19th Amendment: 'A Start, Not A Finish' For Suffrage | NPR

Summary

The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, marked a major milestone in women's rights by granting them the right to vote. However, this victory was not universally felt, as racism and systemic discrimination delayed access to voting for African American women and other marginalized groups. While white suffragists fought for women's rights, many were complicit in promoting white supremacy, often ignoring the struggles of Black women and other people of color. The battle for voting rights continued long after 1920, exposing the complexities of race, gender, and democracy in the United States.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 19th Amendment, ratified in August 1920, promised women the right to vote, but this promise was not fully realized for many, especially women of color, for decades.
• 😀 The struggle for women’s suffrage was not a simple gift—it was a bitter and prolonged fight, spanning over 70 years, with no guarantees.
• 😀 The suffrage movement was deeply intertwined with race, with white suffragists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony often prioritizing their interests over racial equality.
• 😀 While the 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote, white suffragists, feeling slighted, rejected the alliance with abolitionists and engaged in racist rhetoric.
• 😀 Prominent African-American women like Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell faced marginalization within the suffrage movement, as their concerns about racial inequities were often ignored.
• 😀 The history of African-American women's contributions to the suffrage movement has been largely neglected, highlighting uncomfortable truths about the movement's leaders.
• 😀 Racism played a significant role in the debates surrounding the 19th Amendment, with some white suffragists in the South arguing that extending the vote to women would solidify white supremacy.
• 😀 Carrie Chapman Catt, leader of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, appealed to Southern politicians, framing the 19th Amendment as a way to uphold white supremacy by increasing the white vote.
• 😀 The passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 did not immediately grant voting rights to African-American women, particularly in the South, where disenfranchisement continued through practices like poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence.
• 😀 Other marginalized groups, such as Native Americans and Asian immigrants, also faced significant barriers to voting, with many denied citizenship and voting rights long after 1920.
• 😀 The fight for voting rights is ongoing, as the script stresses that voting rights in the U.S. are not guaranteed and remain a continual struggle even 100 years after the 19th Amendment.

Q & A

What does the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution represent?

The 19th Amendment, ratified in August of 1920, promised women the right to vote in the United States, although this promise went unfulfilled for many women for decades.

What does the script suggest about the notion that the 19th Amendment 'gave' women the right to vote?

The script emphasizes that the idea that the 19th Amendment 'gave' women the right to vote is a misconception. Instead, it was the result of a long and hard-fought struggle, where women had to fight for their rights.

How does the script compare the struggles of men and women regarding rights?

The script contrasts the struggles by stating that while it took George Washington six years to address men's grievances by war, it took 72 years to establish women's rights by law.

What role did race play in the women's suffrage movement?

Race played a significant role, as the suffrage movement, rooted in the abolitionist movement, saw divisions. White suffragists, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, became outraged when Black men gained voting rights under the 15th Amendment, while white women were still denied the vote.

How were African-American women treated within the suffrage movement?

Prominent African-American activists like Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell were marginalized by white suffragists, and their concerns about racial inequities were largely ignored.

What did Carrie Chapman Catt’s letter to Southern congressmen reveal about the suffrage movement?

Carrie Chapman Catt's letter to a Southern congressman in 1918 suggested that giving women the vote could solidify white supremacy by increasing the white vote, which would outweigh the Black vote.

What does the script reveal about the tensions between suffragists and Southern politicians?

The script reveals that to win over Southern politicians, some white suffragists argued that the 19th Amendment would increase white voter numbers and reinforce white supremacy, a sentiment that highlights the racial divisions within the suffrage movement.

What was the impact of the 19th Amendment on African-American women after its ratification?

After the ratification of the 19th Amendment, African-American women, particularly in the South, were still disenfranchised due to systemic voting restrictions such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and racial violence.

How were other communities of color affected by voting rights in the early 20th century?

Communities of color, including Native Americans and Asian American immigrants, were also denied the right to vote for years after 1920, as many were not granted citizenship and therefore could not vote.

What does the script suggest about the ongoing struggle for voting rights in the United States?

The script highlights that the struggle for voting rights is ongoing, with the rights guaranteed by the 19th Amendment not being fully realized for many groups, and stresses that voting rights are never a guaranteed, permanent feature in the U.S.