WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY 26 August 2023 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY 26 August 2023 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
(if you google "Women's Equality Day images", there are many great ones, which I could not link here)
The History of Women’s Equality Day
At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971 and passed in 1973, the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, libraries, organizations, and public facilities now participate with Women’s Equality Day programs, displays, video showings, or other activities.
Joint Resolution of Congress, 1971 Designating August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day
WHEREAS, the women of the United States have been treated as second-class citizens and have not been entitled the full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which are available to male citizens of the United States;
and WHEREAS, the women of the United States have united to assure that these rights and privileges are available to all citizens equally regardless of sex;
and WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated August 26, the anniversary date of the certification of the Nineteenth Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights;
and WHEREAS, the women of United States are to be commended and supported in their organizations and activities,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that August 26th of each year is designated as Women’s Equality Day, and the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote, and that day in 1970, on which a nationwide demonstration for women’s rights took place.
https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/resources/commemorations/womens-equality-day/
Women's Equality Day
Significance Anniversary of 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote
Date August 26
Nancy Pelosi, Anna Eshoo, Barbara Lee and Jackie Speier on the 96th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, when women won the right to vote.
Women's Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26 to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment (Amendment XIX) to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. It was first celebrated in 1971, designated by Congress in 1973, and is proclaimed each year by the United States President.
History
The date was chosen to commemorate the day in 1920 when the Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation granting American women the constitutional right to vote.[1] In 1971, following the 1970 nationwide Women's Strike for Equality,[2] and again in 1973, as the battles over the Equal Rights Amendment continued, Congresswoman Bella Abzug of New York introduced a resolution to designate August 26 as Women's Equality Day.[3]
In 1972, President Richard Nixon issued Proclamation 4147, which designated August 26, 1972, as "Women's Rights Day" and was the first official proclamation of Women's Equality Day.[4] On August 16, 1973, Congress approved H.J. Res. 52, which stated that August 26 would be designated as Women's Equality Day and that "the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation in commemoration of that day in 1920 on which the women in America were first guaranteed the right to vote".[5] The same day, President Nixon issued Proclamation 4236 for Women's Equality Day, which began, in part: "The struggle for women's suffrage, however, was only the first step toward full and equal participation of women in our Nation's life. In recent years, we have made other giant strides by attacking sex discrimination through our laws and by paving new avenues to equal economic opportunity for women. Today, in virtually every sector of our society, women are making important contributions to the quality of American life. And yet, much still remains to be done".[6]
As of 2021, every president since Richard Nixon has issued a proclamation each year designating August 26 as Women's Equality Day.[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Equality_Day
Women’s Equality Day 2023: HHBN, ARSOUTH All-Female Command Team Speaks on Inclusion and Equity
Photo By Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Reed-Cox | Maj. Elizabeth Gomez, Lt. Col. Michelle Martinez, and Command Sgt. Maj. Deitra Alam,...
FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES
08.26.2023
Story by Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Reed-Cox
U.S. Army South
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas – “We use this day to appreciate where we’ve come from and re-dedicate ourselves to continuing our commitment to ensuring all women are able to live freely and enjoy the same liberties as anyone else.” These were the words Command Sgt. Maj. Deitra Alam, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, U.S. Army South Command Sgt. Maj., used to explain what Women’s Equality Day means to her. “It is a day to reflect and celebrate the progress women have made in the United States toward equality,” Alam explains.
Today, Aug. 26, 2023, marks the 52nd commemoration of Women’s Equality Day and the 103rd anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement’s greatest victory in the fight for gender equality—granting women the right to vote following the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Women’s Equality Day has grown to mean much more than just sharing the right to vote. It has expanded to reflect upon and honor the progress that has been made towards gender equality. It also celebrates the voices and accomplishments of all women – past, present, and future.
