WOMEN IN HISTORY - SUSAN B. ANTHONY

Napoleon of the women's suffrage movement, mother of the 19th Amendment, abolitionist
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Source: World Book Encyclopedia, The Quarrie Corporation (1943) © www.arttoday.com

DATE OF BIRTH

February 15, 1820

PLACE OF BIRTH

Adams, Massachusetts 

DATE OF DEATH

March 13, 1906

PLACE OF DEATH

Susan B. Anthony died in her home in Rochester, New York of pneumonia and heart failure. Her last public words, "Failure is impossible," became the suffrage rallying cry. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

The Anthony family was very active in the reform movements of the day. They worked for temperance (the prohibition of alcohol), the anti-slavery movement plus both of Susan B. Anthony's parents (Daniel and Lucy) and her sister Mary signed the "Declaration of Sentiments" at the Second Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848.

EDUCATION

Although most girls did not receive a formal education in the early 1800's, Susan B. Anthony's father, Daniel, as a 6th generation Quaker, believed in equal treatment for boys and girls. Consequently, Susan and her three sisters had the same opportunity for advanced education as her two brothers. Susan attended a private Quaker boarding school in Philadelphia. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Susan B. Anthony dedicated her life to "the cause," the woman suffrage movement. The accomplishments of Susan B. Anthony paved the way for the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 (14 years after her death) which gave women the right to vote. Her accomplishments include the following:
  • Founded the National Woman's Suffrage Association in 1869 with life-long friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Together they worked for women's suffrage for over 50 years.
  • Published "The Revolution" from 1868-1870, a weekly paper about the woman suffrage movement whose motto read, "Men their rights and nothing more, women their rights and nothing less.
  • First person arrested, put on trial and fined for voting on November 5, 1872. Unable to speak in her defense she refuse to pay "a dollar of your unjust penalty."
  • Wrote the Susan B. Anthony Amendment in 1878 which later became the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.
  • Helped found the National American Woman's Suffrage Association in 1890 which focused on a national amendment to secure women the vote. She served as president until 1900.
  • Compiled and published "The History of Woman Suffrage (4 vols. 1881-1902) with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage.
  • Founded the International Council of Women (1888) and the International Woman Suffrage Council (1904) which brought international attention to suffrage.
  • An organization genius -- her canvassing plan is still used today by grassroot and political organizations.
  • Gave 75-100 speeches a year for 45 years, traveling throughout the the United States by stage coach, wagon, carriage and train.
  • Led the only non-violent revolution in our country's history -- the 72 year struggle to win women the right to vote.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • Alcott, Louisa May.  Alternative Alcott.  Edited and with an introduction by Elaine Showalter.  New Brunswick:  Rutgers University Press, 1987.
  • Alcott, Louisa May.  Behind a Mask: the Unknown Thrillers of Louisa May Alcott. Edited and with an introduction by Madeleine Stern.  New York: Morrow, 1975.
  • Alcott, Louisa May.  Moods.  Edited and with an introduction by Sarah Elbert.  New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1991.
  • Bedell, Madelon.  The Alcotts: a Family Biography.  New York: Crown Publishers, 1980.
  • Myerson, Joel and Daniel Shealy.  The Selected Letters of Louisa May Alcott.  Boston: Little Brown, 1987.
  • Stern, Madeleine Bettina.  Louisa May Alcott.  Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1950.

WEBSITES

QUOTE

"Woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself."  ~ Susan B. Anthony

CITATION

This page may be cited as:
Women in History. Susan B. Anthony biography. Last Updated: 1/12/2013. Women In History Ohio.
<http://www.womeninhistoryohio.com/susan-brownell-anthony.html>