Today commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. The law passed in 1920, one-hundreds and one years ago, and the US Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, in the United States.
The 19th Amendment represents an important milestone in US history, as we seek to perfect our union to benefit all. The Amendment changed Federal law and the face of the American electorate forever. Women won legal recognition as equal citizens under the 19th Amendment. Although at the time, not all women in the US were included under its protections:
- The voting rights of Native American women were not recognized until 1924.
- For Chinese American women, 1943, and for Japanese and other Asian American women, 1952.
- African American women, while quite active in the women’s suffrage movement of the early 19th century, remained barred from voting for decades. With the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, African American women were granted the right to vote.
The 19th Amendment (also known as women’s suffrage) is another installment in the ideas for which this country was found – all persons are created equal. It also reminds of the struggle for equality that women have faced in public, workplace and globally to clear barriers, equal access, and change attitudes to fulfill their potential. There have been many advancements made, but much more work remains to be done to insure fairness, equity, and inclusion for women in the US and globally.
On this Women’s Equality Day, and as we continue our journey to DEI and to create a culture of belonging, Infoblox proudly stands with our women employees and colleagues to mark this important occasion.
