The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, when Tennessee became the 36th state to approve it, giving it the required three‑fourths of the states’ support.

Key dates

  • Passed by Congress: June 4, 1919.
  • Ratified by the states (Tennessee as 36th): August 18, 1920.
  • Officially certified and became law nationwide: August 26, 1920, when Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation.

Why August 18 matters

  • That date marks the moment the amendment cleared its final constitutional hurdle by securing ratification from three‑fourths of the states then in the Union.
  • After certification later in August, it secured that the right to vote could not be denied on account of sex, transforming the electorate and American political life.

In everyday usage, when people ask “when was the 19th Amendment ratified,” the historically precise answer is August 18, 1920.

TL;DR: The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, and formally certified into effect on August 26, 1920.

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