Shouts, confrontations erupt on House floor in reenactment of historic Tennessee suffrage vote – Tennessean
Raucous lawmakers erupted in shouts, applause and even physical confrontations on the House floor Tuesday morning, culminating in yellow roses being thrown from the public gallery above.
The scene — a reenactment of a dramatic vote 100 years ago to the day — in some ways was not unlike recent moments in the Tennessee House chamber. There were activists yelling from the balcony, warnings by conservative lawmakers about the creeping threat of socialism, members flipping their votes — and, of course, an August special session.
But Tennessee becoming the final state needed to ratify the U.S. Constitution’s 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, is among the most historic events that have taken place in the Capitol.
It’s why the legislature allocated significant funding over the past two years to pay for new educational efforts around the centennial of the suffrage vote, including Tuesday’s reenactment.
“In Tennessee, even though we were a Southern state and they were expecting us to oppose suffrage, both the Democrats and Republicans, especially in a bipartisan fashion, rose to the occasion,” said Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, who spearheaded much of the planning of the event.
While 35 states had voted to ratify the 19th Amendment by the summer of 1920, a total of 36 states were needed. All eyes were on Tennessee as then-Gov. Albert Roberts called a special session of the legislature to take up the matter, bringing to Nashville scores of pro- and anti-suffragists and lobbyists on both sides of the issue.
House members and some senators — including Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge — on Tuesday played Tennessee representatives from the time alongside local actors who took on the roles of some of the main players of the historic vote.
A soaring spectacle: Female skydivers celebrate 100 years of women’s right to vote by jumping into Centennial Park
The hourlong event opened with remarks from Gov. Bill Lee, McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, before transitioning to the reenactment, which was narrated by former WSMV anchor Demetria Kalodimos. Mac Pirkle, who organized a similar event on the 75th anniversary, played the House speaker.
Suffragists and anti-suffragists dressed in period clothing held signs and yelled from the gallery — behavior that 100 years later would have resulted in arrest, based on recent precedent — and legislators held up signs with the photo of the 1920 lawmaker they were playing as they called out their votes one by one.
Some legislative members became quite animated during the reenactment, seeking to take on the passion and position of their assigned character.
The reenactment included an actor playing Febb Burn, the mother of 24-year-old Rep. Harry Burn, whose surprise decision to vote “yes” on suffrage allowed for its passage, reciting a portion of the letter he received from her the morning of the vote.
Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, said afterward the exercise served as a reminder about “how perspectives have changed over time.”
“One hundred years later, most of us, we take so many things for granted,” Hazlewood said. “Certainly being able to vote as a woman and being able to serve in the legislature is something you really don’t always stop and think about.”
Rep. Esther Helton, R-East Ridge, noted that even after the vote for suffrage, a woman wasn’t serving in her legislative district until she was elected in 2018.
“It took 98 years to have a woman in the House seat that I occupy,” Helton noted.
Smith and Hazlewood were also the first women to represent their Hamilton County districts.
The suffrage vote passed the House 49-47, though then-Speaker Seth Walker changed his vote afterward to make the total 50-46. Walker had previously been for suffrage before joining anti-suffrage forces at the last minute, and then ultimately flipping again after the votes were taken.
The Senate, however, had easily passed the measure five days earlier, on Aug. 13, 1920, by a vote of 25-4.
McNally on Tuesday gave a nod to his wife and two daughters when, while playing a representative from the time, he shouted his “yes” vote. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, later made similar comments while giving his character’s vote.
The motion to adjourn at the end of the reenactment was made by Rep. Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, who represents the same district as Burn, and Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, who has held Burn’s old seat in both the House and Senate.
The legislature last year approved $250,000 in funding for suffrage centennial educational efforts, along with $25,000 this year. It’s unclear how much went toward Tuesday’s reenactment, which was filmed by a production company.
The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned last Wednesday after a three-day special session Lee called to take up bills related to providing businesses immunity against COVID-19 lawsuits, expanding telehealth options and increasing penalties for certain protest-related offenses.
Among the bills that passed was one making it a felony to camp outside the Capitol, and though unlikely to be prosecuted, could result in the elimination of a defendant’s voting rights.
Tuesday’s event was livestreamed online, and the professional-quality video will continue to be used as an educational resource for Tennessee students.
The Official Committee of the State of Tennessee Woman Suffrage Centennial was appointed in 2019 by McNally and Sexton, including members from the state library, museum, education department, tourism department, historical commission, historical society, as well as the state historian.
Lee last year declared August 2019 to August 2020 to be the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Centennial Year.
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.
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Published 5:42 PM EDT Aug 18, 2020
