R 121709Z AUG 10

ALCOAST 416/10
COMDTNOTE 5354
SUBJ: NATIONAL WOMENS EQUALITY DAY
1. EACH YEAR, AUGUST 26TH IS DESIGNATED AS WOMENS EQUALITY DAY. THE
NATIONAL THEME, CELEBRATING WOMENS RIGHT TO VOTE, CALLS ATTENTION TO
WOMENS CONTINUING EFFORTS TOWARD FULL EQUALITY, AND HIGHLIGHTS
POSITIVE CHANGES BROUGHT ON BY THE WOMENS MOVEMENT. THE DATE
COMMEMORATES PASSAGE OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, THE
WOMENS SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT, WHICH GRANTED FULL VOTING RIGHTS TO WOMEN
IN 1920. THIS WAS THE CULMINATION OF A MASSIVE, PEACEFUL CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT THAT HAD ITS FORMAL BEGINNINGS IN 1848 AT THE FIRST WOMENS
RIGHTS CONVENTION THAT WAS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 300 WOMEN AND MEN
2. USING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AS A GUIDE DURING THE FIRST
CONVENTION, SIXTY-EIGHT WOMEN AND THIRTY-TWO MEN DEVELOPED AND SIGNED
A STATEMENT OF RIGHTS FOR WOMEN. IT TOOK SEVENTY-TWO YEARS AFTER THAT
INITIAL CONVENTION BEFORE WOMEN WERE GRANTED VOTING RIGHTS, THUS
PROVIDING THE ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR ELECTORAL VOICE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
3. SOME PROMINENT WOMEN WHO PAVED THE WAY TO THIS MONUMENTAL
ACHIEVEMENT WERE:
   A. LUCRETIA MOTT, AN ABOLITIONIST, QUAKER MINISTER, AND ONE OF THE
ORGANIZERS OF THE SENECA FALLS WOMENS RIGHTS CONVENTION
   B. ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, AN ABOLITIONIST AND WRITER OF THE
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS FOR THE SENECA FALLS WOMENS RIGHTS
CONVENTION
   C. SUSAN B. ANTHONY, CO-FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE
ASSOCIATION (NWSA), GAVE OVER 75 SPEECHES PER YEAR FOR OVER 45 YEARS.
ANTHONY WAS VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE OF THE NWSA FROM THE DATE OF ITS
ORGANIZATION UNTIL 1892, WHEN SHE BECAME PRESIDENT
   D. LUCY STONE, FOUNDER OF WOMANS,JOURNAL, THE PUBLICATION OF THE
AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION
   E. SOJOURNER TRUTH, FORMER SLAVE AND ABOLITIONIST, HER FAMOUS
SPEECH, AINT I A WOMAN, WAS DELIVERED AT THE 1851 OHIO WOMENS RIGHTS
CONVENTION
4. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS THAT LED THE CRUSADE FOR WOMENS RIGHT TO
VOTE. WE HONOR THEIR DEDICATION, SACRIFICE, AND LEADERSHIP IN A
STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY DURING AN IMPORTANT TIME IN OUR NATIONS
HISTORY.
5. TODAY, IN OUR COAST GUARD AND OTHER ARMED SERVICES, WOMEN SERVE AT
THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN GOVERNMENT AND HOLD IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. WOMENS EQUALITY
DAY IS A TIME FOR REFLECTION ON THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF
WOMEN LEADERS PAST AND PRESENT IN CHARTING THE WAY TO A MORE
INCLUSIVE NATION.
6. COAST GUARD UNITS AND COMMANDS SHOULD USE THIS OBSERVANCE FOR
APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS
AND CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE MADE TO OUR SERVICE, OUR NATION AND THE
WORLD.
7. RELEASED BY CAPT E. G. FAUX, ACTING DIRECTOR OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.