>>> THIS MONTH MARKS AN
IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY, 100 YEARS
SINCE THE 19th AMENDMENT WAS
RATIFIED.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT GIVES WOMEN
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
THE ANNIVERSARY IS HAPPENING A
WEEK AFTER ANOTHER HISTORIC
MOMENT, KAMALA HARRIS CHOSEN BY
JOE BIDEN TO BE HIS RUNNING
MATE.
WITH SO MANY POWERFUL WOMEN IN
POLITICS TODAY, IT SEEMS
UNIMAGINABLE THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN WOMEN HAD TO FIGHT EVEN
JUST TO GET TO CAST A BALLOT.
BUT FOR WOMEN OF COLOR, THE
BATTLE FOR EQUALITY IS NOT OVER,
NOT BY A LONG SHOT.
REHEMA ELLIS HAS MORE IN OUR
SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT.
>> YOUR NEXT VICE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES, KAMALA
HARRIS.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER
GROUND-BREAKING MOMENT IN OUR
NATION'S HISTORY.
>> I DO SO MINDFUL OF ALL THE
HEROIC AND AMBITIOUS WOMEN
BEFORE ME.
>> Reporter: THE FOURTH TIME A
WOMAN IS ON THE TICKET OF A
MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY, BUT THE
FIRST FOR A WOMAN OF COLOR.
A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE STRUGGLE
FOR EQUALITY, FIRST DEMANDED
MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO BY THE
SUFFRAGETTES FIGHTING FOR THE
19th AMENDMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 100 YEARS SINCE
WOMEN GAINED THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
>> THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN VERY FEW
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS THAT
EVER PASSED, AND IT WAS THE
LARGEST ENFRANCHISEMENT OF
AMERICANS IN OUR NATION'S
HISTORY.
>> Reporter: VIRGINIA CASE IS
CEO OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS.
DID THAT AMENDMENT GIVE ALL
WOMEN AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO
ACCESS AND TO EXERCISE THEIR
RIGHT TO VOTE?
>> UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T.
SO WE TALK ABOUT THIS BEING A
COMMEMORATION AS OPPOSED TO A
CELEBRATION.
THAT REALLY IS WHY.
>> Reporter: BLACK WOMEN WERE
RELENTLESS IN THE CAUSE, DESPITE
DISCRIMINATION.
>> AND THAT'S WHY IT'S MY JOB TO
MAKE SURE TO ENSURE THAT IDA B.
WELLS AND ALL OF THE WOMEN OF
COLOR DO NOT FADE IN OUR HISTORY
BOOKS.
>> Reporter: TIANNA FERRELL IS
THE GREAT GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF
IDA B. WELLS, AN EDUCATOR,
JOURNALIST AND ADVOCATE FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND WOMEN'S
RIGHTS.
>> I'LL MARCH WITH MY PEERS OR
NOT AT ALL.
>> Reporter: EVEN HOLLYWOOD HAS
ACKNOWLEDGED WELLS' REFUSAL TO
MARCH AT THE BACK OF A
SUFFRAGETTE PARADE.
>> WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THEIR
SUPPORT.
>> WHO'S WE?
WOMEN OR JUST WHITE WOMEN?
>> SHE KNEW THAT THIS WAS BIGGER
THAN HER.
IT WAS BIGGER THAN RACE.
IT WAS BIGGER THAN GENDER.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IDA B.
WELLS WOULD SAY TODAY?
>> LADIES, TAKE THE VOTE, BY ANY
MEANS NECESSARY.
BAND TOGETHER, STRATEGIZE,
ORGANIZE, COLLABORATE, PUT YOUR
DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND TAKE THE
VOTE.
DID YOU SEE IDA COME OUT A
LITTLE BIT?
>> I DO.
>> Reporter: AN ACTIVIST
HERSELF, SHE IS CARRYING ON HER
ANCESTOR'S SPIRIT, KEENLY AWARE
THAT BLACK WOMEN HAD TO CONTINUE
THEIR FIGHT UNTIL THE 1965
VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
AND THAT FIGHT, SHE SAYS, IS
STILL NOT OVER.
>> IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, VOTER
SUPPRESSION IS REAL.
IT JUST LOOKS DIFFERENT IN 2020
THAN IT DID 50, 100 YEARS AGO.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, OUR ABILITY TO
HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS
DEMOCRACY HAS INVOLVED STRUGGLE
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
>> Reporter: REPRESENTATIVE
KAREN BASS KNOWS ALL TOO WELL
THE ROADBLOCKS TO PROGRESS, BUT
SHE ALSO KNOWS THAT GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY, BLACK WOMEN SHOW UP
AT THE POLLS IN HIGHER NUMBERS
THAN OTHER VOTING BLOCS.
>> AS VOTERS, HOW POWERFUL ARE
BLACK WOMEN?
>> EXTREMELY POWERFUL.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TRY TO TELL
US NOT TO VOTE OR TO GO TO THE
BACK OF THE BUS, PEOPLE GET MAD.
WHEN PEOPLE GET MAD, PEOPLE ACT.
>> WOMEN HAVE POWERED EVERY
MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
NOW WE FINALLY GET TO LEAD IT IN
FRONT OF CONGRESS, IN FRONT OF
THE WHITE HOUSE.
OUR VOTE IS WHAT CHANGES ALL OF