National Women’s Equality Day

Tomorrow, August 26th, is National Women’s Equality Day. The United States Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women full and equal voting rights on this day in 1920. Every year on August 26, we commemorate this right with National Women’s Equality Day.

National Women’s Equality Day also celebrates all women and their achievements. Private Home Care is a woman-owned business that was founded over 30 years ago. We value women as leaders of businesses and organizations, and are proud to support female professionals in our community. We encourage women and girls to pursue their dreams, especially in healthcare and business.

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of women’s suffrage in the U.S. and reminds us of the hurdles overcome by the heroic women who faced violence and discrimination to propel the women’s movement forward.

In the early 19th century, American women, who generally couldn’t inherit property and made half of a man’s wages in any available jobs, began organizing to demand political rights and representation. It wasn’t until women’s involvement in the World War I effort made their contributions painfully obvious that women’s suffrage finally gained enough support.

Because a Constitutional amendment requires approval from two-thirds of the states, 36 of them had to ratify the 19th before its passage. The deciding vote in the Tennessee legislature came from Harry T. Burn, a young state representative whose mother’s plea to support the amendment became a deciding factor in his vote (which he switched at the last minute).

Today we celebrate 100 years of women’s right to vote! We can celebrate by thanking the women in your life for everything that they do. This includes your mother, grandmother, aunts, sisters, female friends, and partners. Take some time today to thank them for all the physical and emotional labor they do for others! Another great way to observe National Women’s Equality Day is to support female owned businesses, like Private Home Care! Lastly, a great way to commemorate the suffragist movement is to register to vote.