August 26, 2020 – Washington Co., WI – There was a large gathering outside on Veteran’s Plaza on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 as officials from Washington County gathered to honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment which granted women the right to vote.
Former State Assembly Majority Leader Pat Strachota was the guest speaker.
Segments of Strachota’s speech, Women Suffrage Centennial Speech, are below.
“It was August 26, 1920 that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, was finally ratified.
One hundred years ago the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stated: The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
This Amendment codified in law, for the first time that women, like men deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and this still holds true today.
Whistles and bells rang out in cities all across America acknowledging this historic day.
“Susan B. Anthony, is probably the best known suffragette. She was recruited by Elizabeth Stanton to travel and give many forceful speeches including her famous quote, “Failure is impossible” as well as this excerpt from her best known speech after her arrest for casting an illegal vote in the presidential election of 1872.
And I quote, “It was we, the people, not we, the white male citizen, nor yet we the male citizen; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them, not to be the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people – women as well as men. And it is downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them, provided by this democratic-republican government – the ballot.”
These were powerful words by a lady who was small in stature but large in her thinking.
A depth of gratitude is owed to these women and all the suffragists who were willing to voice their opinions, sacrifice their time and dedicate their lives so women could have the right to vote and participate in forming their government and communities.”
