The 19th Amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, granting women the right to vote. First introduced in Congress in 1878, the 19th Amendment was not easily passed. It took decades of activism by suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul — among others — to have the United States recognize the rights of women to voice their opinion and vote. Susan B. Anthony was a leader in the women’s rights movement, especially the right to vote. Her dedication helped lay the foundation for the 19th Amendment, which was nicknamed the Susan B. Anthony Amendment to honor her work on women’s rights. On July 2, 1979, Anthony became the first woman to be featured on a circulating coin from the U.S. mint. Although she passed away in 1906 and did not see her dream realized, Anthony’s legacy lives on in each and every woman who exercises their right to vote.
But the impact of the 19th Amendment goes far beyond women’s right to vote; it also helped reshape American society and continues to influence women today. The 19th Amendment gave women a formal voice to influence laws and policies that affect their lives. It was a victory for women for equality and showed that women should be thought of as equal. This right helped open doors to education, employment, and positions of leadership.
In fact, as of March 2025, the number of women in Congress was at the highest in history, with 26 women senators and 129 women representatives. Here in Middlesex County, four of the seven members of our Board of County Commissioners are women, including Deputy Director Shanti Narra. I am proud to serve alongside these County Commissioners every day. As the father of two daughters and grandfather of two granddaughters, I would like to see the number of women in positions of leadership continue to increase in the future. I have faith that just like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul did in years past, women today will continue to rally for women’s rights.
And, while many of us know the names of the brave women who pioneered the movement for women’s equality, few of us know their full backgrounds. For instance, Susan B. Anthony not only played a critical role in laying the foundation for the 19th Amendment, she also co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1869; published the newspaper The Revolution and co-authored the multi-volume History of Woman Suffrage; and advocated for equal rights for women and African Americans through the American Equal Rights Association.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton worked closely with Anthony for over 50 years. She co-organized the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 — the first women’s rights convention in the U.S. — and authored the Declaration of Sentiments, which boldly declared that “all men and women are created equal.” She also co-authored the History of Woman Suffrage alongside Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Ida Husted Harper.
Alice Paul joined the fight for equality later. She organized the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C., the day before President Wilson’s inauguration, and founded the National Woman’s Party in 1916. She continued to fight even after the 19th Amendment was put into effect, drafting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1923 to guarantee full legal equality for women. Paul also advocated for women’s rights internationally, influencing the United Nations Charter and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
These suffragists, and many others, deserve our respect for their leadership and vital contributions in the fight for women’s rights. As Americans, we honor their work — and the struggles of all women — by continuing to uphold the 19th Amendment. In doing so, we help ensure women’s rights are never taken lightly.
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