Are you ready to get inspired? This year marks the 100th anniversary of Women’s Equality Day. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with media brand Fluence to amplify 100 unique voices with a full week of fun videos: some will feature famous historical figures, others will be Epic users like your kiddo. All deserve to be heard!
Read on to find out about the history of Women’s Equality Day, our lineup of videos and more resources on women’s suffrage and equality.
What is Women’s Equality Day?
It’s one of the most important days you’ve (probably) never heard of! Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. Until then, women had to stay on the sidelines as their fathers, brothers and sons cast their ballots and shaped our democracy.
Thankfully, brave suffragists like Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth (and so many others!) fought for change. They organized, petitioned and picketed for decades, and eventually, they succeeded. On August 18, 1920, states ratified the amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s constitutional right to vote.
While this was a major victory, and technically allowed all women to cast their ballots, many states still enforced restrictive laws that prevented black women from voting. It wasn’t until 1965, with the passage of the Voting Rights act, that voting rights of all women everywhere were protected.*
Women’s Equality Day is a chance to celebrate the achievements of women’s rights activists throughout history and to reflect on the challenges women still face today.
What’s Epic doing to celebrate?
For the next week, we’ll be partnering with Fluence to share fun videos, books, photos and stories, highlighting 100 unique voices, from quick history lessons to kid perspectives and more. Follow us on Instagram to catch the videos as they’re posted—we’ll also come back and add links to this blog post, so you can check them out anytime. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
Tuesday, August 18:
- When bikes were first invented, girls and women were discouraged from riding them. Why? Because of a made-up condition called “bicycle face.” Show us your bicycle face on Instagram and tag it #BicycleFace. Join the fun!
- Learn how Abigail Adams used the Declaration of Independence to argue for women’s rights.
Wednesday, August 19: Find out how Susan B. Anthony kept the fight going even after she was arrested for voting in a presidential election.
Thursday, August 20: Get to know Belva Lockwood, America’s first female attorney who worked to equalize pay for women in the workforce.
Friday, August 21: Meet Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an early leader in the women’s rights movement, and key organizer of the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York.
Saturday, August 22: Hear from the kids of Epic! They’re sharing their thoughts on equality, fairness and being heard.
Sunday, August 23: Get inspired by Sojourner Truth. Her Ain’t I A Woman Speech is one of the greatest in American history! Learn more about why she was a boss in this short video.
Monday, August 24:
- Hear from Epic kiddos and parents as they tell the story of women’s suffrage in their own voices.
- Plus, find out about Seraph Young, the first woman to vote in the United States.
Tuesday, August 25: Learn how Senator Henry Burns’s mom talked him into going rogue and casting the final vote needed to ratify the 19th amendment in this entertaining two-part video series. (Part 1 & Part 2)
Wednesday, August 26: We’re highlighting some of the #BicycleFace photos you submitted.
Where can I learn more?
You’ll find lots of titles about women’s suffrage and gender equality on Epic:
Please note, some books are not available for Epic Free users, and require access to Epic Unlimited or Epic School.
For even more stories and unique perspectives, be sure to follow Fluence on TikTok and Instagram, and subscribe to their podcast.
Thanks for joining us as we amplify so many unique voices and celebrate an important milestone!
*Note: This post was updated on 9/2/20 to clarify the timeline of women’s voting rights and add detail about the experience of women of color during the suffrage movement.
