are constantly reminded of its fragility with each new attempt at voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and discouragement. Most importantly, don’t stop at voting—stay involved in civic matters… Our futures depend on it.” – State Executive Director of Racial Equity, Xusana Davis
“We’ve all heard the saying, ‘Behind every great man there is a great woman,’ and for much of our history we’ve asked women to accept this as their best expression of power. But women have always known that there is no substitute for having real power in your own hands, and in a democracy, that power is embodied in the right to vote. Throughout our country’s existence we’ve grappled with who has the right to that power, and who has the right to be an equal participant in our democracy. But at its heart, our democracy is built upon the ideal of sharing power among equals – and fighting for that right has meant insisting that others share their power, and sometimes wresting it from them unwillingly. The 19th Amendment was a game-changing step towards realizing this ideal, and we celebrate it even as we recognize its incomplete success, and how many still fight to be equal partners in power.” – Vermont Commission on Women Director, Cary Brown
“One hundred years after White women received the right to vote, I will be the first woman of color to earn a seat in the Vermont Senate. In 1920, enfranchisement would no longer be denied based on sex, but it would take 32 more years for Asian American women, 42 more years for Indigenous women, and 45 more years for Black women to effectively have access to the ballot box. Every generation must fight for its freedom, and our work now is to understand our collective liberation. Our destinies are bound together, and our path to freedom is the same.” – Kesha Ram
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Vermont Suffrage Centennial Alliance is a project of the League of Women Voters of Vermont Education Fund, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Find more information about VSCA at vtsuffrage2020.org, or @VTSuffrage2020.