“It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union...Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.”
-Susan B. Anthony

WICT Commemorates the Centennial Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage

This August, the United States will celebrate the 100th anniversary of women attaining the right to vote via the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As we prepare to mark this milestone and honor the courage of those who fought for this basic right, WICT is proud to shine a spotlight on this groundbreaking event in U.S. history.
Above: Alice Paul, 1920, celebrating the passage of the 19th Amendment. Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.  Click here for more historical facts about the 19th Amendment and the events leading up to its passage.
WICT and the industry we serve are uniquely positioned to support this effort, and throughout the month of August, we encourage you to reflect on this landmark occasion and the strength and determination of tens of thousands across the country who fought for gender equality.

Here are some of the ways your chapter can get involved:  

  • Encourage your members and local community to join WICT for the next installment of our virtual Executive Level Distance Learning Series on August 12.

WICT is partnering with She Should Run ® to present a webinar on Mapping a Courageous Leadership Journey to explore women's roles in decision making, from the grassroots level to the highest echelons of government.

One hundred years ago, the 19th Amendment enfranchised millions of women across the United States following a seven-decade campaign. The struggle to expand voting rights to women resonates today as the country continues to debate who should vote and how.

We can’t expect to achieve the best policies when nearly half the population has a limited voice in determining policy. And we won’t reach equal representation in our lifetime unless a pipeline of women begin to see participation in legislation as a possibility within reach.

Find out what role you play in strengthening our democracy and what steps you can take to solve gender inequality.

Register here for Mapping a Courageous Leadership Journey . This webinar is open to all WICT members and will be recorded for later review. Meet the speakers below.
Jarinete Santos serves as the Political Pipeline Director for She Should Run. She oversees programs, reaching thousands of women to improve their leadership potential and inspire them to run for office. She is passionate about normalizing female leadership for the present and for the rising generation. Additionally, Jarinete has varied experience ranging between community engagement, diversity and inclusion training, and working on Capitol Hill.
Michelle Love-Day has been an educator for 18 years. She is passionate about schools being student focused, equitable, and a place where all students feel that they are welcomed and have an adult they can believe in. In her business “Love-Day Educational Consulting,” she shares information and ways parents can work with schools and advocate for their children. Recently, she ran as candidate for Bluffdale City Council and is the proud mother to 5 children and a supportive husband.
  • Make useful and informative resources available to your members to broaden their knowledge of the suffrage movement and learn how it has shaped women’s roles in government today.

The passage of the 19th Amendment was not brought about by a singular event, individual, or group. Instead, it was women and their allies, working together for decades and spanning the turn of a century, who fought and won the constitutional right to vote. Suffragists from the United States and other parts of the world collaborated across national borders.

To preserve this history, groups from across the country have created articles, videos, biographies, lesson plans, fact sheets, and timelines that have been gathered and shared together in one place.

In addition, you can access several podcasts and videos that provide a stirring history of women’s long journey to suffrage and the important political ideas behind the movement. They explore the unfinished work of women’s suffrage and how the fight for constitutional change shaped women’s involvement in public life. They also discuss why females make up less than a quarter of Congress and what needs to be done to improve women’s representation in government.

There are also countless books that you can purchase to further enhance your knowledge of this historic event and the people who helped move the needle forward for women across the nation.
Above: Women of color demonstrating support of the suffrage movement, circa 1905. Photo c/o Library of Congress.
  • Highlight the voices of the suffrage movement that were marginalized or excluded.

As we reflect on and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S., we salute the pioneers of intersectional gender equality. We also use this opportunity to remind our global community that Black women and other women of color were often excluded from the mainstream voting movement. Therefore, in addition to celebrating the passage of the 19th Amendment, let’s honor the upcoming birthday of African American suffragist Mary Church Terrell, on September 23, and highlight the lives and legacies of Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, seminal abolitionists and suffragists. Let's also reflect on the many modern-day leaders who paved an important inroad, like groundbreaker Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress and to mount an earnest run for U.S. President. Learn more about Black women and their role in the suffrage movement here.

  • Offer information on local exhibits or centennial events in your area.*

Museums, institutions, nonprofits, and groups around the country are celebrating and honoring the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and the work of the remarkable women who fought for its passage with special programs, events, and exhibits throughout 2020. You can search for suffrage projects and events in your state, or discover ongoing suffrage exhibits in museums around the US.

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some centennial events are being rescheduled. Please also refer to the WHO, CDC and local authorities for guidance should you choose to attend an in-person event.
  • Celebrate the political, social, economic and cultural achievements of women. Visibility and awareness help drive positive change.

Give us the details, and we'll post your centennial efforts and initiatives on WICT’s social media platforms or in the WICT Pulse newsletter. Throughout the month of August, share your plans or
send us your pictures showing your support of the historic milestone in women’s history. Email your photos to kedwards@wict.org to take part in our month-long initiative.

As we reflect on this milestone in the United States, it should be emphasized that women's suffrage around the world can look very different from how it does in America - including, in some cases, a much longer timeline.

Galvanizing the population toward parity was the cornerstone of WICT's founding, and its importance rings truer today than ever before. Because for all of us - it's about women gaining equality: not more, not less, but getting to equal.

Please do not reply to this message - direct any questions or concerns to membership@wict.org