“I’ve made a difference in the Army by displaying to my peers, seniors and subordinates that we are not limited by our gender or our backgrounds,” said Lt. Col. Michelle Martinez, the commander of HHBN, U.S. Army South. “I have been committed to demonstrating that women are equal contributors to our Army teams and showing that the perspective women provide enables us to be force multipliers.”
It is fair to say that a stride towards equality more than a 100 years ago serves as a catalyst for diversity and inclusion agendas across wide-ranging segments of the Army today. Martinez and Alam, alongside Maj. Elizabeth Gomez, make up the all-female command team for HHBN, U.S. Army South. “My goal is to continue to try to make it easier for younger women to know they are free to be themselves, work hard, and to let their voices be heard,” said Martinez.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/452215/womens-equality-day-2023-hhbn-arsouth-all-female-command-team-speaks-inclusion-and-equity
OPINION: Reclaiming Women’s Equality Day
By Barbara Hood
Updated: 1 day ago Published: 1 day ago
. . . .
Yet I’ve never celebrated National Dog Day on Aug. 26 and never will. To me, the date will always be Women’s Equality Day — the date in 1920 when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was certified, granting most women in the U.S. the right to vote. In 1973, Congress officially designated Aug. 26 as Women’s Equality Day to honor the anniversary of women’s suffrage and the dawning of the modern women’s rights movement. Every U.S. president since has issued proclamations recognizing the date.
American women struggled long and hard, and suffered through many setbacks, to achieve the right to take part in our democracy. I have the full life that I have — one I’ve had the freedom to steer and shape myself — because of their courage, persistence, and tireless work. It’s hard to imagine today, but there was a time not so long ago when a woman could be ostracized for speaking in public. Or wearing her skirt above the ankle. Or seeking any life for herself outside the home. Those who fought to end this oppression faced hostility and contempt — even violence — and many were jailed for their peaceful protests. The effort took decades, and success was hard-fought and never inevitable. For non-white women, the challenge continued well beyond 1920. Native American women were not enfranchised until 1924, with the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, and Black women did not effectively gain the vote until 1965, when the Voting Rights Act barred discrimination at the polls. The 19th Amendment was only the beginning of the enactments to secure women’s full enfranchisement, but without it all American women might still be on the sidelines of public life.
There is no national holiday in the U.S. that honors the achievements of women, or any individual woman, and efforts to recognize notable women with national observance days have failed to gain traction. While the United Nations endorses International Women’s Day on March 8 as a time to celebrate women’s rights, this date has never been officially adopted in this country. In 1987, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month to commemorate women’s contributions and achievements in a variety of fields. But Women’s Equality Day is the only day officially dedicated to the 19th Amendment and the sacrifices and struggles that have steadily broadened women’s freedoms.
Like many national observances that are memorialized by Congress and proclaimed by the President each year, Women’s Equality Day comes with no built-in celebration. National, state and local governments and organizations can treat the observance as they see fit, by elevating it or brushing it aside. Key groups like the National Women’s History Alliance help sponsor commemorative activities across the country, and some have campaigned to make it a national holiday. But Women’s Equality Day is not on most Americans’ radar. Even the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2020 passed with little fanfare, overshadowed by the pandemic and a general lack of awareness.
Today women enjoy rights and privileges that our mothers and grandmothers hardly could have imagined. The past teaches us that these advancements didn’t just materialize but were gained through the vision and tenacity of generations before us. The past also teaches us that complacency about our rights and privileges lays the groundwork for their erosion. In these times when women’s rights remain under attack both at home and abroad, it’s more important than ever to understand what women stand to lose if we forget our history. Women’s Equality Day offers a valuable opportunity to acknowledge both how far women have come on the road to equality and how far remains to be traveled. This Aug. 26, I plan to remember and honor — with deep gratitude — those who secured my right to vote and those who continue to champion my freedom. And all those adorable dogs on my social media feed? I’ll “like” them on Aug. 27.
https://www.adn.com/opinions/2023/08/24/opinion-reclaiming-womens-equality-day/