- Women's Equality Day
Infobox Holiday |
holiday_name=Women's Equality Day
observedby=United States
date=August 26
type=Historical
significance=Anniversary of 19th Amendment giving women the right to voteWomen in the
United States were given the right to vote onAugust 26 ,1920 when the 19th amendment to theUnited States Constitution was signed. The amendment was first introduced many years earlier in 1878. Every president has published a proclamation for Women's Equality Day since1971 when legislation was first introduced in Congress byBella Abzug . This resolution was passed designating August 26 of each year as Women's Equality Day.Full text of resolution
Joint Resolution of Congress, 1971Designating August 26th 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 26th, the anniversary date of the passage 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.
ee also
*
Women's Suffrage
*19th Amendment
*Timeline of women's suffrage External links
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/08/20080825-1.html White House Proclamation - Women's Equality Day, 2008]
* [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/amendment_19/ National Archives - 19th Amendment]
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