“At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug, in 1971 and passed in 1973,  the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as ‘Women’s Equality Day,’” according to the National Women’s History Project website.

Aug. 26 was selected to honor the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

This amendment granted women the right to vote and was the result of a civil rights movement by women starting in 1848 at the first women’s right convention, in Seneca Falls, New York.

The date “also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, libraries, organizations and public facilities now participate with Women’s Equality Day programs, displays, video showings or other activities,” according to the National Women’s History Project website.

A Women’s Equality Day event will be held on Friday, Aug.24 in front of the Sloss House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We celebrate that today because it’s something that we recognize we haven’t always been given,” said Som Mongtin, assistant director of the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center.

“Now more people can vote, there are still some barriers to voting, but now more people can vote and it’s not just one identity that is making the decisions for all people,” Mongtin said.

Women’s Equality Day has been celebrated on campus for more than a decade said Mongtin.

The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center, Women’s and Gender Studies program and the League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County are sponsoring the event.

Students, faculty and staff will be able to register to vote, participate in a “Corn Poll” to gauge which issues are important to the campus in the upcoming election and learn about the programs offered by the Catt Center and the League of Women Voters.

“If you are able to vote, please reserve that right to vote and choose what you are voting for,” Mongtin said.

The League of Women Voters will be handing out information on the upcoming elections and candidates.

“If they’re new to Iowa, coming in first year students or transfer students, and they’re new to Iowa and need to register to vote, we have a table set up right there,” Mongtin said. “Quick, easy, they’ll take care of it all.”

If students are already registered to vote, there will be mason jars with different issues that are popular within the candidates such as veterans, gender equity or student debt. Participants will be able to put a corn kernel in the jars of the topics they feel strongly about and the results will be posted on the Sloss House’s website.

“Just come out, participate in the corn poll, let us know what is important to you, register to vote, learn about the candidates and those who participate get cookies,” Mongtin said.

Possible side bar

Joint Resolution of Congress, 1971

Designating Aug.26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have been treated as second-class citizens and have not been entitled the full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which are available to male citizens of the United States;

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have united to assure that these rights and privileges are available to all citizens equally regardless of sex;

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated Aug. 26, the anniversary date of the certification of the 19th Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights:

WHEREAS, the women of United States are to be commended and supported in their organizations and activities,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that Aug. 26 of each year is designated as Women’s Equality Day, and the president is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote, and that day in 1970, on which a nationwide demonstration for women’s rights took place.