Susan B. Anthony: The Feminist Movement

Feminism is defined as the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities (“Feminism”). Throughout history, women strived for rights that men had but women did not acquire such as the right to education, voting, equal pay, abortion, and divorce. Major, influential feminists include Susan B. Anthony, a well known suffragist who fought for the right to vote; Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State and presidential candidate for the 2016 election; Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for women’s education, and many more. The Feminist Movement essentially began in 1848 when Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the first Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls, NY. Because the Feminist Movement spans from 1848 to the present day, it is divided into three so called ‘waves’. The Seneca Falls Convention was the beginning of the first wave of feminism which spanned from 1848-1920. The second wave of feminism began in 1921 and continued through 1960, while the third wave of feminism followed in 1961 and continued through the present day. Women's suffrage, birth control, and equal pay were central issues in the three waves of feminism that shaped women's rights in America.

Throughout the
first wave of feminism, one central issue that shaped women’s rights in America was suffrage. Although the law that prevented women from voting was established in the 1700s, it wasn’t until 1848 that women decided to fight for the right to vote. The proposal of the what-would-be Nineteenth amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1866 by James Brooks as part of the Fourteenth Amendment (Imbornoni) .
Susan B. Anthony was opposed to the Fourteenth Amendment because it gave rights to citizens regardless of race, but it did not mention gender. Congress voted against the proposal; however, in 1869 James Brooks reintroduced it as part of the Fifteenth Amendment (Imbornoni). His proposal was once again denied. When the Fifteenth Amendment was passed, it became the model for the suffrage amendment or Susan B. Anthony Amendment. The Susan B. Anthony amendment was discussed regularly in Congress from 1880 until 1919 when it was finally signed and sent to states for ratification
(Imbornoni). Susan B. Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869, the same year that Henry Ward Beecher and Lucy Stone formed the American Woman Suffrage Association. Both groups fought for the right to vote until they merged in 1890 and became the National Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Susan B. Anthony was named president and began to lead the movement towards gaining the right to vote. People were opposed giving women the right to vote for many different reasons. Companies that made alcohol feared women would put the Prohibition Amendment into action, making alcohol illegal. Many southerners were afraid women would apply the Fifteenth Amendment and end segregation. Men feared how women would use their power, and businesses were fearful that women would increase wages and fight for improved working conditions if given the right to vote because women made up much of the workforce.
On the other hand, western states and territories pressured for suffrage. Wyoming Territory gave women the right to vote in 1869, and others followed. In some territories, women were allowed to vote on everything, but other territories and states limited voting to presidential elections or school board elections (Imbornoni).
Lots of progress was made throughout the country; however, in 1900, Susan B. Anthony retired from her position as president of NAWSA leaving her job to Carrie Chapman Catt. In 1904, Carrie C. Catt was forced to leave NAWSA due to her husband’s poor health. Ten years after his death, Carrie C. Catt was drafted to serve as the president of NAWSA again. At that time, NAWSA was very divided due to the leadership of Alice Paul, who believed in more militant protests. Under Alice Paul’s leadership, suffragists began picketing outside of the White House. Catt did not agree with the form of protest, and later on Alice Paul left NAWSA and formed the Woman’s Party in 1916 (Imbornoni).