Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a White House Historical Association Dedication Ceremony Honoring Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy
Washington, D.C. *** Thank you, John. And thank you Stewart. It’s wonderful to be here with all of you today. I feel like I’m coming to visit neighbors, but the truth is that you’ve been more than just neighbors to me these last two years—you’ve been indispensable partners. On a frigid winter morning in January, over a hundred years ago, twelve women stood in front of the White House. With banners of purple, gold, and white above their heads, these “Silent Sentinels” marched through Lafayette Park without a sound. When the seasons changed, they continued their vigil under the pouring rain and pounding sun. When women were arrested, others showed up to take their place. They walked without sound, but their message to President Wilson—here, in this park, steps from the White House—was clear: Women deserved the right to vote. From public marketplaces to political movements, from patriotic celebrations to protests that would sway a nation—the history of our countr...