Lucy Stone American Woman

Lucy Stone (1818-1893) was a prominent nineteenth century American woman 's rights advocate, suffragette, and abolitionist who frequently gave public lectures, wrote articles, and edited publications to support such causes. Throughout her career she conservatively campaigned for women 's equality and civil rights arguing that individuals must define themselves, their work, and influence on their own accounts rather than being prejudged on the basis of race or gender. A respected orator, Stone was known for her rhetoric which advocated that woman deserved opportunities for equal education, had the right to vote, keep their maiden names, their own property, and hold public office. Stone became nationally known for publically keeping her maiden …show more content…
Following her father 's refusal to assist her or pay for her schooling, Lucy was employed as a teacher and domestic worker, at women 's wages, and attended Mount Holyoke Seminary (1839) and later Oberlin Collegiate Institute, a coeducational institution in Ohio (1843-1847). While at Oberlin, Stone was influenced by the advocacy of sisters Angelina (1805-1879) and Sarah Grimké (1792-1873) and became friends with Antoinette Brown (1825-1921), a supporter of women 's rights. During her time at school, Stone debated and developed her position on the inequalities in the United States which offered preferential treatment to men throughout the nation. In 1847, Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to graduate, and soon began to give public speeches on the equality and rights of women as well as advocating for the abolition of slavery as a member of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. She argued a conservative approach to civil rights and proposed reforms to property ownership and divorce laws. Two years later, Stone was introduced to Susan Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton establishing a relationship which defined the women 's movement for decades. During that same year, along with Abbey Kelley Foster (1811-1887), and Paulina Wright Davis (1813-1876) she organized the Worcester Convention (1850) also known as the First Worcester …show more content…
Between 1887 and 1890, Stone aided in the merging of the AWSA with the NWSA, and eventually joined the executive committee of the unified woman 's rights organization the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). However, despite the amalgamation of the two organizations neither Anthony nor Stone 's friendship was ever fully renewed in confidence. On October 18, 1893, Stone passed away in Dorchester Massachusetts and subsequently had her remains