“Celestial muse, my arduous flight sustain
And raise my mind to a seraphic strain!”

—from Wheatley’s“Thoughts on the Works of Providence”

“Something has to happen to people’s souls before they are going to give the rights of citizenship to all the people of our country, regardless of color or creed. That does not mean you have to ask them to dinner. It only means giving them the rights that go with citizenship.”

“she bore her accumulated miseries with a serene resignation, an intrepid fortitude, a true heroism of soul, of which the history of the world does not afford a brighter example.”

“There is no doubt that there is a need for improving the understanding and co-operation between the various races which make up the U.S.A., and perhaps the best place to begin is with the Jews and colored people”

“I suppose you can say that anything which is obligatory is in some degree similar to communism or fascism. The only difference here is that we the people, are consulted and it is our representatives through whom we speak… I think you are a trifle emotional when you call 18 year old men, children. I think they should be allowed to vote…. Of course there are inequalities and injustices in any big undertaking.”

“I am sorry if you feel that you can not trust your government…. You can not expect always to have one man who will carry the burdens of the whole democracy and express their thinking for them. Now we have to do it for ourselves.”

“We are not alone in Korea, many nations are represented … but we have to bear the brunt … because we were spared during the last war from war in our own country and therefore today we are the strongest nation in the world.”

“A mothers’ rebellion would certainly be a novel and interesting undertaking because there would be a division even among the mothers. I do not know, nor could I tell you exactly how you could find out how many men in Congress have eighteen year old sons but I am sure there are a great many who have.”

A rich and fascinating letter by one of the twentieth century’s most powerful first ladies.

“May the spirit of Chalutziut [pioneering] from Palestine spur you on to even greater results”

“The suffrage sentiment in the state has doubled in the last two or three years, and the fact that bodies of politicians and reformers are endorsing us leads us to believe that the day of our freedom is near at hand. I have begun to feel that those of us who believe must draw nearer together, that we may each encourage the other. It is for this reason I am writing, urging you to be with us.”

Susan B. Anthony addresses an envelope from the National Woman Suffrage Association headquarters in Philadelphia to prominent Kansas suffragist Mary Tenney Gray. The pointed questions on this envelope urged women’s claims to suffrage as an essential part of their being citizens of the Republic. On July 4, 1876, Susan B. Anthony read The Declaration for the Rights of Women from a podium in front of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to a cheering crowd.

“the right of suffrage should be based on citizenship, without distinction of sex, and woman should be protected by the National Government in the exercise of this right”

On May 26-27, 1881, the NWSA held its thirteenth annual meeting at Tremont Temple in Boston, including delegates from at least ten states.

“In all the equal suffrage states women teachers and women in public service get equal pay for equal work.”

Small broadsheet issued by the National American Woman Suffrage Association highlighting positive experience of states and countries that had given women full or partial franchise.

This pamphlet, issued by the New York State Woman Suffrage Party, quoted speeches and letters by President Woodrow Wilson to urge New York men to vote for woman suffrage on November 6, 1917.

This “ticket” allowed male voters to express their belief that “the vote should be granted to the Women of New York.”