Mary Latimer McLendon Fountain

The Mary Latimer McLendon Memorial Fountain is located in an honorable location in the south wing on the main floor of Georgia’s State Capitol since 1923. It was given by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union to commemorate the organization and their leader Mary Latimer McLendon, who passed away two years before.
 
McLendon, also known as “Mother of Suffrage in Georgia,” served as the president of the Georgia Women’s Suffrage Association (GWSA) for 18 years and was one of the leaders of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. She worked all her life for these causes and was able to witness the changes happening before her death in 1921: In 1919, the 18th amendment was ratified prohibition on the sale and production of alcohol across the country. In 1920 the 19th amendment was ratified, giving the women their right to vote. Georgia was the first state to reject the ratification of the 19th and only ratified it on February 20th, 1970.
 
McLendon worked till her death to ensure the women of Georgia got their voting rights, but she was never able to vote herself.