Female Suffrage

Did you know that tomorrow, August 26, is Women’s Equality Day? This observance, celebrated on August 26 of each year, was first dedicated by Congress in 1971 . The day is specifically meant to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 which gave women the right to vote nationally. Colorado was the second state (after Wyoming) to give women the right to vote. In 1893, the question of allowing female suffrage was placed on the ballot and passed with 55% in favor (all voters deciding on women’s fate being male, of course). Colorado was the first state to allow the people to vote on the question of women’s suffrage. The question that appeared on the ballot first had to pass the State Legislature as a referred measure; you can see a digitized copy of the original Legislative bill here. You can read more about the Colorado women’s suffrage movement in the books The Gospel of Progressivism and Honest John Shafroth, available from our library. (John Shafroth was a U.S. Congressman and Colorado Governor who fought for women’s suffrage).