War of the Roses
On this date 90 years ago, the Volunteer State of Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. After more than 100 years of pain and effort, the United States Congress had proposed the amendment for female suffrage on June 4, 1919, but it required a minimum of thirty-six states for ratification to become the law of the land.
By the summer of 1920, out of forth-eight states – thirty-five of them had ratified the amendment and three other states refused to hold a special legislative session to vote on the issue. But, Tennessee stepped up and volunteered to hold their special session in August 1920. That Tennessee special session on August 18, 1920 would forever be known as the War of the Roses. Yellow roses were the color of choice for Suffragists and their supporters while the red roses were the choice of Anti-Suffragists. The legislature was in full bloom that day with each legislator "showing his colors" by wearing the rose of choice on their lapel.
It was on that hot August day in the Tennessee legislative chamber that one courageous man, Harry Burn, with a bright red rose on his lapel changed his vote because of a note from his elderly mother and his vote of "yea" meant a wrap of the ratification process of the 19th amendment. Women of the United States would now have the constitutional right to vote. Harry Burn was rewarded for this courage with an angry mob of his outraged Tennessee legislators. Burn had to escape out a 3rd floor window to save himself.
With wilted collars and frayed nerves, the legislators squared off for the third roll call. A blatant red rose on his breast, Harry Burn--the youngest member of the legislature--suddenly broke the deadlock. Despite his red rose, he voted in favor of the bill and the house erupted into pandemonium. With his "yea," Burn had delivered universal suffrage to all American women. The outraged opponents to the bill began chasing Representative Burn around the room. In order to escape the angry mob, Burn climbed out one of the third-floor windows of the Capitol. Making his way along a ledge, he was able to save himself by hiding in the Capitol attic.
The history leading to this historic vote was sordid. From Frederick Douglass’ support to the Silent Sentinels who were jailed, beaten and abused for Freedom, the fight for suffrage continued unabated until Harry Burn, a "good Tennessee boy," listened to his mother and that arc of justice bent ever more toward freedom as universal suffrage was finally delivered to US women.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again.
--Sojourner Truth
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Here’s signing off with the Red-to-Blue Community Quilt Fundraiser for Jack Conway.
Red-to-Blue Community Quilt Fundraiser for Jack Conway |
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Now it’s on to the TOP COMMENTS OF THE DAY submitted from our Kossack readers today in the Top Comments mailbox... TYVM to everyone who sent these excellent comments!
From carolita:
gotgat54 sends a mash note to Rachel Maddow on the occasion of her winning the Cronkite Award.
From Julie Gulden:
Muzical203 summed it up with this Richard Engle quote. Emotional moment for most of us. From joanneleon's Last combat troops Leaving Iraq in Convoy diary.
From Jill Richardson:
ontheleftcoast creates a new phrase crass roots movement in Jill Richardson's diary Wanted: Evangelical Homophobes with their Heads up their Asses.
From bronte17 (tonight’s diarist):
Magnifico provides an example of responsible ownership of a nation's oil profits in gjohnsit's diary When Banking Laws are for Breaking.
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