In March 1920, Washington became the 35th state to pass the 19th amendment, which secured women the right to vote. Only one more state was needed to ratify the amendment. Four months later, Tennessee Governor Albert Roberts called special sessions discussing the ratification of the 19th amendment with state legislators, drawing national attention. Suffragists from across the country, led by Carrie Chapman Catt and Tennessee native Anne Dallas Dudely set up headquarters in the Hermitage Hotel. There they held meetings and discussed how they would persuade legislators to join their cause. However, anti-suffragists also set up a headquarters and held the same types of meetings at the hotel.
“The Hermitage Hotel was the site of many fist fights and swarms of red roses in the lobby there every evening,” said Abby Crawford Milton, the president of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, “No woman would dare venture down there. The mezzanine of that hotel had been bought up by the anti’s (anti-suffragists). And they served liquor there to the members, all the members they could get drunk. They took our votes away from them with all the men that they could.”
A key vote for the amendment came from Representative Burn from McMinn County. Burn was very outspoken against the amendment until the day before the vote. He received a letter from his mother telling him to be a “good boy” and vote for ratification. He voted in favor of the movement and the state senate approved the ratification. Governor Roberts signed the certificate of ratification and sent it to Washington, D.C. On August 18, 1920 the Secretary of State proclaimed the 19th amendment ratified[JG2]. The hotel still acknowledges the victory to this day. “In March 1995, a celebration marking the 75th anniversary of women’s suffrage was held at the hotel.” There is even a plaque outside the hotel to commemorate the suffragists.