It’s always irked me a little that North Carolina waited until 1971 to finally endorse the 19th Amendment, an act Congress authorized in 1920 to give all women the right to vote. I can hardly express my joy, however, at being invited to unveil a historical marker recognizing the landmark legislation Monday afternoon in the State Capitol.
Joined by several N.C. Council for Women staff and board members, I was proud to stand with Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle; Dr. Jerry Cashion, chairman of the N.C. Historical Commission; and Harry Harrison chairman of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, for the unveiling of plaques in the west wing of the Capitol that celebrate the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments.
As Dr. Cashion astutely observed, they address “glaring omissions” in recognizing the contributions of our state’s diverse citizenry.
While North Carolina missed its chance to be the state that officially ratified the 19th amendment – that honor belongs to Tennessee – we now have a terrific reason to celebrate both the struggle for equality and the extraordinary contributions of female voters and elected officials in our state.
(From left) Harry Harrison, chairman of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission; Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle, Dr. Jerry Cashion, chairman of the N.C. Historical Commission and Jill Dinwiddie.
