"IT WAS A REPUBLICAN FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF EAST TENNESSEE WHO MADE NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE POSSIBLE"

SUPPORTERS OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE WORK TO PRESERVE RATIFICATION

Nashville, Tennessee (JFK+50) On the day following ratification of the Susan B. Anthony Amendment giving women the vote, supporters did not leave town.  They wanted to be sure that ratification stood.  A two-day window of opportunity to revoke ratification in the Tennessee House of Representatives existed.

David Dismore says that the suffragists "kept company with every house member," took them to lunch, on country drives, and to the movies.  Fortunately, no threat to revocation materialized.

Meanwhile, Representative Harry Burn, whose surprising "aye" vote put the amendment through, was besieged with honors and praise by the suffragists and charges of bribery by anti-suffragists.

Mr. Burn made public the reason for his vote.  He said...

"I desired that my party might say that it was a Republican from the mountains of East Tennessee who made national woman suffrage possible."

SOURCE

"August 19, 1920," by David Dismore, Turning Point, Suffragist Memorial, www.suffragistmemorial.org/ 

  

Alice Paul Toasts

Passage of 19th Amendment

September 3 1920

Photo by Harris & Ewing, Inc.

Library of Congress Image 

ONE MORE PERSON DOING THE RIGHT THING CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

RIGHT TO VOTE EXTENDED TO 27  MILLION AMERICAN WOMEN

Nashville, Tennessee (JFK+50) On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth and deciding state to ratify the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.  The United States Constitution requires two-thirds of the states to ratify a proposed amendment before it can become law.  The 19th Amendment* was formally adopted by the proclamation of Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby on August 26, 1920.

With one vote to be cast on August 18, 1920, passage in the Tennessee legislature was deadlocked.  Up stepped one congressman, the youngest in the chamber, 24 year old Harry T. Burn** of East Tennessee.  His single vote enfranchised 27 million American women.

Later, Burn explained the reason for his vote.  He carried a letter he had received before the voting from his mother Febb Burn***.  She had advised him to vote for woman suffrage.  

The letter read as follows...

"Dear Son,

...Hurrah and vote for suffrage and don't keep them in doubt.  I've been watching to see how you stood but have not seen anything yet..don't forget to be a good boy and help.....

With Lots of Love, Mama."

According to the Burns Memorial in downtown Knoxville, the governor called in the National Guard to protect Harry Burns after his vote and a grand jury was convened to "investigate the motive for his last minute change of vote."

Words on one side of the Burns Memorial reads that it stands as a reminder:

"EVERY VOTE COUNTS, EVERY LETTER OR PHONE CALL COUNTS, ONE MORE PERSON DOING THE RIGHT THING CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE."

*19th Amendment (1920) The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.

**Harry T. Burn (1895-1977) was born in Niota, TN & served in the TN House of Representatives 1918-1922 & TN Senate 1948-1952.

***Febb Ensminger Burn (1873-1945) graduated from U.S. Grant University (TN Wesleyan) & became a teacher.  

SOURCES

"Burn Memorial", Suffrage Coalition, www.suffragecoalition.org/

"The Burn Memorial", Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Burn Memorial
Knoxville, Tennessee
Photos by John White 
August 18 2018