August 26th is Women's Equality Day! This is a day dedicated not just to the contributions of women everywhere, but also their long fight to be treated as equals, their right to self-actualize, and the sheer perseverance of women activists during the suffrage movement.
The suffrage movement was a key part of early feminism. It was initially kickstarted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, who organized the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848. It was a two-day event that drew hundreds of women together under one unified cause—equality. Many of the organizers, including Stanton and Mott, had spent years fighting for the equality of enslaved peoples and the abolishment of slavery. It was at this event that Stanton delivered one of her most famous speeches, "The Declaration of Sentiment." Below is a snippet:
"We are assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed—to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love; laws test against such unjust laws as these that we are assembled today, and to have them, if possible, forever erased from our statute-books, deeming them as a shame and a disgrace..."
Her speech invigorated the crowd and the set the groundwork for women's rights. She garnered supporting signatures from 68 women and 32 men who were in attendance.
The primary goal of the suffrage movement was granting women the right to vote, affording them the chance to help shape the country, the same as their male counterparts. And while voting rights were the primary goal for suffragists, they also fought for overall autonomy from men, including but not limited to, the right to own land, manage their own finances, and be granted parental rights. Keep in mind, suffragists lived in a time where men had almost absolute authority over the comings and goings of women.
It's for this reason and countless others that we celebrate August 26th as Women's Equality Day. It represents not just the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, it also celebrates the long struggle for rights in general that Stanton, Mott, and their contemporaries fought for.
To commemorate the progress made and that which is yet to come, Representative Bella Abzug introduced a bill in 1971 to proclaim Women’s Equality Day. It failed. Two years later, in 1973, she re-introduced the bill and Congress officially passed the resolution.
Now, every year, this holiday symbolizes the efforts made by generations of Americans to expand women’s rights.
Women’s Equality Day is celebrated on Aug. 26 because the 19th Amendment was certified by U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby on this date in 1920.
There are several ways to participate in Women’s Equality Day, both personally and publicly. Here are a few ideas:
Our continual efforts to amplify women’s voices within our organization include our Women in Business employee resource group (ERG), as well as the leadership development training our DEI & Development team has created for all of our employees. Several of our employees are also board members for organizations that benefit women in our local communities.
We are proud to observe Women’s Equality Day and remain committed to equity for all of our employees and members.