Michelle Obama Honors the Centennial Anniversary of the 19th Amendment
On August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, guaranteeing that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." The battle waged by the Suffragettes for a woman's right to enter the polling booth had finally been won, it seemed. Still, it would be decades before this enfranchisement was also granted to Black women and women of color.
Continued organizing and activism pushed for a democracy that included all races and genders—and the fight continues today, one hundred years after the historic amendment's ratification.
In an exclusive video for Harper's BAZAAR, former First Lady Michelle Obama connects the dots between this momentous occasion in history and the ongoing struggles of our current time.
"It took decades of marching, organizing, and standing up to folks who thought that democracy should be of, by, and for only some of the people," says Obama. "And then we had to fight for decades more to ensure that women of color could cast their ballots as well. These victories were hard won. But the struggle was worth it, because our foremothers knew that our vote is our voice. It gives us the power to determine the course of our lives and the direction of our country. And this year in this election, we cannot take that power for granted."
Obama launched her nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, When We All Vote, in 2018 to increase participation in every election by organizing registration events across the country. In the video, she also talks about the record-breaking turnout from the midterm elections that same year.
"In 2018, women showed up to the polls in a major way," she says, adding that she wants everyone to keep up the momentum. "We all know that some people out there are just hoping that we decide to give up our power and stay home on Election Day. But we can't let that happen. Not this year, not any year. We owe it to ourselves, and to our kids and grandkids, to make our voices heard. That's what our mothers and grandmothers did for us. And now it's our turn."
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