19th Amendment ratified 100 years ago, solidifying women's right to vote

Aug. 18 marks the 100 year anniversary of the 19th Amendment ratification, which guarantees and protects women's right to vote.

The women's suffrage began in 1848 when women demanded the right to vote and began their organized movement.

The movement lasted 72 years when women rallied and protested for the right to the ballot. The constitutional amendment was then ratified on Aug. 18, 1920.

Today more than 68 million women vote in U.S. elections because of the actions of these women.

"For so much of history it was an injustice that more than half of the population was held back," says Markus Krueger, the program director at the Clay County Historical Society.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County will open an exhibit in October showcasing the participation of many Fargo, Moorhead and Grand Forks women who were a part of the movement.