Centennial anniversary year of the passage of the 19th amendment. Explain the wagon behind you, and how it ties into the story of womens suffrage and democracy. Good morning and welcome to the year of the woman, which you can argue every year should be. This year is incredibly special for all of us in america, especially at the smithsonian. We are bound together in celebrating the american womens History Initiative throughout the Smithsonian History Museum and online, and all of the activities this year and here at , the American History museum, we are particularly grateful to have three exhibitions opening. Spurring really from this one. This is democracy in america, the great leap of faith that opened a few years ago. Im in the gallery that takes us through the long and arduous and continuing effort to expand democracy to enfranchise more and more americans. As you might know, early on, only white men with property were able to vote. Throughout the 19th century, the long battle expanding that suffrage to slaves, previous womened and to culminating finally in 1920 with , the ratification of the 19th amendment. Not guaranteeing women the right to vote, but barring the federal government and states against voters because. Sex. Cause of their so suffrage wagons like the one behind me were taken out in the field during the ratification process to encourage states and their state legislators, almost all men, the vast majority, i think there were only one or two sitting women in any of those states, to vote for the 19th amendment. It was painted with slogans, brightly colored, the colors of suffrage are black and gold originally. That changed into purple, gold, and white. Thats why im trying to represent that here. The museum will open, icons, how we remember womens suffrage on march 6. We will be showing and taking you through the long efforts to craft both the Regulatory Framework for how women can vote, and the incredible activism of women who worked tirelessly throughout the century and a half to get the vote to happen. Segment, as we focus on the 19th amendment and womens suffrage, phone lines split up a bit differently this morning regionally. If you want to join the 2027488000. In the eastern and central time zones, mounir pacific, 2027488000. You can start calling in. As folks are calling in, i want to focus in on the ratification process. It was a 14 month process after the 19th amendment was passed by congress. Was it a sure thing . How touch and go was it during those 14 months . Why did it take 14 months . The ratification of the amendments is really probably never a sure thing. It is easy for us to look back on track that. But all of the amendments, the expansion amendments, reconstruction amendments after the civil war, ending slavery, and trying to work towards the abolishment of slavery and equalization of rights for africanamericans. The Womens Movement that had worked actively since 1848. The original sentiments, the declaration of sentiments, penned by elizabeth caddy stanton, and we have her table on which she wrote that, was ratified at the convention of 1848 by 68 women and 32 men, including frederick douglass, the remarkable and powerful abolitionist who believed in the quality and expansion of the declaration of independence. Imagine 16 sentiments modeled after the declaration that said we hold these truths to be selfevident that all men and women are created equal. These sentiments are fabulous. I want to read you one before i get to your question. In terms of the original declaration saying had done this to men. Saying and others were men had done this to women. To has not permitted her exercise her inalienable right to be a part of the franchise. It ended with 16. She has endeavored in every way that he could to destroy our confidence in her own powers, to lessen her selfrespect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life. Pretty harsh words in 1848. By the time to get amendment gets introduced in 1878 and by the time it gets voted on, sent out by an old male congress to the states, there was nothing insured about the passage of the 19th amendment. In order to get this past, the coalitions white women built often excluded women of color. You have amazing women born into slavery, fighting against lynching and forcibly joining. These are our rights too. Can you imagine how powerful it was for africanamerican women to get the vote. Nothing is preordained. Into those men who walked their state houses and chose to vote for the 19th amendment that pulled it through. Which states lead the way in that process . It varied. The big states were in favor of it. A lot of it became if women get the vote and can vote in the 1920 election became part of the chess game to that. Western states had rented franchise to women earlier rting amh