The centennial anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment gives state and local bar associations, lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, educators and civic organizations the opportunity to celebrate 100 years of women’s constitutional right to vote, to educate the public about the Nineteenth Amendment and the battle for women’s suffrage, and to promote law that ensures women’s full and equal exercise of their right to vote and to participate in our democracy.
Sign up - For UpdatesYour gift will fund programs and events through 2021 to educate the public about the history and legacy of the suffrage movement while inspiring people to understand and overcome barriers to voting.
From the ABA Standing Committee on Election Law, get state-by-state resources and resources to help you #voteyourvoice including up to date information on registering to vote by mail or by absentee ballot.
Visit - AMBAR.ORG/VOTEThe prominent figures and events of the women’s suffrage movement of the 19th and 20th centuries can feel almost mythical at times. That’s in part because they are, in fact, myths. The telling of the Nineteenth Amendment tends to stretch from a convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 to the amendment’s ratification in 1920, but the true story is a much longer one. We explore the myths and unveil the realities in part one of two episodes on the Nineteenth Amendment.
Listen to - The PodcastThe year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s constitutional right to vote. The passage marked the largest expansion of democracy in the history of our country. This historic centennial offers an unparalleled opportunity to commemorate a milestone of democracy and to explore its relevance to the issues of equal rights today.
The centennial gives lawyers, judges, state and local bar associations, educators, and civic organizations the opportunity to educate the public about the 19th Amendment and the importance of promoting the full and equal exercise of the right to vote and to participate in our democracy. The ABA Commission on the 19th Amendment has developed a range of resources to assist in these efforts.
The women’s suffrage movement forever changed America, expanding representative democracy and inspiring other popular movements for constitutional change and reform. Yet, honest reflection on the suffrage movement reveals complexity and tensions over race and class that remain part of the ongoing story of the Nineteenth Amendment and its legacies.
Visit - Lawday.orgThe ABA Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress has launched a 19th Amendment traveling exhibit, "100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future.” The six-banner free-standing exhibit features historic photos and artifacts and details the story of the battle for ratification and outlines the challenges that remain. The exhibit was recently awarded a 2019 GDUSA American Graphic Design Award. For information on the exhibit and how to purchase the banners, please contact Anne P. Brown at anne.brown@americanbar.org .
100 years after the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote in the United States, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge M. Margaret McKeown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit discussed that watershed moment and the continued fight for equal rights for women that has followed. Interested in using clips from our Conversations with Justice Ginsburg during your 19th Amendment celebration? Visit C-SPAN’s video library and use their clipping service to find the perfect clip for your needs.
Visit - C-Span Video LibraryThis free streaming excerpt from this CLE panel discussion uses the Centennial as point of entry to explore the legacies of the Amendment and engage in a provocative conversation about how to ensure full and equal exercise of the right to vote for all.
A conversation on the history of suffrage with IOP Fall 2019 Resident Fellow LaTosha Brown, League of Women Voters of the United States Virginia Kase, former Dean of Stanford Law Kathleen Sullivan, moderated by Harvard Kennedy School’s Sarah Wald.
View a timeline of important dates in the journey to 19th Amendment.
Following along with us throughout the year as the ABA and various organizations celebrate the Centennial of the 19th Amendment. Let us know if you have events we can add and spotlight!
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Learn about the various happenings of the 19th Amendment Commission by following our news coverage.
This On Demand CLE panel discussion uses the Centennial as point of entry to explore the legacies of the Amendment and engage in a provocative conversation about how to ensure full and equal exercise of the right to vote for all.
Public Square Media offers this independently produced short-video feature exploring barriers to accessing the polls. The video is available for organizational use, free of charge; for more information, please contact Judy Doctoroff (doctor@publicsquaremedia.org) of Public Square Media.
Let us know about your events, programs and initiatives to celebrate the 19th Amendment. The ABA will spotlight programs and resources and make connections between organizations across the country.
Following in the footsteps of suffragists who created "study clubs" the Alabama Bar Association has pulled together a bibliography of books, songs and movies for reading and discussion. Thanks to Sandy Reiss and the Alabama Bar Association!
