USCIS 128:102. When did all women get the right to vote?

OpenAI. (2026). When did all women get the right to vote?   [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

In the early 1900s, many women in the United States worked hard to get the right to vote. These women were called suffragists because they supported women’s voting rights. At that time, women could vote in some western states, but most women could not vote in national elections.

One important leader was Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906). She spent many years giving speeches, organizing campaigns, and asking for equal voting rights. She died before women won the right to vote across the country, but her work inspired many later suffragists.

Another important leader was Carrie Chapman Catt (1859–1947). She led the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). She organized campaigns and worked with politicians and state governments to support a constitutional amendment for women’s voting rights.

At the same time, younger activists such as Alice Paul (1885–1977) believed stronger protests were necessary. She organized large parades, marches, and demonstrations in Washington, D.C. In 1913, thousands of women marched for voting rights the day before President Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) took office.

Later, Alice Paul and other suffragists protested outside the White House. These protesters were called the “Silent Sentinels.” Some women were arrested and sent to jail. While in prison, some suffragists went on hunger strikes to protest their treatment. Newspaper stories about these protests brought more public attention to the movement.

African American women also helped fight for voting rights. Leaders such as Ida B. Wells (1862–1931) worked for both racial equality and women’s suffrage, even though they often faced discrimination.

During World War I (1914–1918), many women worked in factories, hospitals, offices, and transportation jobs while men served in the military. Their work helped convince more Americans that women deserved equal rights, including the right to vote.

As support for women’s suffrage grew, Congress passed the 19th Amendment in 1919. The amendment said that citizens could not be denied the right to vote because of sex.

On August 18, 1920, enough states approved the amendment, and the 19th Amendment became part of the Constitution. Women across the United States gained the legal right to vote in national elections.

Although the amendment greatly expanded voting rights, some women—especially many African American, Native American, and Asian American women—still faced discrimination and voting barriers for many years afterward.

The success of the suffrage movement was an important moment in American history. It expanded democracy and gave millions of women a stronger voice in government and public life.