On the 27th February 1922, a mere 89 years ago, The United States Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision that women had the right to vote by virtue of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. This overruled the State laws which allowed only men to vote. The Chief Justice presiding over the Court at that time was William Howard Taft. He had been the 27th President of the United States (1909-1913) and later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1921-1930) He is the only person to have served in both offices.

Cecilia Streett Waters and Mary D. Randolph were registered as voters in the state of Maryland, despite the Maryland Constitution limiting voting rights to men only. Oscar Lesser of the firm of Hill, Randall & Lesser, filed suit against the state board of registry, as they were authorised to do under Maryland law, to have the women's registrations invalidated. There was a clear conflict between the Federal and State constitutions. The Unanimous decision favoured the ladies.

Oscar Lesser

(More of this anon - there is more stuff to come)