[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 35 (Thursday, March 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

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                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2004

  Mr. KIND.  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History 
Month. In 1987, Congress passed a resolution designating the month of 
March as Women's History Month as a time to honor, ``American women of 
every race, class and ethnic background [who] have made historic 
contributions to the growth and strength of our Nation in countless 
recorded and unrecorded ways.''
  For 2004, the theme of Women's History Month is ``Women Inspiring 
Hope and Possibility.'' To celebrate this month, I would like to honor 
four of the numerous women from Wisconsin's history who inspired hope 
and possibility through their selfless efforts in gaining suffrage for 
women in America.
  First, I would like to recognize Ada James, who served as president 
of the Political Equality League from 1911 to 1919. As a dedicated 
women's suffrage advocate, Ms. James spent these eight years preceding 
the ratification of the suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution on 
an automobile tour through Southern Wisconsin. She spoke at state and 
county fairs, and to farmers and workers in factories with her fellow 
suffragists. Ms. James was a native of Richland Center, a city in 
Wisconsin's Third Congressional District, and I am honored to be able 
to share Ms. James' story here.
  Reverend Olympia Brown resided in Racine, Wisconsin, where she was 
elected president of the Wisconsin Women's Suffrage Association, 
holding this post for 30 years. Reverend Brown lived a life of 
activism, and after being refused at Wisconsin polls, she took her case 
to the State Supreme Court. Despite a decision rendered in favor of the 
election inspectors, she never accepted defeat. She continued to fight 
for women's right to vote, and was one of the few suffrage leaders who 
lived to be able to cast a vote in the Presidential election of 1920--
the first in which women could vote.
  As the first Wisconsin-born leader of the state's suffrage movement, 
Theodora Winton Youmans was able to help the movement gain momentum by 
writing a regular column for the Waukesha Freeman. She used her column 
as a platform to educate the public about suffrage and women's rights. 
After leaving her post as assistant editor in the 1890s, Ms. Youmans 
worked to create the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs, serving as 
its president in 1900. In 1924, she lost a bid to Congress, and it was 
not until nearly 75 years later that Wisconsin would see its first 
Congresswoman with the election of Tammy Baldwin in 1999, who continues 
to represent Wisconsin women today.
  Lastly, but certainly not least, I would like to honor the 
achievements of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt. As a native of Ripon, 
Wisconsin, she played the largest role in the final passage of the 19th 
Amendment. Her campaign was successful because she pushed for reform in 
the states, instead of focusing solely on a constitutional amendment. 
In 1900, she succeeded Susan B. Anthony as the president of the 
National American Woman Suffrage Association. Following ratification of 
the amendment, her leadership abilities were not forgotten as she 
helped establish the League of Women Voters, which is still active 
today. I think I speak for all people from Wisconsin when I say that we 
are fortunate to have had such a remarkable woman in our history.
  These four women, along with so many others, inspired hope and 
possibility not only in Wisconsin, but across the United States. I have 
no doubt that their devotion to the cause was the sole reason why 
Wisconsin was the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment on June 
10th, 1919. I am honored to share these women's stories today, as their 
efforts made Wisconsin a leader in this landmark roll call of 
democracy. In many ways, their hopes are still with us today. As a 
reflection of this, I will end my statement with a quotation from 
Carrie Chapman Catt: ``Everybody counts in applying democracy. And 
there will never be a true democracy until every responsible and law-
abiding adult in it, without regard to race, sex, color or creed has 
his or her own inalienable and unpurchasable voice in government.''

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