Program

National Votes for Women Trail

Subject

Event, Government

Location

100 S River Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, USA

Lat/Long

30.446611, -91.190002

Grant Recipient

National Collaborative for Women's History Sites

In the summer of 1920, the Louisiana State Legislature met at the state capital in Baton Rouge and debated the topic of federal and state suffrage amendments, which would grant women the right to vote. The suffrage movement in Louisiana faced significant resistance including opposition from both the state legislature and anti-suffragists. Despite this, in June of 1920 the Louisiana House of Representatives voted in favor of an amendment. The June 2, 1920 edition of the State Times Advocate reported:

By a vote of 93 to 17 the house of representatives at noon Wednesday passed the proposed amendment to the state constitution, giving the right of suffrage to the women of Louisiana by state enactment.

While state representatives voted in favor of suffrage, it was defeated by the State Senate. Undeterred, suffragists held a public rally in support of the 19th Amendment. It was described in the June 29, 1920 edition of the State Times:

A Grand pageant will be staged on the state house grounds this afternoon at 6 o’clock, under the supervision of Miss Myers of the Woman’s suffrage party and the public is cordially invited. Children form different schools will take part. Carrying appropriate banners with attractive inscriptions the babies will also carry banners with the inscription “Give our mothers the ballot. It means better babies.”

While a suffrage amendment to the Louisiana State Constitution was not successful, the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate and was subsequently sent to the states for ratification. In July 1920 the proposed amendment reached Louisiana, however state legislature failed to ratify the amendment. Just one month later, on August 18,1920, the 19th Amendment was successfully ratified and added to the U.S. Constitution, giving women across the United States the right to vote.