Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. AnthonyPublic DomainToday, women have the same rights as men but what not many people realize is that it was not always that way. When Susan was growing up women could not vote or wear pants.  She always faced challenges head on and spread a new hope for all the American girls. Susan had an interesting background and some amazing accomplishments that we take for granted today. We don't thank Susan enough for what we women and girls have today.

Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820. Susan and her family left from the town Susan was born in and moved to Battenville N.Y. in 1826. While in Battenville her dad took her and her sisters out of school. Then the 1837 depression came and the Anthony family was forced to declare bankruptcy and lost their Battenville house. To earn money Susan B. Anthony started teaching at Canajoharie Academy and got a yearly salary of $110. Susan never married because it meant giving up everything she owned to a man. Sadly Susan died on March 13, 1906 while in her bed. She lived to be 86 years old.

“No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent.” Susan said. So she wanted to change that. At age 12 Susan put together an anti-slavery petition and in 1877 she made a women's suffrage petition with 10,000 signatures on it but Congress said no, probably because most of the signatures were from women and children. In 1900 Susan persuaded the University of Rochester to admit women, and the 19th Amendment is called the Susan B. Anthony Amendment.  Susan attended a woman's rights convention and spoke, even though she was ill.

She did so much in her life and nobody will recognize her unless people like us are willing to spread the news. She didn't think being a woman was worth being discouraging but instead of sitting by and letting the problem keep going, she took a stand and helped be part of the solution. We all owe Susan a lot of thanks.