History Daily: The 19th Amendment Gives Women the Right to Vote

Host: Lindsay Graham
Date: August 18, 2025
Podcast: History Daily by Airship | Noiser | Wondery

Episode Overview

This episode of History Daily takes listeners through the dramatic and hard-fought journey leading to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave (white) American women the constitutional right to vote on August 18, 1920. Through vivid narration and focused storytelling, host Lindsay Graham traces the movement’s roots, major events, key figures (notably Alice Paul and Lucy Burns), and the tremendous opposition suffragists faced—culminating in the dramatic tie-breaking vote in Tennessee. The episode doesn’t shy away from the painful realities of exclusion and ongoing struggle for women of color even after 1920.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Night of Terror at Occoquan Workhouse (November 14, 1917)

• Setting: Occoquan Workhouse, Virginia; Superintendent Whittaker prepares for the arrival of suffragist prisoners.

• Event: Dozens of suffragists, including leader Lucy Burns, are brutally mistreated—beaten, put in solitary, fed maggot-infested food, with Burns singled out and strung up by her wrists overnight.

• Impact: The “savage violence” only strengthens the resolve of the suffragists after their eventual release.

  “These women will not be silenced in the face of adversity. They will only grow stronger and more determined.”
  — Lindsey Graham (02:50)

2. Alice Paul’s Awakening in England (1907–1910)

• Background: Alice Paul, a driven student, discovers the militant tactics of the British suffragettes.

• Pivotal Moment: Inspired by Christabel Pankhurst’s lecture amidst jeering men, Alice joins the WSPU and meets Lucy Burns in a police holding cell.

• Militancy: Alice and Lucy undertake bold protests, get arrested; endure hunger strike and brutal force-feeding at Holloway Prison.

• Return to the U.S.: Alice brings radical new tactics home, determined to confront U.S. authorities directly.

  "For Alice, being part of a bold, aggressive movement is exhilarating. Back in America, the campaign for women's suffrage is very different.”
  — Lindsey Graham (07:45)

3. Escalating the American Movement (1913)

• March 3, 1913: Alice Paul, now NAWSA congressional chair, organizes a massive parade in Washington, D.C., coinciding with Wilson's inauguration.

• Result: The parade descends into violence, but captures national attention and exposes deep rifts in the suffrage movement's leadership.

  "A peaceful demonstration would have been forgotten. But today's procession will make headlines across the country."
  — Lindsey Graham (15:13)

• Strategic Split: Alice and Lucy break from NAWSA, forming the Congressional Union to push aggressively for a federal amendment.

4. Confronting President Wilson and Civil Disobedience (1917)

• Silent Sentinels: Suffragists picket the White House daily, shaming the President with pointed banners.

• Imprisonment & Public Outrage: The government’s harsh response, coupled with reports of prison abuse, shifts public opinion—especially as the nation fights “for freedom” in World War I.

• Wilson’s Change: Releases suffragists and endorses the amendment.

  "To many it seems hypocritical for America to be fighting for freedom in Europe, while half the American population can't vote."
  — Lindsey Graham (18:45)

• Wilson’s Words:

  "Shall we admit women only to a partnership of suffering, sacrifice and toil, and not to a partnership of privilege and right?"
  — President Woodrow Wilson, quoted by Lindsey Graham (19:30)

5. The Decisive Vote in Tennessee (August 18, 1920)

• Setting: Tennessee House; the 36th (deciding) state for ratification.

• Dramatic Scene: Representative Harry T. Burn receives a letter from his mother:

  “Dear son, hurrah and vote for suffrage. Don't forget to be a good boy. With lots of love, Mama.”
  — Letter from Harry Burn’s mother (22:08)

• Outcome: Burns changes his vote, breaking the tie and ensuring ratification. The chamber erupts; Burn flees for his safety.

  "With Harry T. Burn’s decisive vote, Tennessee ratifies the amendment turning the bill into law."
  — Lindsey Graham (23:25)

6. Limitations and Legacy

• Caveat: The 19th Amendment does not abolish racist state laws; many women of color are still disenfranchised until the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

• Ongoing Struggle: The amendment marks “only one step in the ongoing struggle for equality.”

  "For many women of color, the 19th Amendment was not the final victory, but only one step..."
  — Lindsey Graham (24:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Women's Determination:

  “But these women will not be silenced in the face of adversity. They will only grow stronger and more determined.”
  — Lindsey Graham (02:50)

• On Alice Paul’s Transformation in England:

  “Alice is learning that sometimes in order to effect change, you have to break things.”
  — Lindsey Graham (07:15)

• On Public Perception During WWI:

  "It seems hypocritical for America to be fighting for freedom in Europe while half the American population can't vote..."
  — Lindsey Graham (18:45)

• On the Dramatic Tennessee Vote:

  “He thinks about her words, and about the right he is suddenly empowered to grant her. This time, when Harry casts his vote, he switches sides…”
  — Lindsey Graham (23:00)

• On Limited Suffrage:

  “The amendment will not abolish state laws designed to keep black Americans away from the ballot box. Forty-five years later the 1965 Voting Rights Act will finally prohibit racial discrimination in voting.”
  — Lindsey Graham (24:10)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:24–03:36 — Occoquan Workhouse “Night of Terror” and aftermath
• 05:21–11:57 — Alice Paul’s journey in England, partnership with Lucy Burns, return to U.S.
• 13:50–15:45 — 1913 Washington suffrage parade, national attention, NAWSA split
• 15:45–18:00 — Rise of Congressional Union and more radical protest
• 18:00–20:15 — White House picketing, public outcry, Wilson’s eventual support
• 21:32–24:32 — Tennessee debate, Harry T. Burn’s vote, ratification, and aftermath

Conclusion

This History Daily episode spotlights the fearless leaders, strategic divides, acts of courage—and deep opposition—that defined the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. Through powerful storytelling and historical detail, it honors both the hard-won victory of August 18, 1920, and the continued fight for equality. The story is both a celebration of a landmark in democracy and a reminder of its unfinished nature—for many American women, the struggle for voting rights did not end with the 19th Amendment.