Elizabeth Stanton & Susan B Anthony
Women's Rights Activists
About Elizabeth
A strong, confident woman born on November 12, 1815 -- Elizabeth spent her childhood embracing education and participating in activities that not many girls were involved in. Elizabeth's cousin, Gerrit Smith, was a reformer who greatly influenced Elizabeth's interest in temperance and women's rights movements. In 1840, Elizabeth married a reformer named Henry Stanton. After traveling soon after marriage, Elizabeth and her husband settled down with a family in Seneca Falls, New York. In July of 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention was held. At the convention, Elizabeth took the lead in proposing that women should get the right to vote. After becoming good friends with Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth became one of the leaders in promoting women's rights specifically. In 1869, Elizabeth and Susan formed the NWSA (National Woman Suffrage Association). Elizabeth held the position as president of the NWSA until 1890. Throughout her life, Elizabeth wrote and spoke about women's rights frequently. Elizabeth died on October 26, 1902. Although she didn't get to see women get the right to vote in 1919, her influence was one of the major forces in the amendment being passed.
About Susan
On Feb. 15, 1920, in Massachusetts--Susan B. Anthony was born to a Quaker family. Anthony was the second oldest of eight children. When her family moved to a farm in Rochester, New York, they became involved in the fight to end slavery. Anthony began to spend most of her life working on social issues. In 1851, Anthony attended a anti-slavery conference where she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Not only was Anthony anti-slavery, she also supported the temperance movement. After Anthony was denied the chance to speak at a temperance movement because she was a woman, Anthony became involved in women's rights movements. Anthony and Stanton founded the New York State Woman's Rights Committee. In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and her friend Elizabeth Stanton formed the National Woman Suffrage Association. Both Anthony and Stanton traveled around the country speaking in support of women getting the right to vote. Interesting enough, in 1872, Susan voted illegally in the election. She was arrested for the crime and she unsuccessfully fought the charges. Although she never paid the $100 fine. Anthony also published many books and writings about women's rights. In 1905, Anthony met with President Theodore Roosevelt to lobby for an amendment to give women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony died in 1906 without seeing women getting their right. In 1919, when the amendment for women voting was passed--Susan B. Anthony was recognized. In 1979, Anthony was honored even more by having her portrait on the dollar coin.