Victoria Woodhull
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Victoria Woodhull (1838– June 9, 1927) was a leaderof the women's suffrage movement. She was the first woman to own a brokerage firm on Wall Street, the first woman to start a weekly newspaper and an activist for women's rights and labor reform. At her peak of political activity in the early 1870s,
Woodhull is best known as the first woman candidate for the United States presidency, which she ran for in 1872 for the Equal Rights Party, supporting women's suffrage and equal rights.
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Victoria was born September 23, 1838, the seventh of ten children, in the rural frontier town of Homer, Ohio. Victoria was very close to her sister Tennie, seven years her junior and the last child born to the family.Loading...
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Victoria and TennieIn 1853, at age 15, in order to escape her father's brutality Victoria eloped with Canning Woodhull, a patent medicine salesman. Victoria soon learned that her new husband was an alcoholic and a womanizer, and she often had to work outside the home to support the family. They had two children: Byron, who was disabled, and Zulu.
Victoria Woodhull had announced her candidacy in 1871 - it would have been 50 years before women could vote, but there was no law preventing women from running for office. Elected former slave leader Frederick Douglas as Vice President.
Advocate of Women's Rights
Woodhull argued that women already had the right to vote - all they had to do was use it - since the 14th and 15th Amendments granted that right to all citizens. Newspapers reported her appearance before Congress. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper printed a full-page engraving of Woodhull, surrounded by prominent suffragists, as she delivered her argument.
Woodhull argued that women already had the right to vote - all they had to do was use it - since the 14th and 15th Amendments granted that right to all citizens. Newspapers reported her appearance before Congress. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper printed a full-page engraving of Woodhull, surrounded by prominent suffragists, as she delivered her argument.
Life in England
In 1877, Victoria and her sister Tennie left to start a new life in England. Woodhull made her first public appearance as a lecturer at St. James Hall in London on December 4, 1877. Her lecture was called "The Human Body, the Temple of God," a lecture which she had previously presented in the United States.
Victoria died on June 9, 1927 at Bredon's Norton at age 88.
In 1877, Victoria and her sister Tennie left to start a new life in England. Woodhull made her first public appearance as a lecturer at St. James Hall in London on December 4, 1877. Her lecture was called "The Human Body, the Temple of God," a lecture which she had previously presented in the United States.
Victoria died on June 9, 1927 at Bredon's Norton at age 88.
Victoria Woodhull was a popular and controversial figure in her day. In many ways she was ahead of her time and was an important trailblazer for women in generations to follow. She advocated for equal education for women, women's right to vote and women's right to control their own health decisions.
