Women's Equality Day, 2001

Proclamation 7458 of August 24, 2001

Women's Equality Day, 2001

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Women's Equality Day marks the anniversary of women's
enfranchisement and a pivotal victory for women's
rights. Our Nation recognized a woman's right to vote
with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, but the
roots of the women's rights movement go back to at
least 80 years earlier.

In 1840, Elizabeth Cady Stanton met Lucretia Mott at
the World's Anti-Slavery Convention in London. They,
along with the other women there, expected to join in
the anti-slavery proceedings, but male delegates
refused to allow them to participate. Thus rebuffed,
Mott and Stanton began a journey that would lead to the
1848 Seneca Falls Convention. There, the Declaration of
Rights and Sentiments called for women's equality,
including the right to vote and to take part in our
Nation's great moral debates.

Nearly all women's rights advocates also fought for the
abolition of slavery. One hundred and fifty years ago,
anti-slavery suffragette Sojourner Truth gave a
powerful address expounding on the strength of women.
Her impassioned call for women to actively participate
in social justice movements became a legendary link
between abolition and suffrage. That same year, Susan
B. Anthony met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and they later
joined Harriet Tubman, Mary Ann Shad Cary, Lucy Stone,
and other abolitionists to pursue the goal of women's
suffrage. Many 19th Century abolitionist suffragettes
did not live to see the fruit of their work for women's
enfranchisement, but their efforts led the way for
women to fight for and win recognition of their rights
as equal participants in our Republic.

Tremendous advancements have been made in the fight for
equality. But we must remain diligent in enforcing our
Nation's laws. And we still have work to do in this
area.

Today, thousands of people, mainly women and children,
are trafficked into the United States each year and
forced to work in the sex industry, sweatshops, field
labor, and domestic servitude. Beyond these vile acts,
workplace discrimination and targeted violence continue
to take place, despite their rejection by our
communities and legal system.

Our efforts to ensure women equal rights must include
the protection of women from violence and equal access
to justice. This is particularly vital for women who
face geographic, cultural, and other barriers to social
justice services. Women victimized by crime should
receive equitable and compassionate care, including
access to advocacy, emergency shelter, law enforcement
protection, and legal aid. That is why my 2002 budget
requests increased funding for Federal initiatives to
combat violence against women and to continue the
guarantees of basic civil rights and liberties for
women.

As we remember the well-known champions of women's
equality, we also honor the millions of women whose
private efforts and personal ideals continue to sustain
and improve this land. On Women's Equality Day, I call
upon all Americans to defend the freedoms gained by
those who came before us and to continue to expand our
shared vision of social justice and equality.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 2001, as Women's
Equality Day. I call upon the people of the United
States to observe this day with appropriate programs
and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth.

(Presidential Sig.)B