National Women’s Equality Day is a celebration of trailblazing women, offering the opportunity to look back at the history of the Suffrage Movement in America.
August 26th marks over 100 years since the 19th Amendment was signed into law, guaranteeing women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a long and hard-fought civil rights movement by women across the nation, with its roots in the 1848 women’s rights convention held in Seneca Falls, New York.
In 1973, the US Congress passed a bill designating August 26th as Women’s Equality Day, to not only recognize the struggles of the past that women faced in order to secure their rights, but also their ongoing efforts for full equality.
Using the resources and activities below, learn about visionary women who helped lay the groundwork for the passage of the 19th Amendment and beyond, the Suffrage movement and its connections to abolitionism, and how we are still striving for equality for women today.
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Learn About Suffrage & the Women’s Movement
Upstate, Downstate: The Women’s Movement
Grades 3-5
Upstate, Downstate is an original web series that teaches young learners about the history, geography and government of New York State. Watch an episode exploring the history of the women’s movement of the 1800s, its connection to abolitionism, and how struggles for women’s rights continue to this day.
Seneca Falls, NY | Unstoppable: The Road to Women’s Rights
Grades 3-8
A student heads to Seneca Falls, New York to explore the town and find out how a small rural town helped give birth to the Women’s Rights movement. She visits several historic sites around the town and meets some interesting people who chat with her about the history of the Women’s Rights movement. She comes to understand that it was the connections people made with each other in this town that help it become a center of the movement.
Divided Tactics in Pursuit of the 19th Amendment | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Grades 6-12
Spark classroom conversation around the 19th Amendment with videos that explore how divided strategies actually strengthened the fight for women’s right to vote.
Unladylike2020: Unsung Women of the Progressive Era collection
Grades 6-12
Unladylike2020 honors the centennial of women’s suffrage. This collection of digital resources presents the rich history of 26 little-known Progressive Era women, diverse in profession, race, ethnicity, geographical and class backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender expression, who broke barriers in then-male-dominated fields such as science, business, journalism, exploration, and the arts. Touching on topics such as the labor movement, immigration, politics, civil rights, and women’s suffrage, these resources develop students’ historical thinking skills and help them make connections between past and present.
Trailblazers & Visionary Women
The Legacy of Shirley Chisholm | Compact History
Grades 3-8
Learn about Shirley Chisholm’s life and her enduring impact on feminism. Cory breaks down the evolution of the women’s movement, from the struggle for suffrage to Chisholm’s groundbreaking presidential run. Her intersectional approach challenged societal norms and paved the way for future generations of activists. After watching, use the teaching tips, vocabulary, and other classroom activities to explore this topic further.
Sojourner Truth | Abolitionist and Women’s Rights Activist
Grades 3-8
An abolitionist and feminist during the nineteenth century, Sojourner Truth demanded not less discrimination, but no discrimination. Truth escaped enslavement and, despite being unable to read or write, rose to be a leader in the fight for equality and fair treatment for both women and African Americans.
Inez Milholland: Suffrage Movement Icon
Grades 6-12
Examine the life of suffragist, labor lawyer, activist, and public speaker Inez Milholland. Learn about Milholland’s commitment to earning women the right to vote and her concern for social justice reforms of the day including striking laborers, tenant’s rights, and prison reform. Milholland became an icon for the suffrage movement after she led the Women’s Suffrage Procession up Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., wearing a long cape and riding a white horse, on the eve of President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration.
Rose Schneiderman | Unladylike2020
Grades 6-12
In this video from Unladylike2020, learn how Rose Schneiderman, an immigrant whose family settled in the tenements of New York City’s Lower East Side, became one of the most important labor leaders in American history. A socialist and feminist, she fought to end dangerous working conditions for garment workers, and worked to help New York State grant women the right to vote in 1917.
Circus Women and the Suffrage Movement | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Grades 9-12
Learn how female circus performers, one of the earliest groups of women to achieve wage parity with their male counterparts, became outspoken and powerful advocates in the women’s suffrage movement, in this video adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. By 1912, the push for women’s suffrage (voting rights) was stronger than ever, thanks in large part to a dramatic rise of women in the workforce. The extraordinary feats of female circus performers sent an empowering message that was supported by the circus owners, who permitted them to campaign for suffrage on circus grounds as they toured the country.
Activities, Books & More
How to Raise Strong Girls
Grades PreK-3
When girls get the message that they have the ability to work through difficulty and learn new things, they stop giving up and start finding their way through their struggles. Try, “I’m working on this” to help your daughter remember that learning takes time.
Children’s Books About Amazing Women
Grades PreK-4
Celebrate amazing women, who have affected more lives than they could have imagined, with this collection of books for kids aged 2-9!
Trailblazer Bio Cards
Grades 6-12
Celebrate extraordinary trailblazing women with these printable Trailblazer Bio Cards and Gallery walk activity.
Women’s Suffrage In the Progressive Era | Unladylike2020
Grades 6-12
In this interactive lesson, using a series of digital shorts from Unladylike2020, you’ll learn about the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the Progressive Era, focusing on the leaders who laid the groundwork for the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment.