Anniversary of 19th Amendment sparks debates about women’s suffrage 105 years later

Women across the United States gained the legal right to vote 105 years ago, thanks to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, what was known as the women’s suffrage amendment was officially ratified on August 18, 1920, and then was certified eight days later. On August 26, 1920, Tennessee became the crucial 36th state to approve the amendment, as reported by WCAX.

Back in 1920, during a tense nationwide debate known as the "War of the Roses," the fate of women's suffrage hung in the balance. Twenty-four-year-old Rep. Harry Burn, despite wearing a red rose signifying opposition, cast the deciding vote in favor of the amendment, influenced by his mother's urging, reported the Nashville Banner. This decision marked a significant milestone in the expansion of voter rights in US history.

Reflecting on another historical moment for women’s voting rights, WoodTV highlighted the story of Nannette Ellingwood, a wealthy woman whose husband passed away, leaving her with two children and land to manage on her own. The story, which WoodTV says is detailed by Historical writer Amy Probst, goes on to mention how Ellingwood fought in a 1871 hearing for the right to vote in Detroit, arguing without a lawyer that the 1st and 14th amendments included language that would consider her a citizen of the country with the right to vote. The board ultimately allowed her to stay on the voting rolls due to her effective argument of the way the amendments were written, and also because of her widow status. 

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Modern relevance and debate

Over a century later, the ratification's legacy remains a topic of discussion. A recent interview with a leader of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) reignited discussions about women's voting rights, with some advocating for household voting, according to the Nashville Banner.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a frequent attendee of a CREC church, has shared clips suggesting a return to these traditional roles, adding fuel to the fire of public debate, the Nashville Banner reported. The conversation extends beyond church walls, with CREC participants sharing lifestyle images to dismiss critics of their patriarchal views. 

“When the founders founded America, it was household voting. So this is how it was for a long time. This is not some radical idea,” Brooks Potteiger explained, according to the Nashville Banner. “It's not that the women don't get a vote. It's that households vote, and then the head of home, man or woman, on behalf of the household, cast the vote.”

This ongoing dialogue spotlights how historical issues persist into the present, necessitating continual reevaluation of progress and rights. Today, women's suffrage stands as an essential chapter in the ongoing narrative of American democracy, reflecting Tennessee’s lasting impact on national history and highlighting contemporary challenges as both society and individual belief systems evolve.