Susan B. Anthony's Suffrage Work

About

Susan B. Anthony was a pivotal figure in the women's suffrage movement, dedicating over five decades of her life to advocating for women's right to vote. Her work involved extensive travel, giving hundreds of speeches, and organizing suffragists across the United States. In 1872, she made history by voting in the presidential election, an act that led to her arrest and trial. This event, while resulting in a conviction, brought national attention to the suffrage movement. Anthony's arguments were based on the Fourteenth Amendment, which she believed granted her the right to vote as a U.S. citizen. Anthony's legacy extends beyond her trial. She was instrumental in organizing the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and trained younger activists like Carrie Chapman Catt and Anna Howard Shaw. Her tireless efforts helped shift public opinion and paved the way for the eventual ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, known colloquially as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment. Through her writings, including the six-volume History of Woman Suffrage, Anthony documented the progress of the movement. Her work remains a cornerstone of the fight for women's rights and equality in the United States.