In 2011, women can vote, run for office and even run Forbes 500 companies. However, all of this was not possible if it weren’t for the struggles of many notable women in history who paved a clear path.

July 1848 is also  an important date in U.S history.  At the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention, organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, promulgated aspirations for women to be able to cast their votes. Inspite of several nays and tribulations, women across the nation didn’t let it impede their dream.

A few battles for women’s suffrage, from 1848 til 1920,  were fought in earnest. As early as the 20th century, Alice Paul and the National Women’s Party used creative but radical plans as a way to implement a federal law for women to vote:  going to jail, staging demonstrations, holding large marches and even—picketing the white house.

 In 1913, Paul even led a march of eight thousand participants on President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration day. An event that helped with the women’s suffrage movement was when World War 1 struck, and women were left to take up factory jobs and more active roles. After the war, and especially after Carrie Chapman Catt, head of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, reminded President Woodrow Wilson what women have contributed during the war, and that they must be recognized with political equality.

Because of that and that women, every-day average women, took charge, he later supported women’s suffrage. Less than a year later the House of  Representative passed in a 304 to 90 vote , to amend part of the constitution.

Less than a year later, the House of Representatives passed, in a 304 to 90 vote, a proposed Amendment to the Constitution. Later on, by  June 4, 1919, the United States Senate also endorsed the Amendment.

Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan were the first states to pass the law; Georgia and Alabama rushed to pass rejections. The anti-suffrage forces, which included both men and women, were well-organized, and passage of the amendment was not easy. And on August 18, 1920, the final vote came in to pass the bill.

After getting a few more votes, on August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth amendment to the U.S Consitution became law. This epoch in women’s history, allowed women to vote in fall elections, as well as in presidential.

So on this day in history, let us all remember these amazing women. Tell your daughters, mothers and grandmothers all that women have done to make history by remembering what this day means. Also, please check out our store:www.nwhp.org

By Sherryn Daniel