National Archives to Add 19th Amendment to Permanent ‘Charters of Freedom’ Display 

The National Archives will add the 19th Amendment, which removed restrictions for women to vote, to the permanent display of the Charters of Freedom in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, in March 2026.


“The 19th Amendment enabled the largest enfranchisement in the history of the United States, removing voting restrictions for more than half of all Americans," said Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan. "We are adding it, and the Emancipation Proclamation, to the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives Rotunda to share a more complete story of our nation's ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union,” Shogan said. “I am thrilled we are adding these documents as we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America. I look forward to welcoming all Americans to experience first-hand this engaging history on display.” 

Passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, then ratified on August 18, 1920, and finally certified on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment is celebrated as the culmination of over eight decades of advocacy by the woman suffrage movement. 

New encasements will be added to the Rotunda of the National Archives Building to permanently house the 19th Amendment and the Emancipation Proclamation alongside the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. 

These additions to the Rotunda will be celebrated as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026. The National Archives is hosting a nationwide, multi-year celebration in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary. Known as Declaration250, the celebration includes activities around the country and online.