Women's History Month: With Women Such as These. . . Failure is Impossible

This is perhaps my all time favorite quote from the great suffragist Susan B. Anthony. As election year gains momentum, and the opportunity, right, and privilege to vote are upon us, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to a woman who fought tirelessly to ensure that right given to all.

From the Susan B. Anthony House website:

"Susan B. Anthony was born February 15, 1820 in Adams Massachusetts. She was brought up in a Quaker family with long activist traditions. Early in her life she developed a sense of justice and moral zeal.

After teaching for fifteen years, she became active in temperance. Because she was a woman, she was not allowed to speak at temperance rallies. This experience, and her acquaintance with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, led her to join the women's rights movement in 1852. Soon after she dedicated her life to woman suffrage.

Ignoring opposition and abuse, Anthony traveled, lectured and canvassed across the nation for the vote. She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery, women's rights to their own property and earnings, and women's labor organizations. In 1900, Anthony persuaded the University of Rochester to admit women.

Anthony, who never married, was aggressive and compassionate by nature. She had a keen mind and a great ability to inspire. She remained active until her death on March 13, 1906."

Susan B. Anthony led an amazing life fighting for the rights that we enjoy today. I leave you with some inspiring and, at times, controversial quotes from the woman herself:

I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.

I beg you to speak of Woman as you do of the Negro, speak of her as a human being, as a citizen of the United States, as a half of the people in whose hands lies the destiny of this Nation.

I always distrust people who know so much about what God wants them to do to their fellows.

I think the girl who is able to earn her own living and pay her own way should be as happy as anybody on earth. The sense of independence and security is very sweet.

If all the rich and all of the church people should send their children to the public schools they would feel bound to concentrate their money on improving these schools until they met the highest ideals.

Join the union, girls, and together say Equal Pay for Equal Work.

Resolved, that the women of this nation in 1876, have greater cause for discontent, rebellion and revolution than the men of 1776.