Kentucky Ratifies the 19th Amendment, January 6, 1920

Kentucky was unique in that women who were taxpayers could vote on certain issues as early as 1838, which was the first partial suffrage for women in the U.S. after New Jersey women lost the vote in 1807. The Kentucky Equal Rights Association formed in 1888 and pushed for suffrage as well as other rights and protections for women. Like many other states, women also earned the right to vote in school elections in 1894. Kentucky reversed the access to school votes in 1902 because they wanted to restrict African American voting, and then reestablished the school vote in 1912 with a literacy test meant to prevent African American women from participating. Despite being an early leader in voting rights for women, Kentucky would not grant full suffrage before the 19^th Amendment. Kentucky voted to ratify the 19^th Amendment on January 6, 1920 and in March also passed an additional law allowing women to vote in presidential elections (this was made unnecessary by the full ratification of the 19^th Amendment in August 1920). 

"Kentucky and the 19th Amendment." National Park Service. September 3, 2019. Accessed July 9, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/kentucky-and-the-19th-amendment.htm.

"Votes for Women Trail." Kentucky Woman Suffrage Project. Accessed July 9, 2021. http://www.kentuckywomansuffrageproject.org/votes-women-trail/.