Robbins is the author of the novel A Lady's Choice, the fictional story of one young woman’s journey in the suffrage movement, from Summerside Press, an imprint of Guideposts.
Writing A Lady’s Choice has made me realize how thankful I am for the right to vote. It has also made me proud to be from Tennessee, where the last battle for women’s suffrage was fought.
My historical research also led me on a personal journey; by investigating America’s history, I came to appreciate how mothers—including my own—inspire the next generation.
As a child, I was fascinated by the world of politics. My grandfather was circuit court clerk, my uncle was in the Tennessee House of Representatives, and my father was mayor of our town. It came as no surprise when I discovered that one of my ancestors had even been a politician in New York way back in the 1600s.
With a heritage like that, we never took voting lightly in our home. My mother cautioned me to never let an election pass without voting my conscience. If she had lived during the suffrage movement, I bet she would have grabbed a sign and joined the demonstrators. Instead, she embraced the freedom they had gained for her and made sure her daughters never took their right to vote for granted.
As I think of the brave women who struggled to on behalf of generations to come, I also am thankful for another mother. In 1920, the year before my mother was born, 35 states had ratified the 19th amendment. Of the 36 needed for passage of the amendment, Tennessee seemed the last hope, but the Tennessee House of Representatives was evenly divided. Harry Burn, the youngest member, changed his vote at the urging of his mother, Phoebe Ensminger Burn. Inspired by her determination, he voted for ratification and the 19th amendment became law.
Phoebe Burn’s influence on her son changed history for generations of women yet to come. It touched my mother’s life, and in turn gave me a deep gratitude for the freedom I have. As Harry said to reporters, a mother’s advice is always the best.
Those words serve as a reminder of the roles we as mothers play in our children’s lives. It is my prayer that I never take that responsibility lightly.
