U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) assembled a special project for the Smithsonian Institution to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification giving women the right to vote.
They recruited 22 of their female colleagues to write essays about what the centennial means to them and the challenges they faced on their path to the U.S. Senate, Blackburn said in a press release. The exhibit is titled “Senators on Suffrage” and is available online here. It is part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s “Creating Icons: How We Remember Woman Suffrage” exhibit.
Once the national museum reopens, there will be an in-person component, Blackburn said.
Blackburn tweeted, “In honor of 100 years of women’s suffrage, @SenFeinstein and I collected essays from our female Senate colleagues for the @amhistorymuseum. In #SenatorsOnSuffrage, we reflect on what the 19th Amendment means to us.”
In honor of 100 years of women’s suffrage, @SenFeinstein and I collected essays from our female Senate colleagues for the @amhistorymuseum. In #SenatorsOnSuffrage, we reflect on what the 19th Amendment means to us. https://t.co/JcPin3AOqX
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 18, 2020
One hundred years ago on Tuesday, Tennessee became the “Perfect 36th” state to ratify the 19th Amendment. This achievement fulfilled more than 70 years of efforts by suffragists to enfranchise American women under the U.S. Constitution.
Blackburn’s contribution for the exhibit says:
As we contemplate the significance of this year’s centennial, I encourage America’s fathers, brothers, and husbands to remember that Catt and her fellow activists won the fight for the Nineteenth Amendment not because they were women, but because they were wickedly smart, and fierce advocates. They were worthy adversaries—but even worthier allies.
Blackburn’s full contribution is available here.
In related news, Blackburn and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on Aug. 5 helped dedicate the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville as a National Historic Landmark. The hotel was the headquarters of both the pro- and anti-suffrage forces as they lobbied state legislators.
Also, Blackburn said she shepherded the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act through Congress; it was signed by President Donald Trump at the end of last year. The U.S. Mint, therefore, began selling a silver dollar as of this week which reads “votes for women.”
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Please do what you can to be sure voters know that President Trump has done so much to speed vaccine response time and pulled in private companies to work with government . See article in WSJ on 8/19.
Empty Suit Blackburn strikes again. Hey Marsha, your time in the Senate would best be used solving current problems rather than than recognizing past problems that have already been solved. For the love of Pete…..DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE!