About Harry Burn
[Stylistic commentary welcome. The story is true, and pretty wonderful.]
Harry Burn was a 24 year old fellow from Tennessee, a bright young man with a promising future. On the morning of August 18, 1920, Harry woke up, tucked a red rose into his jacket and a letter into his pocket, and made his way to the Tennessee General Assembly. Two years earlier, Harry had become the youngest person ever elected to the Assembly. And, on that particular day in August, the Assembly was gathering to vote.
It was not the normal time of year for the Tennessee General Assembly to be meeting, but the members were coming in for a special session. The 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, had, after a long and bitter struggle, passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Amendment had been passed by 35 of the U.S. States, but could not be ratified without 36. Four States had been called upon to hold special sessions; of those four, only Tennessee had agreed. And, after exhausting debate, the Tennessee General Assembly was deadlocked: 48 to 48.
When he woke up that morning, Harry was one of the "no" votes. The red rose tucked into his jacket was a popular symbol of the anti-suffragists, and declared him an opponent of the Amendment. But the letter was from his mother, an educated woman, urging him to vote for ratification. By the time the official vote came, Harry had changed his mind, and by the time he finally went to sleep that night the 19th Amendment had been approved by the Tennessee General Assembly: 49 to 47.
Harry Burn was a 24 year old fellow from Tennessee, a bright young man with a promising future. On the morning of August 18, 1920, Harry woke up, tucked a red rose into his jacket and a letter into his pocket, and made his way to the Tennessee General Assembly. Two years earlier, Harry had become the youngest person ever elected to the Assembly. And, on that particular day in August, the Assembly was gathering to vote.
It was not the normal time of year for the Tennessee General Assembly to be meeting, but the members were coming in for a special session. The 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, had, after a long and bitter struggle, passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Amendment had been passed by 35 of the U.S. States, but could not be ratified without 36. Four States had been called upon to hold special sessions; of those four, only Tennessee had agreed. And, after exhausting debate, the Tennessee General Assembly was deadlocked: 48 to 48.
When he woke up that morning, Harry was one of the "no" votes. The red rose tucked into his jacket was a popular symbol of the anti-suffragists, and declared him an opponent of the Amendment. But the letter was from his mother, an educated woman, urging him to vote for ratification. By the time the official vote came, Harry had changed his mind, and by the time he finally went to sleep that night the 19th Amendment had been approved by the Tennessee General Assembly: 49 to 47.