{"id":25040,"date":"2019-11-19T15:30:15","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T15:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cforbesinc.com\/?p=25040"},"modified":"2026-02-11T19:53:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T19:53:00","slug":"womens-suffrage-in-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cforbesinc.com\/?p=25040","title":{"rendered":"Women’s Suffrage In Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rally at Capitol Square, 1915 – Public Domain<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While a woman’s right to vote officially became the law of the land in 1920, legislators here in Virginia didn’t exactly race into the streets to celebrate. The newly-ratified 19th Amendment, which had the backing of 40 states in 1920, officially got the backing of Virginia’s General Assembly…in 1952.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, 32 years after women first had the green light to enter the ballot box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WomensVote100.shop<\/a> \u2013 Celebrate the 2020 centennial of the 19th Amendment by supporting the work of WomensVote100.org<\/a>. The shop opens Friday, Nov. 29, 2019.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Women’s Suffrage event flyer – 1914 – Public Domain<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps elected officials in Virginia were clinging to the words of local lawyer Conway Whittle Sams, who in 1913 called the women’s suffrage movement a “craze.” In any event, Virginia became one of nine Southern states that would not ratify the 19th when it was first able to do so. After voting against ratification, Virginia’s House of Delegates passed a resolution calling the 19th “unwarranted, unnecessary, undemocratic, and dangerous.” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lila Meade Valentine – Notable Virginian and suffragist.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The legislators’ stubbornness has absolutely zero impact on voting in the Commonwealth. Women were busy ignoring the General Assembly and getting involved in politics. Here are some of political and social milestones they achieved before Virginia’s legislature got around to ratifying the 19th:<\/p>\n\n\n\n