Tennessee commemorates ratification of 19th amendment

Tennessee commemorates ratification of 19th amendment

Good evening.

I'm dorothy sherman.

Thanks for joining us for news 12 now at 11.

100 years ago today, the 19th amendment was passed.

Tennessee and a family from mcminn county played an important role in making this happen for women.

And this win in history is being celebrated across the state.

That's tonight's top local story.

Nats tennessee state lawmakers remember the ratification of the 19th amendment through a reenactment at the state house.

Tennessee gov.

Bill lee: "it's really a rememberence and a recognition of the process of how we progress in our values in our nation through national consensus" the event showcased figures in the suffrage movement and the fight to give women the right to vote.

"nettie langston napier and frankie pierce" "what will the negro woman do with the vote?

We are interested in the same moral uplift in the community as you are."

It was a niota man harry t.

Burn who gave the deciding vote that passed the 19th amendment and it was his mother, febb burn, who sent him a letter urging him to vote for women's suffrage.

Great-grandnephew tyler l.

Boyd: "he read his mother's letter of advice just in time for him to cast that vote and then afterwards he explained a mother's advice is always safest to follow and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification.

So he always gave his mother the credit and there is no doubt that harry and febb burn are niota and mcminn county's two famous residents in all of their history" burn's great grandnephew tyler boyd has written a book about burn.

He'll be at a stamp unvieling event in niota celebrating the 19th amendment ratification.

Great-grandnephew tyler l.

Boyd: "the usps has issued a 100th anniversary stamp to commemorate the 19th amendment centennial and they're going to be unveiling the stamp at this event."

Boyd says he hopes his family's story can inspire people.

Great-grandnephew tyler l.

Boyd: "i hope a lot of young people realize when you get engaged, not just voting, but running for office you may be able to shape public policy in your community, because local government is inside your schools, your infrastructure, your voter qualifications, your taxes all sorts of things like