(1840–1929) Harriet was an author and businesswoman, Yet she seems to be an individual whose work on suffrage was not well documented. Google books makes reference to her as someone who supported an amendment to the New York State constitution allowing women to vote. Her name appears often in the records and in several volumes of The History of Women's Sufferage. After her first husband's death, Harriet relocated to Manhattan. Her name appears in a 1924 New York City voters list, so she was able to exercise her right to vote.

(1813–1891) Charlotte was a dedicated suffragist and church woman. She wholeheartedly dedicated her life to advocating on behalf of a woman's right to vote. Her mission was one that was firmly rooted in Christian theology. The archive is limited in its ability to fully capture the breadth of her contributions to Black women and their liberation. Her faith was of great importance to her and served as a prime motivator to her activism.

Charlotte was a member of the American Equal Rights Association (AERA) founded in 1866. Their mission was to secure equal rights---especially the right of suffrage. Her daughter, Charlotte E. Ray, was the first female African-American lawyer in the United States.

(1859–1916) Cordelia was an African-American poet and scholar. She is the daughter of Charles and Charlotte B Ray, both of whom were early social activists working to abolish enslavement and win the right to vote for African-Americans and women. She was the sister of Charlotte E. Ray, who was the first female African-American attorney in the US. Cordelia and Charlotte both attended National Women Suffrage Association meetings.

Cordelia's ode "Lincoln" was read at the unveiling of the Emancipation Memorial in Washington, DC, in April 1876.

(1882–1970) A distinguished woman of the 19th century in large part for her position as President of the New York Herald Tribune, Helen is featured in a book with the title Notable American Women, where we learn of her women’s suffrage involvement. She was the state treasurer for the New York suffrage campaign, raising more than half a million dollars for the passage of New York State women’s suffrage legislation in 1917. In speeches throughout her life, she advocated that women should work and be economically independent from their husbands and that men should take greater responsibility in the home and for raising their children. After her husband died in 1947, she took over the presidency of the New York Herald Tribune until 1953. She was a well-regarded individual who received accolades and honors and was an accomplished manager and role model for women when there were few women in leadership roles.

Helen was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1950. An active supporter of her alma mater, she served for nine years as chairman of the board of trustees, and in 1963, she helped raise funds for a dormitory at Barnard, which was then named for her. She was a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, active in the New York Newspaper Women's Club, and was president of the Reid Foundation, an organization funded and established by her husband to give journalists fellowships to study and travel abroad.

Her funeral, presided over by The Right Rev. Paul Moore Jr., the Bishop of New York, was attended by over 300 people including John Hay Whitney, who purchased The Herald Tribune, August Heckscher, the Parks Commissioner who was chief editorial writer, Mayor John Lindsay, David Rockefeller, Robert Moses, former head of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, Andrew Cordier, the president of Columbia University, and Kingman Brewster Jr., the president of Yale University.

(1892–1993) Naomi was the first African American to graduate from Washingtonville High School, before attending Howard University in 1910. While there, she helped found the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority with 22 other women who "wanted to do more for our community into which we would be going after we graduated...not only a social group, but a working group." Their first public act as a sorority occurred in March of 1913 with the Women's Suffrage March in Washington D.C.

Even later in life, Naomi Sewell Richardson was very active in her community and sorority. Although Richardson was known for living quietly, she was admired for her work with extreme activism and civic service. She was the last living founder of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Over 100 of her sorority sisters attended her funeral. A book titled "A Life of Quiet Dignity" was written about her life and legacy.

(1876–1960) One of the first women to graduate from Buffalo Law School, Helen was also the first woman to argue before the Appeals Court, in addition to serving as the president of the Woman Workers Suffrage League and Vice Chairman of the Woman Suffrage Party of Erie County in 1917.

(1837–1899) Caroline often hosted suffrage meetings at her home, including prominent suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Seymour Howell, and others. Her home was nicknamed the “Equal Rights Hotel” because of the warm and generous hospitality of Caroline and her husband. Mrs. Rogers was a good orator and was an active member of the women's suffrage movement in the 19th century. She often participated in debates on women's suffrage and was very critical of the fact that ignorant and illiterate men were making laws for women. Caroline became the Corresponding Secretary of the Political Equality Club of Albany and worked tirelessly for the political freedom of women. She attended and addressed state and national suffrage conventions.

