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Early life -

Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts, into a Quaker family that valued education and social justice.

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Education advocate -

Anthony's father ensured she received a strong education, which was uncommon for girls in the early 19th century, fostering her lifelong commitment to learning and reform.

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Quaker influence -

Raised in a Quaker household, she was taught that men and women were equals, shaping her dedication to women's rights and social reform.

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Early teaching career -

Before activism, she worked as a teacher, earning far less than her male colleagues. This injustice fueled her fight for equal pay and women's rights.

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Abolitionist roots -

Anthony was deeply involved in the abolitionist movement, working with Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison (pictured) to end slavery in the US.

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Temperance movement -

She initially became active in the temperance movement, advocating for laws restricting alcohol, but was denied the right to speak at meetings because she was a woman.

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Meeting Elizabeth Cady Stanton -

In 1851, Anthony met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, forming a lifelong partnership that became the foundation of the women's suffrage movement.

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National Woman Suffrage Association -

In 1869, Anthony and Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) to push for a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

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Newspaper founder -

She established The Revolution newspaper in 1868, using it to promote women's rights and suffrage with the slogan, "Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less."

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Petitioning Congress -

Anthony tirelessly petitioned Congress for women's voting rights, gathering thousands of signatures and pressuring lawmakers for change.

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Voting in 1872 -

In defiance of the law, Anthony voted in the 1872 presidential election and was arrested and fined US$100, which she refused to pay as an act of protest.

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Famous trial -

During her trial for illegal voting, Anthony was not allowed to testify and was found guilty, a case that brought national attention to women's suffrage.

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Opposition of the Fifteenth Amendment -

While supporting civil rights, Anthony opposed the 15th Amendment because it granted Black men the vote but excluded women.

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Advocating equal rights for all -

She later collaborated with Black suffragists and reformers, including Hester C. Jeffrey, acknowledging the shared fight for civil rights and women's equality.

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'The Women's Bible' -

Anthony and Stanton published 'The Woman's Bible' (1895), challenging religious justifications for female inferiority, sparking controversy even among suffragists.

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Lecturing across America -

She traveled extensively, giving speeches in every state, tirelessly advocating for women's suffrage despite hostility and resistance.

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1878 Suffrage Amendment -

Anthony helped draft the first version of what later became the 19th Amendment, which was introduced to Congress in 1878 but took over 40 years to pass.

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International Council of Women -

She helped form the International Council of Women (ICW) in 1888, uniting various women's organizations to strengthen advocacy efforts.

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International influence -

Anthony worked with global women's rights leaders and attended international conferences, spreading the fight for women's suffrage worldwide.

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Friendship with Frederick Douglass -

Despite disagreements over the 15th Amendment, she remained close friends with Frederick Douglass, both advocating for universal equality.

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White House meeting -

She met President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905, urging him to support women's suffrage, though he declined to take action.

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Never married -

Anthony never married, believing it would interfere with her activism, famously stating, "I never found the man who was necessary to my happiness."

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Final speech -

In 1906, shortly before her death, she delivered her last public speech, declaring, "Failure is impossible," inspiring suffragists to continue the fight.

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Death before victory -

Anthony died on March 13, 1906, at age 86, 14 years before women gained the right to vote in 1920.

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19th Amendment tribute -

When the 19th Amendment was finally introduced, granting women the right to vote, it was often called the "Susan B. Anthony Amendment" in recognition of her efforts.

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Honorary US$1 coin -

In 1979, she became the first woman featured on a US coin when the Susan B. Anthony dollar was issued.

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Rochester legacy -

Her home in Rochester, New York, is now a museum, preserving her legacy and contributions to women's rights.

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Presidential pardon -

In 2020, President Donald Trump posthumously pardoned Susan B. Anthony for voting illegally in 1872, but historians argue she wouldn't have wanted it, as she viewed her conviction with pride.

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Enduring impact -

Susan B. Anthony's work laid the foundation for modern gender equality movements, making her one of the most influential figures in American history.

Sources: (National History Women's Museum) (Britannica) (History) (CNN) 

See also: Milestone moments in global women's history

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