In 2019, Wyoming celebrated the 150th anniversary of women’s suffrage – 50 years before the 19th Amendment – and the Wyoming Office of Tourism marked the milestone by declaring it the „Year of Wyoming Women“ with special exhibits and events throughout the state. On Dec. 10, 1869, the Wyoming territory became the first in the nation to guarantee women the unconditional suffrage including the right to vote, hold public office and serve on a jury.
„As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day today, it’s important to recognize the trailblazing women, like Louisa Swain, who paved the way for so many women and for future generations,“ said Diane Shober, executive director of Wyoming Office of Tourism. „The West played a pivotal role in the passing of the 19th Amendment and the pioneering spirit of Wyoming’s women continues to live on today.“
To commemorate the milestone anniversary, Wyoming Office of Tourism partnered with The Louisa Swain Foundation and the American Trucking Association (ATA) for a virtual women’s suffrage road tour from Washington D.C. to Laramie, Wyo. starting on August 31.
„We will utilize the unique convergence of the anniversaries of Louisa’s historic vote and the ratification of the 19th Amendment to highlight the role women play in our society and to celebrate Wyoming’s ongoing legacy as the Equality State,“ said Brandon Kirkham, board chair for The Louisa Swain Foundation. „We are proud to have such a wonderful partnership with the Wyoming Office of Tourism and the American Trucking Association to bring this commemorative moment to a national scale.“
An ATA semitruck and trailer – fully wrapped to honor Wyoming’s Louisa Swain – will make its way across the nation via I-70, with a special stop at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne, Wyo. on September 4 and make its final stop in Laramie Wyo. on Sept. 5.
Following the arrival of the semitruck and trailer in Laramie, a ceremony recognizing Louisa Swain’s historic vote will take place at the Wyoming Women’s History House on Sept. 6.
To follow the virtual road tour from Washington D.C. to Wyoming and for more information on the 150th anniversary of the first women’s vote, visit firstwomanvoter.org and TravelWyoming.com.
To celebrate Wyoming’s pioneering women and the strong women of today, Wyoming Office of Tourism encourages visitors and locals to join the conversation by sharing stories of female empowerment by using #ThatsWYWomen and tagging @VisitWyoming on Sept. 6, 2020.
Dates of Significance
- Dec. 10, 2019 – 150th anniversary of Governor Campbell signing the Women’s Suffrage Act into law. Wyoming’s Territorial Legislature passed the first unconditional suffrage act which also included that women could hold any office as afforded to men.
- Jan. 27, 2020 – 100th anniversary of State of Wyoming ratifying the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
- July 10, 2020 – 130th anniversary of Statehood Day – Wyoming enters the Union as the 44th state and the only state to have a Woman’s Suffrage Act ratified into their state constitution.
- Aug. 18, 2020 – 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified and amended to the U.S. Constitution.
- Aug. 26, 2020 – Women’s Equality Day; 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment officially certified to the U.S. Constitution and forever protecting women’s right to vote.
- Sept 6, 2020 – 150th anniversary of the Women’s First Vote – In Laramie, Wyoming, Louisa Swain became the first woman in the world to cast a ballot under full civic equality to men.
Twenty years after the 1869 law passed, Wyoming sought statehood and it famously refused to enter the Union if women’s suffrage was not upheld. And in 1890, Wyoming officially entered the Union as the 44th state and the first state to guarantee women these rights.
For more information about Wyoming’s 150th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage and Wyoming Office of Tourism, visit the award-winning site, TravelWyoming.com.
About the Wyoming Office of Tourism
The Wyoming Office of Tourism is the only state agency charged with promoting and marketing Wyoming as a vacation destination to domestic and international travelers. The ninth-largest state in terms of area, Wyoming is also the least populated state in the country with an estimated 580,000 residents. Wyoming is home to many firsts, including the country’s first national park (Yellowstone), first national monument (Devils Tower) and first national forest (Shoshone). In addition, Wyoming was the first government in the world to grant women the right to vote and will celebrate the 150th anniversary of this important milestone in 2019. These special places, along with other natural wonders like Grand Teton National Park and the Bighorn Mountains as well as Wyoming’s heartfelt cowboy hospitality, welcome millions of visitors annually. To learn more about Wyoming, visit TravelWyoming.com.
SOURCE Wyoming Office of Tourism
