In 1851, America’s most famous suffragists met. They formed a partnership which would last a half century. Susan B. Anthony excelled at organising and speaking; Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s strengths lay in writing the speeches and manifestos that Anthony would deliver.
Anthony and Stanton had frequent disagreements. This is known from their private letters. However, in public, they always presented a united front. Although the two made many poor decisions which damaged the women’s suffrage movement, they made themselves a force to contend with, regarding both allies and foes. Suffragists who had greater tactical successes are less well remembered. By contrast, Susan B. Anthony is the first American woman to have her likeness on a coin.
The lesson to be drawn from this is clear: being united and wrong is more effective than being divided and right.
For more on the women’s suffrage movement, click here.
