Susan B. Anthony, born in 1820 in Massachusetts, learned to read and write at the tender age of three. In 1845, she and her family relocated to Rochester, New York, where she encountered anti-slavery activists, including the renowned Frederick Douglass. Raised as a Quaker, Anthony’s unwavering belief in equality served as a guiding force throughout her life’s work. Anthony dedicated her life to the abolition of slavery. In 1856, she assumed the role of an agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society. Her responsibilities included delivering speeches, organizing meetings, and distributing pamphlets to raise awareness about the issue. In 1851, she crossed paths with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and the two suffragists formed a lifelong partnership. Together, they tirelessly advocated for women’s independence and equality.

Anthony’s commitment to women’s rights led her to travel extensively across the country. She tirelessly campaigned for women’s suffrage and lobbied Congress annually until her passing in 1906. Tragically, her efforts were foiled by the fact that many women were not granted the right to vote until the passage of the 19th Amendment fourteen years after her death.