"Honoring the 19th Amendment While Confronting the Truth: Black Women, Voting Rights, and the Fight That Continues"
On the latest episode of Wake Up With Dee, broadcast on News & Talk WAOK, host Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler gathered a panel of powerful women to reflect on the anniversary of the 19th Amendment and confront a jarring resurgence of anti-women rhetoric—highlighted by a disturbing video reposted by FOX News host Pete Hegseth. The video features an evangelical pastor asserting that women shouldn't be allowed to vote—a sentiment that Dr. Dee found not only shocking but deeply offensive, especially on the heels of a day meant to honor women's suffrage.
In response, Dr. Dee convened an enlightening discussion with Senator Pat Spearman, Dr. Monica Wills-Brown, Triana Arnold James, and Sharon J. Hill—women with proven track records in advocacy, public service, and justice. Together, they unpacked the layered history of women's voting rights in America, including the racist undercurrents that marred the suffrage movement and continue to echo in today's political discourse.
The Suffragist Movement: A Complicated Legacy
The 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted American women the constitutional right to vote. While this milestone is rightly celebrated, it is essential to acknowledge that it did not provide voting rights to all women—especially not Black women.
The mainstream suffragist movement, led by white women such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul, often prioritized their own enfranchisement over that of women of color. Many of these leaders actively sidelined Black suffragists or aligned with white supremacists to secure political gains.
For example, during the 1913 Woman Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C., Black activist and journalist Ida B. Wells was told by white organizers to march at the back of the parade to avoid upsetting Southern white women. Undeterred, Wells famously joined her state's delegation mid-march, refusing to be erased.
Even after the 19th Amendment was ratified, systemic barriers—poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation, and outright violence—continued to disenfranchise Black women (and men), especially in the South. It would take the Voting Rights Act of 1965, driven by the Civil Rights Movement and Black leaders like Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker, to begin dismantling these suppressive systems.
Black Women: The Backbone of the Ballot
During the panel, Senator Pat Spearman emphasized that "Black women have always been on the frontlines—not just for our own rights, but for the soul of the nation." From Harriet Tubman to Shirley Chisholm, Black women have consistently fought for justice and equity, despite being pushed to the margins of movements they helped build.
Dr. Monica Wills-Brown highlighted the importance of civic education and voter engagement in the Black community, while Triana Arnold James reminded listeners that "the battle for voting rights is far from over," referencing modern voter suppression laws that continue to target communities of color.
Sharon J. Hill called on the audience to challenge regressive ideologies wherever they appear—including in the pulpit. "When a pastor says women shouldn't vote, that's not just bad theology—it's an attack on our dignity and our democracy," she said.
A Call to Action
Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler used the program not just to educate, but to energize. "As we honor the 19th Amendment, we must tell the whole truth," she said. "That means uplifting the names of Black women suffragists who were left out of the history books—and making sure that every eligible voter gets to the polls."
This episode served as a powerful reminder that voting rights were never freely given—they were fought for. And for Black women, that fight came with double jeopardy: battling both racism and sexism in a system designed to silence them.
As anti-women rhetoric surfaces again in today's political climate, the words of Fannie Lou Hamer still ring true: "Nobody's free until everybody's free."
Listen to the full interview on the Wake Up With Dee Morning Show at WAOK.com or wherever you stream your favorite talk radio.
