Failure is impossible.

Susan Brownell Anthony is a real life heroine to women. Her life's work was women's suffrage. She did not live to see her dream realized. None the less, she and others like her helped women achieve that right.

Ms. Anthony was born in Adams, Massachussetts on February 15, 1820. Her father was a cotton manufacturer and abolitionist and the family was Quaker. Her mother, Lucy, attended a women's rights convention in Rochester, New York two weeks after the famous convention at Seneca Falls.

Anthony made thousands of speeches all over the United States and Europe. She lived in Rochester, New York with her sister.

I have seen her birthplace from the outside several years ago when it was still a private home. It is being restored and you can visit the website: susanbanthonybirthplace.com. Last fall, I made a trip to the east coast and visited her home in Rochester and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's home in Seneca Falls. There is a park near Anthony's home with statues of Anthony and Frederick Douglass having tea. Please visit the website: susanbanthonyhouse.org. You can be and should be a member. The tour of the house was inspiring. I loved seeing where she worked and met with others.

Susan B. Anthony was once arrested for voting in 1872. She went to trial to get the publicity for her arguments. She was convicted and fined and but refused to pay. She could have been jailed but was not.

On the tour of the house, they talked about how she always dressed in black. She did so in order to not have her clothes attract attention. She once wore something bright and that was all that was discussed. How little things have changed in that regard.

Ms. Anthony died on March 13, 1906--fourteen years before the passage of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution. I will be honoring her again on that date.

While we all honor our presidents today with their holiday, as Abigail Adams asked of her husband many years earlier, "Remember the ladies."

Failure is impossible.

Nebraska Nellie