State Capitol: Suffrage, Sarah Polk, Beth Harwell

The Tennessee State Capitol is one of the many reasons that Nashville prides itself on being the “Athens of the South.” Designed by architect William Strickland, who is buried in the north wall of the building, this structure is considered the best example of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. It was in this building where woman’s suffrage was debated in the House and Senate chambers.

After a special session of the General Assembly convened on August 9, 1920 to consider ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to give women the right to vote, both tension and excitement filled the air across the city of Nashville. After the state senate ratified the amendment on August 13, it came down to the Tennessee House for Tennessee to become the 36th and deciding to state to push ratification over the top. After numerous delays and stalling tactics, the vote was set for August 18, 1920. With Carrie Chapman Catt, sitting in her room in the Hermitage Hotel with the windows open to hear what might be going on here on “the hill”— the Tennessee suffragists as well as the anti’s filled the galleries and emotions ran high. 

Did the suffragists have the 49 votes that they needed? As the roll call began, when the name of Harry T. Burn was called, young Burn stood, and after a moment of complete silence, uttered the word, “Aye.” Now instead of a tie of 48 to 48, the vote of 49-47 meant a victory for the suffragists. Pandemonium erupted and when the roll call ended the final voted was 50 to 46 in favor of ratification. The next day, Tennessee’s ratification of the amendment was headline news across the country, and in November, women across the country voted for the first time. While women have made many strides in our state government, including Beth Harwell as the first Speaker of the House of Representatives, we are still waiting for our first female governor!

On the east side of the capitol, take a moment to visit the graves of Sarah and James K. Polk in the park that has monuments to Presidents Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson as well as the Tennessee Holocaust Memorial.

You may end the Women’s History Highlights tour here, or continue on to an optional stop: Bicentennial Mall Park and the Tennessee State Museum. You may reach the park on foot by traveling down the steps near the Polk tomb. Cross over the road at the base of the stairs, and continue descending to reach James Robertson Parkway and Bicentennial Mall Park. From the corner of James Robertson Parkway and Seventh Avenue North, walk down the left side of Seventh Avenue North to reach the Tennessee State Museum on your left.