Along with activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthony founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869. Around this time, the two created and produced The Revolution, a weekly publication that lobbied for women’s rights. Later the pair edited three volumes of History of Woman Suffrage together. Anthony was relentless in her efforts for women, giving speeches around the country to convince others to support a woman’s right to vote. She even took matters into her own hands in 1872 when she voted in the presidential election illegally. Anthony was arrested and tried unsuccessful to fight the charges. She ended up being fined $100, a fine she never paid.
Woman like Susan B. Anthony have helped to pave the way for feminists fight to end gender discrimination. When Anthony died on March 13, 1906, women still did not have the right to vote. It wasn’t until 1920, 14 years after her death, that the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving all adult women the right to vote, was passed. In recognition of her dedication and hard work, the U.S. Treasury Department put Anthony’s portrait on one dollar coins in 1979, making her the first woman to be so honored.
There are some people who believe that feminism is a thing of the past and that we don’t need it anymore because the patriarchal system no longer exists. We can vote, right? That’s true. In fact, in all demographics, females vote more than men do. Yet, women still hold less than 20 percent of seats in Congress, even though they make up more than half the population. Some believe the patriarchal system doesn’t exist because we have equal employment opportunities. But if this were really the case would there still be a 23 percent pay gap?
If it wasn’t for past feminist movements, who knows where we would be today. But we still need feminism and will continue to need it, until every other woman in the world feels this way as well.