In 1885 Caroline visited the polling place in the fourth election district of Lansingburg and attempted to vote by making Constitutional arguments to the polling inspectors as to why they should accept her vote. Though her name had been previously registered, Caroline's vote was refused. *courtesy alexanderstreet.com

(1857–1941) Susan's close friend, Carrie Chapman Catt, was a frequent guest at Susan's house on Buffalo's "Millionaire Row." Susan presided over many women's suffrage meetings at her house.

In 1908 the National American Woman Suffrage Association held it's annual convention in Buffalo, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first Woman's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls. She was an active member of the local suffrage group that organized that meeting. In 1909 Susan spoke on behalf of the Western New York Federation of Women's Clubs at a hearing on woman suffrage before the New York state legislature in Albany.

In 1913 Susan was elected a Director of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association. In November 1915 she was elected an officer of the New York State Woman Suffrage Party, which organized the 1917 referendum campaign that eventually led to New York women gaining the vote.

(1828-1918) Olivia as she liked to be called was born in Syracuse, NY to a prosperous family. Well educated, Olivia became a teacher when her father’s fortune dwindled. Early on, Olivia embraced the benefit of supporting charitable causes and education. Married to Russell Sage at the age of 41, he had the opposite view. When Olivia was widowed in 1906, she was determined to invest in positive social change. While she was not an active suffragist, Olivia lended financial support to the movement and used her public standing to speak for women’s economic emancipation as well as the right to vote. Olivia lived her philosophy, “While one woman is working for bread and butter, the other must devote her time to the amelioration of the condition of her laboring sister. This is the moral law.”

In addition to her financial support of suffrage, Olivia established the Russell Sage Foundation and opened Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. She made sizable donations to many colleges in the Northeast. Olivia was a patron of E. Lillian Todd, the first woman to design airplanes. She supported the Children’s Aid Fund of NY and purchased Marsh Island in the Gulf of Mexico to establish a bird sanctuary. Olivia spent her summers in Sag Harbor, NY, and contributed the money to build a high school and a library for the town. Today her former home is the Whaling Museum. A marker outside of the museum notes her suffrage work.

(1853–1927) An American historian, Lucy taught at Vassar College from 1889-1927. She studied at Bryn Mawr under the future President Woodrow Wilson. At Vassar College she established the History department.

Lucy taught her students to use critical thinking instead of rote memorization. She served on the National College Equal Suffrage League and on the Executive Advisory Council of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage.

(1855–1924) Anna spent her life in West Bloomfield, New York. She was the wife of a local physician who served for the Union Army during the Civil War. Anna was a member of the Home Missionary and the Honeoye Aid Societies. While Anna's exact roles are unknown, it is well documented that the Richmond area was actively supporting the causes of abolition, temperance and women's rights.

If you know more about her, you can help us tell her story. Please use our Add a Suffragist form to submit your information.

(1873 –1947) Maude was a leading voice of the Herkimer County Suffrage Convention back in 1917. She was elected leader of the county organization and was heavily involved with the activities of the Ilion Suffrage Study Club.

Always civic minded she became the first woman leader of the Herkimer County Republican Committee along with memberships in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Red Cross, and Ilion Historical Club. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Muriel Cornelia Zoller, wife of Supreme Court Justice Abram Zolier, Herkimer. Maude is included in a Herkimer County Historical Society documentary which is included in a link here under "Learn More".

(1882–1972) Rose was a star orator among New York suffragists. Beginning in 1907, she lectured all over New York City and New York State as a leader of the Equality League for Self-Supporting Women (later called the Women's Political Union), the Women's Trade Union League, and the Wage Earners League for Women's Suffrage.

And yet, Rose is most famous as a labor organizer. She was president of the Women's Trade Union League for decades, an advisor to FDR & Eleanor Roosevelt, and one of few women who played a key role in shaping the landmark legislation of the New Deal: the National Labor Relations Act, the Social Security Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Years before that, she was also a suffragist. Beginning in 1907, Rose Schneiderman and Leonora O'Reilly were featured speakers at National American Women's Suffrage Association conventions. The white, middle-class and upper-class leaders of the suffrage mainstream were initially wary of working class Jews and Irish, but they warmed up when they saw these fiery activists ignite the crowds. Rose Schneiderman's biographer Annelise Orleck says: "In an age when political oratory was a leading form of entertainment, many contemporaries described her as the most moving speaker they had ever heard." Bio by Rachel B. Tiven .

