b'On July 25, 1911, More than 2,000 suffragists assembledto honor Ellen Clark Sargent. This was San Franciscos first publicmemorial for a woman and state flags flew at half-mast. Californias passage of womens right to vote did encourage passage of the 19th Amendment. The model of suffrage leaders working with civic and social clubs to spread the word, as the Sargents had done in California, was effectively implemented throughout the country.The 19th Amendment finally passed Congress on June 4, 1919, and was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. American women at last had the right to vote.A HEROINE FOR OUR TIMESOn July 25, 1911, the California Equal Suffrage Association (of which Ellen Clark Sargent had been president 7 times) organized a memorial in Union Square in San Francisco. More than 2,000 suffragists assembled to honor her. It was the first time the City of San Francisco had held a public memorial for a woman, and state flags flew at half-mast. Governor Hiram Johnson had planned to attend, but had to cancel at the last minute. In his stead, prominent San Francisco attorney, Thomas E. Hayden made the opening address, praising Sargents life and dedication.He honored her by using the same quote Ellen herself had used throughout her years as a suffragist leader: She was one of the wise women who saw years ago that woman could not attain her highest development until she had the same large opportunities and theMarble bust of Aaron same large chance as her brothers.Sargent. Donated by Ellen Clark Sargent worked her entire adultfamily to the Searls life for womens suffrage. Like so many of theHistorical Library in suffragists, she herself never got the chanceNevada City.to vote, but her daughters and grandchildren have. Her legacy is the empowerment of women throughout this country. ___________________________________________________ By Judith Hurley ProsserBetzi Hart, board president of the North Star Special thanks to Chris Enss, Nevada CountyHistoric Conservancy (left), and Chris Enss, local resident and New York Times bestsellingauthor of No Place for a Woman: The Struggle author, for the use of information from her book, No Place For a Woman: The Strugglefor Suffrage in the Wild West, at a February 2020 for Suffrage in the Wild West. Her booksevent celebrating the 100th anniversary of women are available at The Book Seller in downtownwinning the right to vote.Grass Valley and at ChrisEnss.com.Business 2020 9'