On August 26, 1920, the U.S. Secretary of State certified the Nineteenth Amendment, formally adding it to the Constitution. Certification followed Tennessee’s ratification earlier in the month. The action made women’s suffrage a legal reality nationwide for federal and state elections. In later years, August 26 came to be recognized as Women’s Equality Day. The date is used to celebrate progress toward gender equality and to highlight ongoing work in that area. It marks the legal completion of the long fight for women’s right to vote.