(1813–1871) Sarah attended the State suffrage convention held in Saratoga Springs in July 1869. The goal of the convention was to create a permanent organization for the State of New York. Sarah was elected to the Advisory Counsel for the Second Judicial District from Newburgh, NY, serving alongside Susan B. Anthony.

(1805–1885) Henry is best known as the lawyer who defended Susan B Anthony after she voted in the election of 1872.

Born in Connecticut, Henry moved to Rochester where he studied law, set up a private practice, and became a community advocate. He served as a trustee to the Industrial School, established to support homeless children. Along with Hiram Sibley and others, he participated in establishing a company that became Western Union.

Henry served as the Reporter for the New York State Court of Appeals, and was later appointed an Associate Judge to this court. He also ran for elected positions serving in the New York State Legislature and as Lt Governor. Henry Selden advised Susan B. Anthony to vote after examining her extensive research on the topic. He paid her bail when she was arrested. At Susan B. Anthony's trial in June, 1873, Henry argued his case before a pre-ordained judge and jury. The outcome is well known.

(1873–1941) At the resignation of Mrs. Robert Leber, Lulu Serven became the Chair of the Nyack Civic and Suffrage Club, 1917. She hosted "Ballots for Both" events at her home in Pearl River, NY.

(1886–1982) "The manufacturer has a vote; the bosses have votes; the foremen have votes, the inspectors have votes. The working girl has no vote." - Clara Lemlich, 1912

Clara is most famous as a labor organizer—in 1909 she was the first to call for the strike that became known as the garment workers' Uprising of 20,000. A founder of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, Clara fought sexism among labor union men. She explained to them that they would never succeed without engaging women workers. She was also a committed suffragist. She and Leonora O'Reilly cofounded the Wage Earners Suffrage League in New York City, which contributed to organizing working women to finally win the vote in New York in 1917.

Clara was a devoted Communist, and a radical leader throughout her entire life. In 1917 she led a kosher meat boycott in New York City, then a rent strike in 1919. In 1929 she cofounded the United Council of Working-Class Women, which later separated from the Communist Party and changed its name to the Progressive Women's Councils. Annelise Orleck, her biographer, writes: "With Clara Shavelson as its president, the Progressive Women's Councils mounted a meat boycott that shut down forty-five hundred New York City butcher shops. Though in New York the strike was centered in Jewish and African-American neighborhoods, it soon spread to Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Cleveland, and several towns in Pennsylvania, involving women of all races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds."

Clara lived her last years in a nursing home in California, where she organized the orderlies. Bio by Rachel B. Tiven.

(1812–1896) Lucy was noted in the History of Women's Suffrage as having signed a petition to urge voting against Leslie Russell, NYS Attorney General, who opposed women's rights and whose recommendation was blocking women's rights legislation in New York State. He was defeated by 13,000 votes.

Lucy also spoke at a Chenango, NY convention regarding the position of the county on the women's suffrage bill. It was reported in the New York Times July 26, 1884.

(1870–1929) Florence was Canadian born but took an active role in obtaining the vote for women during her years in New York State. In 1915, Florence was the first President of the Shortsville Equal Suffrage Club.

In following years, she was a second vice leader of the Ontario County Woman Suffrage Association. Florence is noted as being naturalized in the 1920 US Census indicating that she was prepared to vote.

If you know more about Florence, you can help us tell her story. Please use our Add a Suffragist form to submit your information.

(1841–1912) A prominent citizen of Yates County, Julia headed her county's representation to the New York State Woman's Suffrage Association. She was a correspondent of Susan B Anthony, hosting her at the Sheppard's home during the 1894 amendment campaign. Susan B Anthony was a frequent speaker at both the residence and the Sheppard Opera House in Penn Yan owned by Julia's brother in law. On one occasion, Julia and Senator John Sheppard hosted a birthday celebration for Miss Anthony. Information taken from Selected Papers of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony by Ann D Gordon.