• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history

3

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history

3

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

Today Is Women’s Equality Day. Here’s What You Should Know

By
McKenna Moore
McKenna Moore
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
McKenna Moore
McKenna Moore
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 26, 2018, 6:30 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Sunday is Women’s Equality Day, celebrating the adoption of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Though the amendment was adopted on Aug. 26, 1920, a holiday celebrating its spirit didn’t arrive until 1971, when Congress, led by Rep. Bella Abzug (D-N.Y.), decided to mark the occasion each year.

Here’s what you need to know about the events leading up to the historic amendment and how Americans celebrate Women’s Equality Day today.

Then

The women’s rights movement began formally in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention organized by abolitionists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Nearly 200 women gathered there to discuss the status of women’s rights and social, political, and religious condition at the time.

By 1870, all male citizens had been given the right to vote in U.S. elections with the 15th amendment—including black men, who had previously been excluded. Most states still barred women from voting, though.

The 19th amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1878 by Sen. Aaron A. Sargent on behalf of suffragettes Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, but it took more than 40 years to ratify. The amendment finally passed with more than two-thirds votes in the House in May 1919 and in the Senate in June 1919. It was fully ratified by the necessary approval of two-thirds of states on Aug. 18, 1920. On Aug. 26, it was certified by the U.S. Secretary of State.

On Nov. 2, 1920, more than 8 million American women voted legally for the first time.

Now

Women have had the right to vote for nearly a century, but there is still a long way to go in the fight for equality. In the past year, the #MeToo movement highlighted the outsized amount of sexual harassment, if not assault, that women face in and out of the workplace. What’s more, President Donald Trump has nominated judge Brett Kavanaugh to join the Supreme Court, which some believe threatens Roe v. Wade, the landmark case on abortion rights. In the office, women continue to make considerably less money, on average, than men; meanwhile women of color make less than both white women and white men.

Since earning the right to vote, women and their allies have continued the fight for equality in various ways. This year, like many years before, women are working to make change through policy, education, protests, marches, and support of women-focused nonprofit organizations. Many will also participate on social media, using hashtags like #ToastToTenacity to honor the women in their lives or from history that inspire them.

There is also an increased focus on inclusion in Women’s Equality Day celebrations. In the past, much of the women’s movement was focused on able-bodied, cisgender, white women at the expense of the majority of women who do not identify that way. This year, more women of all types will join the festivities.

About the Author
By McKenna Moore
Twitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

pete
PoliticsMilitary
Pete Hegseth wants to test troops for ‘testosterone deficiency’ — literally
By Konstantin Toropin, Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
38 minutes ago
warren
North Americaphilanthropy
Warren Buffett on Bill Gates’ ‘distasteful’ friendship with Jeffrey Epstein: ‘No one bats a thousand in the business of choosing people’
By Josh Funk and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
41 minutes ago
OpenAI wants its speaker to feel alive. Apple says it’s a stolen idea
AIOpenAI
OpenAI wants its speaker to feel alive. Apple says it’s a stolen idea
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 15, 2026
56 minutes ago
Murati’s Thinking Machines releases first AI model for broad use
AIMira Murati
Murati’s Thinking Machines releases first AI model for broad use
By Shirin Ghaffary and BloombergJuly 15, 2026
58 minutes ago
Can a state be ‘best for business’ while restricting abortion?
NewslettersMPW Daily
Can a state be ‘best for business’ while restricting abortion?
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 15, 2026
2 hours ago
Fortune Best Designs
Fortune Best Designs
By FortuneJuly 15, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
North America
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
Law
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
By Barbara Ortutay, Alexandra Olson and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
7 hours ago
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
Economy
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
By Eleanor PringleJuly 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 14, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.