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Showing posts from June, 2020

57 - North Carolina, Tori Amos

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Bringing up one of the singers of my young adult life ... college would not have been the same without Tori Amos. North Carolina adopted the Nineteenth Amendment into their constitution on May 6, 1971. Tori Amos was born to play and write music. She was replaying songs at the age of 2 after only needing to hear them one time, and composing music by the age of 3. Her honed ear was able to replay songs after hearing them one time. She describes feeling music as seeing a “light filament” when it has come clear to her. The chord progressions provide a “kaleidoscope” of images, and the more she focused, the more detailed the light became. At five she was admitted to the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins where she studied until she was 11. Her “rebellion” of traditional music had her dismissed from the program, and she went her own way. She began performing in bars and venues with her father’s support at thirteen, and by 1979 she began her career with her band “Y Kant

56 - Louisiana, Ellen DeGeneres

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A comedian, humanitarian, and honest person, showing that you can be just who you are. Ellen DeGeneres has taught me a lot. I don't avidly follow her, but I have seen her throughout my life. Louisiana signed the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on June 11, 1970. Television comedian and actress, Ellen DeGeneres, opened America to LGBT issues coming out to the public in 1997 on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Starring in her self-named TV sitcom “Ellen”, the fourth season revealed her personal and show character’s lesbian truth. The theme and storyline of the show developed around issues of LGBT community, focusing on the coming out process. The show was canceled in 1998, but she continued to develop her stage presence, starting the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Her personal style, humor, and character segments make her show popular in daytime television, winning 61 Daytime Emmy Awards, surpassing The Oprah Winfrey Show with eleven best show awards. She advocates for many human

55 - Georgia, Moina Belle Michael

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A simple gesture and sentiment that grew to be a century long tradition helping disabled veterans in the world, Moina Michael created the silk poppy memorial pins and brought awareness, compassion, and therapy to people. Georgia adopted the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on February 20, 1970. While Ms. Moina Michael was vacationing  in Germany in summer of 1914, World War 1 broke out, leaving many tourists stranded or frightened. She traveled to Rome to get return passage to America, and as working to get home assisted around 12,000 US tourists. As America entered the war in 1917, she took a leave of absence to volunteer with the overseas YWCA workers. In 1918, she shared a poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” and vowed to wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembrance for all veterans of the war. To raise money to support disabled veterans in her classes after the war, she began to sell pins of silk poppies, and by 1921 the poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance for

54 - Voting Rights Act of 1965

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As organizations have been posting things to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, there are many comments noting that this did only benefit white women. In light of the protests this week, it is an ideal time for me to educate myself on why this is the case. And the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is at the core of this. The Nineteenth Amendment allowed women to vote. The wording of the order fell prey to the current social issues of not addressing “all” women. This wording left many women from the polling booths. Only white women and a small number of northern states that already allowed women of race to vote in 1920. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 into law. This allowed millions of people, men and women, to register to vote. State by state laws could no longer disenfranchise African Americans to vote, typically done with poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence at polling stations. States like

53 - South Carolina, Mary McLeod Bethune

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This weekend was a huge and impactful step in racial issues of the United States. This battle has been going on for over 400 years. And 100 years ago ... there were people pointing to the solutions. Working to make a difference and bring all people to the same view across America. It hasn't taken hold yet. But here is one woman that dedicated her life above and beyond all other issues to make the difference.  South Carolina adopted the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on July 1, 1969. Ms. McLeod Bethune spent her life promoting education and respect for African American people. She started working in fields with her family at age five, her parents being slaves. Her early interest in education began as a white friend challenged her because she was unable to read. She fought through the limitations and was able to attend college. She started the Bethune-Cookman School for African-American girls