On this day 9/30


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1889 – Wyoming legislators write the first state constitution to grant women the vote


On September 30, 1889, the Wyoming state convention approves a constitution that includes a provision granting women the right to vote. Formally admitted into the union the following year, Wyoming thus became the first state in the history of the nation to allow its femaleĀ …read more

1918 – President Woodrow Wilson speaks in favor of female suffrage


On September 30, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson gives a speech before Congress in support of guaranteeing women the right to vote. Although the House of Representatives had approved a 19th constitutional amendment giving women suffrage, the Senate had yet to vote on the measure.

Wilson had actually maintained a somewhat lukewarm attitude toward women’s suffrage throughout his first term (1913-1917). In 1917, he had been picketed by suffragists outside the White House who berated him for paying mere lip service to their cause. The protests reached a crescendo when several women were arrested, jailed and went on a hunger strike. 

1822 – Joseph Marion HernĆ”ndez becomes the first Hispanic elected to Congress


Joseph Marion Hernandez

JosĆ© Mariano HernĆ”ndezĀ orĀ Joseph Marion HernĆ”ndezĀ (May 26, 1788[1] – June 8, 1857) was an American politician, plantation owner, and soldier. He was the firstĀ DelegateĀ from theĀ Florida TerritoryĀ and theĀ firstĀ Hispanic AmericanĀ to serve in theĀ United States Congress.[2]Ā A member of theĀ Whig Party, he served from September 1822 to March 1823. wiki

On September 30, 1822, Joseph Marion HernĆ”ndez becomes the first Hispanic to be elected to the United States Congress. Born a Spanish citizen, HernĆ”ndez would die in Cuba, but in between he became the first Hispanic American to serve at the highest levels of any of three branches of the American federal government.

Joseph Marion Hernandez

HernĆ”ndez belonged to a St. Augustine family that came to Florida as indentured servants. Despite these humble beginnings, records show that his family eventually became wealthy enough to own property and several slaves, and that HernĆ”ndez was educated both in both Georgia and in Cuba. Throughout the 1810s, the United States made a variety of efforts to take Florida from the Spanish, finally succeeding afterĀ Andrew JacksonĀ led an army through the territory in the First Seminole War. What HernĆ”ndez did during this time is unclear, but he was either very savvy or very lucky—he fought the Americans during the war and received substantial amounts of land from the Spanish government, but then pledged loyalty to the United States and was allowed to keep his three plantations when the territory changed hands in 1819. It was then that HernĆ”ndez changed his name from JosĆ© Mariano to Joseph Marion.

For the complete article: history.com