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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN GAINING THE RIGHT TO VOTE
______
HON. PETER WELCH
of vermont
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Mr. WELCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution, which states that ``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.'' The right to vote is the foundation
of our democracy and the fight for women's suffrage was a generations
long struggle.
The 19th Amendment did not guarantee the right to vote for all women.
Although African American and other suffragists of color nationwide
worked tirelessly for suffrage, they faced systematic racism in the
movement and were frequently denied their right to vote through
harassment, intimidation, and laws that imposed severe restrictions.
Native Americans and Asian Americans were denied citizenship and,
therefore, were not eligible to vote until after 1924 and 1952,
respectively. It was only in 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights
Act that barriers to voting based on race were removed.
Vermont women engaged in the suffrage movement for decades; notable
among them: Clarina Howard Nichols of Townshend, who petitioned the
legislature for voting rights in school district elections; Laura
Moore, the longtime Secretary of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage
Association; Lucy Daniels of Grafton, who protested disfranchisement by
refusing to pay her taxes; Annette Parmelee of Enosburg Falls, who was
a persistent legislative lobbyist; and Lillian Olzendam of Woodstock,
who organized a massive campaign to convince legislators to ratify the
19th Amendment.
In 1919, the Vermont Legislature passed the Presidential suffrage
bill but it was vetoed by Governor Percival Clement, an opponent of
women's suffrage. He refused to call for a special legislative session
which would have allowed Vermont to become the 36th and final state to
ratify the amendment. In response, 400 suffragists marched through mud
and snow to the Vermont State House in protest, demanding the governor
allow a vote, which he did not. Consequently, Tennessee became the
final ratifying state on August 18, 1920--100 years ago, today.
Following the ratification of the 19th Amendment, 28,159 Vermont
women registered to vote. Edna Beard of Orange became the first woman
to win a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives and was one of
the Vermont legislators who finally ratified the 19th Amendment on
February 8, 1921.
While today is a celebration of how far we have come and the
accomplishments of the suffragist movement, we must also acknowledge
the history of the movement that marginalized and ostracized women of
color, especially Black American women who fought tirelessly for the
right to vote. Today, many obstacles to voting still exist and they
disproportionately affect people of color. The fight for voting rights,
racial justice, and our democracy continue. As the late Congressman
John Lewis said, ``Democracy is not a state. It is an act.''
____________________