Stanford University and the Women’s Suffrage Movement
On this day, 100 years ago, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified, which provided some women the right to vote. The process that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment can provide historical context for the voting and women’s rights issues that are still at the forefront of American politics today. Although it took until 1920 for the 19th Amendment to be ratified, states like California were attempting to pass women’s suffrage laws beginning in the 1890s. In 1911, Californians finally passed a referendum granting women the right to vote in the state. With the suffrage movement making headway in California politics, Stanford University also felt the stirrings of the movement on campus.
