What A Gal!

Susan B Anthony Museum in Rochester, NY is one of my favorites.  When I think of how she travelled by herself across the entire country on a buckwagon to give speeches for "Votes for Women," it is awe-inspiring to me. Her entire family were abolitionists and helped with the underground railroad passengers.  Frederick Douglas and she had tea and would talk for hours about  changes this country needed and how to accomplish these together.

The women's movement was spearheaded by many intelligent, educated, and yes, wealthy women of the day.  When Ms. Anthony approached the  University of Rochester to allow women to attend, the college gave her this proposal: If she could come up with half of the $100,000.00 needed to add a room to the college campus, the college would allow it.  Women could attend but had to be in a separate classroom. The money was raised from all profits from the movement, lectures, papers sold, books, and wealthy donors amounted to $42,000.00 but she was short $8,000.00.

With the deadline approaching SBA cashed in her life insurance policy for the final $2000.  She was completely committed to promoting women being educated, having their own income, (separate from their husbands money) and their right to vote.

This home in Rochester would become the headquarters for the women's movement.  Mary SuBA sister, stayed at this house with their ailing mother until her death.  She worked as a principal for the school nearby.  Mary handled all the family finances to keep the cause and SBA on the lecture tour to spread the word for the "right to vote for women."  Every year Mary paid her taxes she would write on her check to the government, "Taxation Without Representation."

Susan along with 14 suffragettes voted in the Federal election, Rochester, NY in 1872. Two weeks later she was arrested. The Judge came to the trial with the final verdict already typed out and in his pocket. The jury was instructed to find her guilty and she was not allowed to speak on her behalf before the verdict was read.  In the closing statement finally SBA was allowed to speak and she made her point although the verdict stood. The court fined her $100 which she never paid.  What a gal!

What a life well lived, thankful for SBA because of her she began a forward thinking and positive movement that lives on today. What conversations she must have had with FD and other progressive thinkers of the time. What a gal!