Women’s Right to Vote: A Historic Milestone on August 26, 1920

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – On August 26, 1920, American women officially gained the right to vote when the 19th Amendment was adopted into the U.S. Constitution. This moment marked the culmination of over 70 years of efforts by advocates in the women’s suffrage movement.

The 19th Amendment required ratification by 36 states. Tennessee became the pivotal state, sealing the amendment’s fate. Vermont initially declined to ratify the measure; in 1919, Governor Percival Clement vetoed the Legislature’s approval. It was not until 1921 that Vermont ratified the amendment, well after it became law.

August 26 is now recognized as Women’s Equality Day, a day to celebrate the ongoing fight for women’s rights. The struggle for these rights was fueled by women who became politically active through involvement in the abolitionist and temperance movements during the mid-19th century.

In the early morning of that historic day, Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the certification of the amendment, formally ending a long battle for voting rights.