Reading Tom Noel’s recent column in the Denver Post, I thought I had caught good Dr. Colorado, the foremost expert on our history, in an embarrassing mistake. "Name the first state," Noel challenged, "where men voted to give women the vote." His answer: Colorado.
No, I thought, that’s not the way I heard it. It was Wyoming that first gave women the vote. Wyoming, that hot-bed of liberalism to our north. (Feel free to use the “Comment” section below.) What a coup I had accomplished. I was ready to overthrow the Good Doctor and accept his crown.
Then I did some double-checking, always a prudent thing to do before starting The Revolution. I started with the source of all knowledge: Wikipedia. Yes, Wiki said, Wyoming’s women have been free to vote since December 10, 1869, when Wyoming was still a U.S. territory. Here’s visual proof courtesy of the Library of Congress:
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| An Act to Grant Women of Wyoming Territory the Right of Suffrage and to Hold Office |
As you can see - if you zoom in on the page - in the territorial constitution is Chapter 31, “An Act to Grant to the Women of Wyoming Territory the Right of Suffrage and to Hold Office.” It falls immediately after guidelines for dealing with lunatics and drunkards, just before the apportionment of the territorial House of Representatives. (Again, the “Comment” section is below.)
In 1890 the Equality State was founded, and women's suffrage came along for the ride.
So what about Noel's claim that Colorado was first in women's suffrage? Puzzled, I reread his challenge: "Name the first state where men voted to give women the vote." Colorado joined the Union in 1876. Colorado men voted suffrage for Colorado women in 1893, just as Dr. Colorado claimed. A trick question if ever there was one.
Anyone determined to keep Colorado history alive should read Dr. Noel’s column. “Some of us think Colorado is a special place,” he writes. “We need to educate our youngsters on why Colorado is special and how to keep it that way.”
Bravo!
Unfortunately, Dr. Noel’s comments are a reaction to what he sees as a sad situation. Colorado history - and the social studies in general - have been deemphasized in our public schools in recent years. The reason? Vital topics like history, geography, civics, and economics are not tested on the almighty CSAPs. So, we teach to the test and forget the rest. Well, not completely, but he makes a valid point.
Teachers, you know what I mean. You push your kids to improve - to excel - in reading, writing, math and, later, science. Those are the subjects the kids are tested on each spring. Those are the areas we emphasize. Of course, they're fundamental, though fundamentals are empty without content and context, people and place and time - history, in other words. But enough preaching to the choir. Read Tom Noel's column for yourself. It actually contains some good news on the history front. http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_16820725
If you've forgotten the details of your own civics class, here's another pertinent fact: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed in 1920, well after women were already voting in Wyoming and Colorado. The 19th states simply "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."
P.S. The Wikipedia article on women's suffrage is quit fascinating. Check it out,too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_suffrage-in-the-United_States
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