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CONSTITUTION AND CITIZENSHIP DAY
SEPTEMBER 17TH
Constitution Day, is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It celebrates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787
When the Constitution was ratified, women could not legally own land or property, and married women had no legal claim to their spouse’s money or children. It was not until August 26, 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution that white women were allowed to vote in elections at every level. The 19th Amendment states: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
However, obstacles like poll taxes, literacy tests and other discriminatory state voting laws would keep Black women (and men) disenfranchised for a further 45 years, until the Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965. It was not until 1943 and the passage of the Magnuson Act that Chinese immigrants could begin naturalizing as U.S. citizens.
In 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first introduced. It states: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. On January 27, 2020, Virginia became the 38th State to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (“ERA”) making it the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The ERA ensures United States laws embraces equality for everyone, thereby providing equal rights and protections to all human beings. If you want to learn about the ERA’s Journey to become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, go to: https://tinyurl.com/ERAJourney
A 2020 8 ½ x 11 PDF version of the United States Constitution with the 28th Amendment can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/US-Constitution-2020
A 2020 5 x 4 PDF Pamphlet version can be found here https://tinyurl.com/US-Constitution-Pamphlet
For quantities over 500, of the Pamphlet, contact Curt Lepper at Rapid Press 203-348-8884 or curt@rapidpressct.com.
This 2020 version is in commemoration of the ratification of The Equal Rights Amendment. It is being provided by an informal group of women's rights advocates carrying on the work of their foremothers that started over a century ago. Please share this version far and wide!
Will You Lose Your Right? Take Action!
Federal HR 22
"Does the name on your birth certificate match the name you go by today? Or did your last name change when you married? If the names don’t match, the federal SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) would require proof on paper that you are a U.S. citizen before you can register to vote or update your voter registration information." HR 22 is the resurrected HR8281 from 2024. HR8281 passed the House and was lost in the Senate. Now it is back again threatening to take away the voting rights of over ___ million women in the USA. Click on the following links for more information. It’s back again. Take Action! Discriminatory SAVE Act - Equal Rights Amendment North Carolina Alliance NCJW - Oppose Save Act Action Alert https://www.ncjw.org/act/action/save-our-democracy-stop-the-save-act/ LWVUS has an action alert to contact your MOCs to oppose the SAVE Act: https://www.lwv.org/take-action/tell-your-members-congress-oppose-save-act
On Tuesday, February 27, 2024, then President now Immediate Past State President (IPSP) Stephanie Bridwell spoke with State Senators Kent Smith and Paula Hicks-Hudson on proposed legislation the "Pay Equity Hotline" to address inequities in the workplace and the "Fair Paycheck Workplace" to recognize companies that pay their employees equally. Both these measures would strengthen the current Ohio law prohibiting wage discrimination.
There were six (6) BPW Ohio members present for the press conference.
(l-r) BPW Legislative Consultant Kathy Telban, Immediate PSP Liz Herrell, IPSP Stephanie Bridwell, Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson. PSP Paulette Knazek, PSP Charlon Dewberry, Senator Kent Smith, and BPW Ohio Legislative Chair Pat Talbot.
Charlon Dewberry commented via her email that our BPW President Stephanie Bridwell gave remarks supporting the pay equity legislation. I am sure it was recorded by the Ohio Channel so you can probably go to their website and pull it up for yourself. She did a wonderful job and this was a great opportunity for BPW Ohio to showcase our work on behalf of working women.
Please share this information with others and lets get actively involved in the fight to secure pay equity for all women. If anyone is counting, this is our second trip to the Statehouse to advocate on our legislative platform issues in the last couple of years - Lobby Day in November 2022 and yesterday. Let's keep it going.