The American Bar Association will mark the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, with a special commemorative program on Monday. “The Great Unfinished Fight: A Conversation on the History and Legacy of the 19th Amendment” will be offered virtually from 11 a.m. to noon CDT. The program will feature Judge M. Margaret McKeown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and chair of the ABA’s Commission on the 19th Amendment, and Elaine Weiss, author of “The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote.” After the program, the commission will launch its #19for19th challenge to encourage individuals and organizations to put the legacies of the 19th Amendment into action. The event is free but registration is required.

When the 19th Amendment was ratified, cities around the country rang bells in celebration. Nashville, however, did not. Now, 100 years later, the Nashville Public Library’s “I Ring the Bell” campaign today invited everyone to create a video of themselves ringing bells and explaining why they were doing so. Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate joined in the celebration, ringing a bell outside the Tennessee Supreme Court Building. Additional events and celebrations taking place to commemorate the 19th Amendment’s centennial included the Tennessee House of Representatives’ reenactment of the historic vote on the House floor and the Tennessee State Museum’s Lunch & Learn on the fight for the right to vote, which is scheduled for tomorrow at noon to 1 p.m. CDT. An overview of all these events and more can be found on the Tennessee State Courts website. A round-up of commemorative events around the state is also available from the TBA.

On Aug. 18, 1920, Woodrow Wilson was in the Oval Office, Prohibition was in full swing and the dramatic conclusion of the fight to ensure a woman’s right to vote was unfolding right here in Tennessee. Thirty-five states had voted in support of the 19th Amendment, but the approval of 36 was needed to ratify. Seventy years of the Suffrage movement’s efforts all came down to one vote from one male legislator in Tennessee. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this historical vote, award-winning journalist and author Elaine Weiss joined the Sidebar podcast to talk about her book "The Woman’s Hour," which tells the story of Tennessee’s role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, and to discuss her research and passion behind the project. You can also watch a rebroadcast of Weiss’s full presentation from the TBA’s 2020 Virtual Convention by registering here. 

Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the Tennessee legislature’s vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. As the 36th state to ratify the amendment, Tennessee put the vote for suffrage over the top. To mark this special day, the TBA is offering a one-hour CLE webcast at noon CDT with historian and author Elaine Weiss, who has focused her most recent work on the role of Tennessee in the suffrage fight. The TBA also has created a resource page with information for those who would like to learn more about the suffrage movement and the role Tennessee played. And look for a special issue of TBJ Select tomorrow focused on the anniversary. The webpage also lists events taking place around the state to celebrate this historic moment. Read more about the brave suffragists and lawmakers from Tennessee in this piece from Knoxnews or this editorial by former TBA president Bill Haltom.

The TBA’s celebration of female leaders in the association continues with a look at two presidents who led the organization in the early 2000s. Chattanooga attorney Marcy Eason and Nashville attorney Gail Vaughn Ashworth both led strong initiatives and worked to celebrate the good works of Tennessee lawyers. Here are additional resources about the 100th Anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote in the United States. Each week during August we are featuring some of the women who have given their time and talents to lead the Tennessee Bar Association.

TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson will join a panel of legal leaders in the Knoxville Bar Association’s virtual event “The 19th Amendment at 100: Bold Women Change History” from noon to 1 p.m. EDT next Wednesday. The event will also feature Knox County District Attorney General Charme P. Allen, state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee, Avice Reid with the city of Knoxville, and Wanda Sobieski of Messer & Elledge. The discussion, which will be moderated by Cheryl G. Rice with Egerton McAfee Armistead & Davis, is part of the KBA’s Law Day celebration. Register at least one hour before the program begins to receive the Zoom link by email.

During the past three decades the Tennessee Bar Association has benefited from strong female leaders throughout the association — in sections, committees, the House of Delegates, Board of Governors and on specific issues and projects. This month we are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote in the United States. Each week we are featuring some of the women who have stepped forward to lead the Tennessee Bar Association. This week we begin with the first two women who served as TBA president — Pamela Reeves and Kathryn "Katie" Reed Edge.

The TBA will celebrate the upcoming 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage by examining Tennessee’s role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment. On Aug. 18 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT, catch a rebroadcast of a presentation from award-winning journalist and author Elaine Weiss, given during the TBA’s 2020 Virtual Convention. Weiss will take viewers through the story of Tennessee and its monumental role in the ratification of the 19th amendment during the centennial anniversary, honor the key players and celebrate this moment in history and its impact on the legal profession. Register for the program.

The Chattanooga Bar Association will hold its annual Law Day event virtually from the Tennessee State Capitol, the Hamilton Herald reports. The event, scheduled for Aug. 18, will honor the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and include a reenactment of the vote in Tennessee, a proclamation from area legislators and keynote speeches by Paula Casey, founder of the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Heritage Trail, and Chattanooga and Hamilton County historian Linda Moss Mines. In addition, Memphis attorney Bill Haltom will talk about his book Why Can't Mother Vote? and the association will present its 2020 Liberty Bell Award. The program will be live streamed beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT. To register for the event, email CBA Executive Director Lynda Hood.

The Knoxville Bar Association will host the 19th Amendment at 100: Bold Women Change History virtual program on Aug. 19 from 11 a.m. – noon CDT. The event features a panel of noteworthy female lawyers and lawmakers, including TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson, Knox County District Attorney General Charme P. Allen, State Sen. Becky Duncan, Justice Sharon G. Lee and Wanda Sobieski of Messer & Elledge. The panel is part of the KBA’s Law Day celebration and will focus on the history of the 19th Amendment, the contributions of trailblazing women and what happens when we break down barriers. Find out more and register online.