The Declaration of Independence specifies that "all men are created equal," which sowed the seeds for the women's suffrage movement in the United States.

 

Women's Equality Day commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, granting women the right to vote. While it was approved on August 18, 1920, it was not officially certified until August 26, 1920, by US Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby. This was at the peak of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women with formal beginnings in 1848 at the world's first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York.

 

Before the 19th Amendment, women of the United States were treated as second-class citizens. They were not entitled to full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which were available to male citizens of the United States.

 

The suffrage movement slowed during World War I, but women continued to assert their status as full and independent members of society. Since 1878, a women's suffrage amendment had been proposed each year in Congress. In 1919, the suffrage movement had finally gained enough support, and Congress, grateful for women's help during the war, passed the 19th Amendment, thus starting the ratification process. With these words, Congress, at last, removed the legal bar to women's right to vote:

 

 

Observance of Women's Equality Day doesn't just commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment, but this day also calls attention to women's ongoing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, organizations, and public facilities now participate in Women's Equality Day by hosting programs, displays, video showings, or other activities throughout the day.

 

This August 26, show your support for women's rights by encouraging more opportunities for women, aiding a cause like Women Helping Women, or learning more about the history of women's equality through videos like TIME's Celebrating Women's Equality Day on YouTube.

 

Questions? Email diversity@trihealth.com.