Lucy Stone (1818-1893)

Born in 1818 in Massachusetts, Lucy Stone was a white abolitionist and advocate for women’s rights and suffrage. Stone was raised by abolitionist Congregationalists who, despite their progressive views, did not want her to pursue a college degree. She broke with her church and her family in order to continue her education, , enrolling in Oberlin College in 1843 and becoming the first woman from Massachusetts to receive a college degree. She graduated with honors from the college in 1847, although she could not take part in oratory opportunities because she was a woman. At Oberlin, Stone met William Lloyd Garrison and joined his abolitionist efforts. She was a member of the American Anti-Slavery Society and an organizer of the 1850 National Women’s Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. Stone’s speech at the 1852 Women’s Rights Convention is credited with starting the movement for women’s suffrage, including converting Susan B. Anthony to the movement. She cofounded the Women’s National Loyal League and was a member of the American Women’s Suffrage Association. Sometimes criticized for combining women’s rights and abolitionist issues, she eventually split with Susan B. Anthony in 1866 to form the American Equal Rights Association, which advocated for women’s rights without disregarding the rights of African Americans.