Important Anniversaries In Our Nation's History In August [Monday Memo]

Last week we saw two very important anniversaries in our nation’s history that have impacted our lives today.

Voting Rights

August 26th marked the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote.

2020 Women’s Vote Centennial Initiative

However, despite this initiative aimed to make voting accessible to everyone, loopholes and laws that are now deemed to be discriminatory prevented fair voting accessibility to black women and other non-whites.

‘It’s a Struggle The Will Wage Alone’ How Black Women Won the Right to Vote | Time Magazine

Yes, Women Could Vote After the 19th Amendment--But Not All Women. Or Men. | NPR

Further listening:

Into Black Women and the 19th Amendment | Into America Podcast – Ep. 58 | NBC News and MSNBC

Civil Rights

August 28th was the 57th anniversary of the famous March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream” speech.

5 things you didn’t know about the March on Washington and MLK’s ‘I have a dream’ speech | USA Today

15 Black Women Civil Rights Leaders You May Not Have Heard Of | GoodNet

Further viewing:

10 “Must Watch” Black History Documentaries

Watch Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin