In 1920 35 states had voted for a constitutional amendment allowing women’s suffrage, but one more was needed for ratification. Tennessee seemed the most likely, but its assembly was deadlocked. Harry Burn, ostensibly an anti-suffragist, surprisingly sided with women’s suffrage, making it the law of the land. He explained that his mother had written him a letter saying, “Don’t forget to be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt,” referring to suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt.