POST-GAZETTE - Res Publica
Women's Eqaulity Day 2006
by David Trumbull August 25, 2006 I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. --Abigail Adams to John Adams, March 31, 1776. Saturday, August 26, 2006, is, by proclamation of President George W. Bush, Women's Equality Day. It marks the 86th anniversary of the ratification of our Constitution's 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920, marked a turning point for America as women were guaranteed the right to vote. On Women's Equality Day, we celebrate this milestone and pay tribute to the inspiring individuals who stepped forward and asked our Nation to live up to its founding principle of equality for all. In his proclamation President Bush said: "The struggle for women's rights is a story of strong women joining together to break down the barriers to equality. With courage and determination, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and other suffragists inspired generations of women and helped change the path of our Nation's history. The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 sparked a mass movement for women's voting rights that gained support from women of all ages and backgrounds. In 1890, Wyoming became the first State whose constitution allowed women to vote, and by 1918, women could vote in 14 additional States. Two years later, women secured nationwide suffrage with the passage of the 19th Amendment. By demanding participation in the democratic process, these visionaries helped spread freedom, justice, and hope for generations to come. --30--
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