03/03/2014
A little history about three women who had a huge impact in the women's rights movement-- it would be impossible to celebrate Women's History Month without starting off with them!
Lucretia Mott was an abolitionist, women's rights activist, social reformer, and Quaker. She and her husband helped found the American Anti-Slavery Society. As an experienced minister and abolitionist, she challenged social norms by being involved and speaking about these issues. She also helped Elizabeth Cady Stanton organize the Women's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls.
Susan B. Anthony was a social reformer, women's rights activist, and abolitionist. She was born a Quaker, which helped shape her ideals for equality. At 17 years old she collected anti-slavery petitions. In 1872 she was arrested for voting and refused to pay the fines associated with her arrest, and eventually the authorities lost interest. Anthony was able to travel and speak about the issues she cared about more than her counterparts because she never married or had children.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was also an abolitionist, social activist, and a leading figure in the women's rights movement. She wrote the Declaration of Sentiments and presented it at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. She met with Anthony often to discuss ideas for social change and women's committees, which Anthony would then travel and talk about. She also cared deeply about issues beyond voting rights, such as women's parental and custody rights, property rights, employment and income rights, divorce, etc.
None of these women lived to see women vote, which happened in 1920.
