Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community…Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” --Cesar Chavez César Chávez (1927-1993), civil rights activist, was born March 31, 1927 . The following are some links to learn more: United Farm Works biography of Cesar Chavez Cesar Chavez Foundation biography of Cesar Chavez Encyclopedia Brittanica biography of Cesar Chavez California Museum biography of Cesar Chavez New York Times obituary of Cesar Chavez Scholastic biography of Cesar Chavez This blog post is part of an ongoing series of "this date in history" blog posts that highlight some of the people and events of voting rights history. Links provide an opportunity for students and teachers to explore and learn more.

The Twenty-Third Amendment , proposed by Congress June 16, 1960 and ratified March 29, 1961 , gave residents of Washington DC the right to vote for president and vice president. The amendment did not address other issues of representation for Washington DC resident. Residents of Washington DC do not have representation in the U.S. Senate, and their representation in the U.S. House is a non-voting delegate. National Museum of American History article about the 23rd Amendment National Constitution Center article about the 23rd Amendment Time Magazine brief article about the passage of the 23rd Amendment Washington Post perspective piece by Kyla Sommers about DC Statehood "The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in n...

"We are working all together, and we want the legislature to know this." --Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett (1861-1929), suffragist and founder of the National Women’s Equal Suffrage Association of Hawai’i, was born March 28, 1861 . The following are some links to learn more: National Park Service biography of Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowset t LWV  article about Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett Brandywine River Museum of Art "Hidden Figures of the Suffrage Movement" exhibit Teen Vogue article about Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett Smithsonian Magazine article about the impact of the 19th Amendment on the status and role of women in Hawai’i This blog post is part of an ongoing series of "this date in history" blog posts that highlight some of the people and events of voting rights history. Links provide an opportunity for students and teachers to explore and learn...

"The women of today are the thoughts of their mothers and grandmothers, embodied and made alive. They are active, capable, determined and bound to win. They have one-thousand generations back of them… Millions of women dead and gone are speaking through us today." --Matilda Joslyn Gage Matilda Joslyn Gage (1826-1898), abolitionist and suffragist, was born March 24, 1826 . The following are some links to learn more: National Park Service biography of Matilda Joslyn Gage National Women's Hall of Fame entry about Matilda Joslyn Gage Encyclopedia Brittanica article about Matilda Joslyn Gage Article about Matilda Joslyn Gage's place in history This blog post is part of an ongoing series of "this date in history" blog posts that highlight some of the people and events of voting rights history. Links provide an opportunity for students and teachers to explore and learn more.

“…There was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home, after all, was down in Maryland, because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.” --Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (c. 1820-1913), abolitionist and suffragist, was born around the year 1820 and died March 10, 1913 .  Harriet Tubman Day is observed on March 10.  The following are some links to learn more: National Women's History Museum biography of Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway fact sheet on Harriet Tubman Encyclopedia Brittanica article about Harriet Tubman PBS listing of facts about Harriet Tubman Time Magazine timeline of the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman Zinn Education Project article about Black abolitionists, including Harriet Tubman This blog post is part of an ongoing series of "this date in history" blog posts that highlight some of the people and events o...