Essay: A duty and honor to vote

Allie Jones. Courtesy photo

Editor’s note: The following essay was a second-place winner in the local Edward Buncombe Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Courageous Beginnings contest, part of the organization’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. The contest was open to seniors in area high schools, who were asked to think about how this milestone accomplishment may have affected their own family history and what voting means to them today.

What is your definition of courageous? My definition is overcoming obstacles in one’s life through hard work, grace and integrity. My great-grandmother Bessie Smith exemplified all these characteristics while maintaining a household for seven children. Living near the edge of a dead-end road far in the roots of Leicester, N.C., my great-grandmother worked on a farm and in the school system.

Life was not easy, and my family was very poor. All the children worked in the tobacco fields alongside my grandparents to provide an income to stay in school, attend church and live in a house. My great-grandmother never owned a car and was excluded from the surrounding city of Asheville. Bessie never drove a car and would only make it to work by catching a ride on the school bus.

Although this time period enhanced the cult of domesticity, my great-grandmother continuously got her hands dirty and worked just as hard as her male counterparts. She was an inspiring role model who showed that poverty is a challenge but can be overcome. She signified the importance of a woman’s role not only in the home but in the community as well. She taught her four daughters how to be independent and not to focus on the restrictions that society imposed on women at that time but continued to highlight her courage by registering to vote on April 6, 1968, at the age of 52. Not only did she vote for the first time at this age, but voted alongside her youngest daughter to symbolize that you are never too old to make a difference in your country.

As I turned 18 and will be given the opportunity to vote in the next election, I plan to extend the same courage that my great-grandmother did and celebrate the fight that women throughout the early 1900s fought so diligently for females all across America. As a citizen of the United States, I feel it is my duty to vote not only for myself, but for women like my great-grandmother who came before me and courageously fought for equality. I consider it an honor to walk into the voting booth and cast my ballot to represent all the activists who paved a way for the future of women.

— Allie Jones
Class of 2020
Clyde A. Erwin High School

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

2 thoughts on “Essay: A duty and honor to vote

  1. Lou

    Congratulations Allie and happy birthday! I hope you will think about the current crimes and hostilities directed at women by the misogynists in office presently when you go to cast your vote. America is worth saving and it’s up to us women, as usual. Good luck in your future endeavors!

    9
    14

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.