Women's Suffrage In Tennessee

Taking a Stand for Women in Tennessee

Insert historical context here!!!! The United States, despite being a culturally forward nation now, was the twenty-seventh county to give women the right to vote. Women’s suffrage was an important step forward for the Equal Rights movement in both Tennessee and America because there was an incredible amount of opposition overcome, men and women from all over the United States fought for it, and the amendment was passed because of Tennessee.

Many women were angered about not having the same rights that men had, way before suffrage was granted. The first public protest of gender inequality was in 1848 (Yellin and Sherman, 17), and by 1870, women in Tennessee began to show an interest in the right to vote

The people working towards gaining suffrage not only had their own movement, but those in opposition to women 's suffrage had a movement of their own. The Anti-Suffragists, as they were called, chose a red rose as their symbol, saying that it symbolized the American family (Christian, B-1). They also organized themselves and formed the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage. It wasn 't difficult for people to oppose the idea of suffrage for women, because at the time, it seemed like an incredibly outlandish idea. Although the Anti-Suffrage movement was strong, the Suffrage movement was stronger. They had many activists, all over the state. Anne Dallas Dudley marched in suffrage parades with her husband’s approval and encouragement (Yellin and Sherman, 84). She once said, “A woman 's home will be the whole world” (Bergeron, Ash, and Keith, 229). Another Tennessee activist was Lizzie Crozier French; she enjoyed travelling, and her travels introduced to her to feminist ideas (Tumblin, A-2). She said, “As soon as you marry a man, he has control of all your real estate, rents, and all, and he has your personal property,” (Lakin). She also made another statement that still reigns true today, “We don’t ask that women shall have more rights, we just ask that they shall be equal. One of the very important parts of the Women’s Rights movement was suffrage clubs. The NWSA and the AWSA were two of the suffrage associations (Bergeron, Ash, and Keith, 227). The NWSA wanted a

It was because of one man, Harry Burn, that women of the U.S. gained the right to vote. Burn was one of the youngest members of the state legislature (Cohen). Harry Burn was known to be an anti-suffragist, but because of a simple note from his mother, the Nineteenth Amendment to our Constitution was ratified (Cohen). Before Burn shared his vote, there was a 48 to 48 tie (Cohen). Because of this, suffragists were very disapointed. The one man left to cast his vote, had fallen into the Anti-Suffragist category, until now (Cohen). Harry Burn stepped up to give his vote, and surprisingly said, “Aye” (Cohen). Harry Burn had promised his mother, who had sent him a letter, that he would vote in favor of suffrage (Wheeler, 64). He once stated, “I know that a mother’s advice is always safest for a boy to follow,” (Christian,