McMinn County played an important role in passing the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote in the United States. Harry T. Burn, a resident of Niota, was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1918 to 1922. During his first term, Burn broke a 48:48 tie by voting in favor of ratifying the amendment. This vote made Tennessee the thirty-sixth and final state needed to pass the legislation.
This exhibit honors Harry T. Burn and the countless women who fought a decades-long battle for women’s suffrage in the United States. Visit the Museum today to hear the story of how Burn’s mother, Febb Insminger Burn, encouraged her son to vote in favor of the amendment. Key artifacts on display include Febb Burn’s writing desk, various campaign items, and a replica of a women’s suffrage statue located in Knoxville.