Congressman Cohen Statement on Women's History Month

Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) released the following statement in honor of Women’s History Month:

From Ida B. Wells to Chief Justice Janice M. Holder, Memphis has produced women leaders that have transformed the country and enriched all of our lives. This March, we remember the sacrifices and achievements of all American women. The 111th Congress boasts a record number of women in the House and Senate, and is led by Speaker Pelosi, who became our first female Speaker of the House. We’re focusing on many concerns of America’s women, and I was proud to vote in support of the Lilly Ledbetter Act Fair Pay Act, which will help to close the gender pay gap. I’m going to continue to fight for renewed investments in early childhood education, ensuring that our military families are receiving the resources and services that they need, and strengthening the Equal Pay Act.

On August 18, 1920, the Tennessee House of Representatives ratified the 19th Amendment by a one-vote majority. Tennessee was the pivotal 36th state needed to complete ratification by three-quarters of the then 48 states, thereby effectively instituting national women’s suffrage in the United States. Commentators of the day proclaimed Tennessee “The Perfect 36,” and the legislative battle that ensnared Nashville that summer has become legendary. I’m proud of the integral role that Tennessee played in the enfranchisement of women, and I encourage people to read “The Perfect 36: Tennessee Delivers Woman’s Suffrage” for which I had the pleasure of writing a forward. When I served in the Tennessee Senate, I led the effort to memorialize Tennessee's role in the passage of the 19th Amendment with a sculpture installed in the State Capitol. I also helped create and served on the Women's Suffrage Commission to celebrate women's right to vote.

The University of Memphis is observing Women’s History Month this March with a number of special events, including film, art and inspirational speeches from the women’s rights movement. For more information about Women’s History Month events at the University of Memphis, please visit: https://www.memphis.edu/releases/feb09/womenshistorymonth.htm.

This Congress and President Obama will continue to work to put women and children first. And as we do, we will take forward the lesson of Women’s History Month: that by knowing their power, women can, and do, change the course of history for all Americans.

For more information on Women’s History Month, please visit the National Women’s History Project at https://www.nwhp.org/.

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265