PRESS STATEMENT
MICHAEL R. POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE
AUGUST 26, 2020
One hundred years ago, American women braved censure, repudiation, and imprisonment to devote themselves to a simple cause: that women should have the right to vote and help build the foundation of representative government by and for the People. Through their perseverance and resolve, these fearless women campaigned in the streets, petitioned the government, and rallied a nation behind them, demanding that the blessings of liberty be extended to them. The 19th Amendment – a mere twenty-seven words – resulted in monumental change for women and moved our nation closer to the realization of America’s founding ideals.
On this 100th Anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, the United States stands for, and with, the women of the world. While the 19th Amendment did not mark the end of the American suffragettes’ efforts to bring about political equality for all Americans, their words, actions, and spirit have echoed through the past century as women from all backgrounds and walks of life have risen up to affirm the universal belief that “all men and women” are created equal.
