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Women's Suffrage Centennial

Background

100 years ago, Tennessee became the last state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920, followed by a proclamation declaring the 19th Amendment ratified and part of the US Constitution on August 26, 1920, "forever protecting American women's right to vote." However, the fight for women's suffrage was not over: it wasn't until the 1965 Voting Rights Act that all women (and men) had the right to vote. Moreover, the history of the suffrage movement (like the history of the census) is fraught with racism--from the white women who excluded people of color from the movement, to the women we choose to highlight as "suffragettes" in our history books today. We see this racist history come into play today as we continue the struggle for equality in the voting booth and in the census. And a 2020 Census undercount today means our representation in Congress--and the power of our vote--will be diminished for the next 10 years. (For more information on the racist history of the suffrage movement, please see this discussion guide.)

The women's suffrage centennial offers a rallying cry to exercise our rights and fight for the resources we deserve so we can continue the struggle for equality. For a better, more inclusive, and more feminist future for NYC, we need to make sure every New Yorker is counted. Please share the below graphic series on your social media channel to raise awareness about this history and the importance of being counted today.

Graphics

Graphic has a winding road in the background with black and white images of four leaders during the suffrage movement: Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Mary Church Terrell, Ida B. Wells, and Zitkala-Sa. Text reads: For many women, 100 years ago, the barriers were lifted on the road to voting. But for many Black women, indigenous women, and women of color, it would take 50 more years for the right to vote to be fully realized.
Graphic has a black and white image of Shirley Chisholm as a census taker with an NAACP suffrage campaign slogan stating: Lifting as we climb. Text reads: Many women led the charge in demanding the right to vote—and in ensuring a complete census count. Like the history of the census, the suffrage movement has a racist past—but the census and the ballot are now tools women are using to reclaim their power.
Text reads: The census determines 1. the number of seats our community has in Congress, 2. the size and shape of our local election districts, and 3. funding for critical federal programs. When we are undercounted, our communities are underfunded and underrepresented--and the power of our vote is diminished.
A black and white photo of women's suffrage marchers holding a banner that has been edited to say: Ends Sept. 30, my2020census.gov. Text states: As we remember the long road to suffrage for all women--which began, but did not end, 100 years ago--we cannot forget the importance of completing the 2020 Census in honoring that legacy.

Graphics can be downloaded here:

Sample Posts

  1. As we remember the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage, let's fight for one of the most important civil rights issues of our time: the #2020Census.

    My2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC #2020Centennial #DemocracyNYC

  2. There is so much at stake for NYC in the #2020Census — including our representation in government.

    As we remember the centennial of women's suffrage, help make sure our voices are heard so we can thrive for the next decade. My2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC #2020Centennial #DemocracyNYC

  3. For too long, Black women were left out of the vote.

    Today, Black New Yorkers are still being undercounted in the census — and it's left our communities underfunded & underrepresented.

    The census is our chance to get it right: My2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC #DemocracyNYC

  4. NYC women deserve to have their voices represented in government.

    But if we're not all counted in the #2020Census, we stand to lose the representation we deserve.

    This #2020Centennial, let's continue the fight for equal rights by getting counted! My2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC #DemocracyNYC

  5. As we reflect on women's suffrage, remember that the fight for equality didn't end 100 years ago—and still isn't over.

    When we're undercounted in the #2020Census, we lose out on the resources & political power we deserve. Fill it out now: my2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC

  6. As we fight on for justice, equity, and for what is rightfully ours, we cannot forget that the 2020 Census is central to this fight.

    When we're undercounted, we're left underfunded & underrepresented.

    Fill it out now: My2020census.gov #GetCountedNYC #DemocracyNYC