It was a sweltering July 4, 1876, as the United States celebrated its Centennial in Philadelphia. Thousands gathered to commemorate 100 years of American independence. The official program featured speeches by the nation’s leaders—but one of the country’s most determined advocates for equality had been deliberately left off the agenda.
Undeterred, Susan B. Anthony attended anyway.
The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) had requested a place on the official program but was politely informed that the schedule was full. Instead, the organization was offered only five seats in the audience.
That was not enough for Susan.
Immediately after the official reading of the Declaration of Independence, she rose from her seat and confidently walked to the speakers’ platform. Uninvited but unafraid, she presented Vice President Thomas W. Ferry with the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States—a powerful manifesto she had crafted with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage. The document challenged the nation to live up to the very ideals it was celebrating.
As Susan stepped down from the platform, members of the NWSA distributed hundreds of copies of the declaration to an eager crowd. Then the women crossed Independence Square and held a celebration of their own, complete with speeches, music, and a renewed call for equality. Under the blistering summer sun, Matilda Gage stood beside Susan for hours, holding an umbrella over her friend’s head as she addressed the crowd.
Susan’s words from that historic day still resonate 150 years later:
“We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever.”
As America marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, those words remain strikingly relevant. Women now hold approximately 28 percent of elected offices in the United States—a remarkable improvement from Susan Anthony’s day—but the pursuit of full equality, equal representation, and the right to participate fully in decisions affecting our lives and our nation continues.
How many of us learned this story in our high school history classes?
Too often, the courageous women who shaped our democracy are relegated to footnotes—or omitted altogether. Yet their determination, resilience, and vision helped expand the promise of liberty for every American.
That is why Voices of American HERstory exists.
Through authentic historical reenactments, engaging discussions, and inspiring educational programs, we bring the remarkable women of American history back to life for audiences of all ages. Their stories are not just history—they are a call to action, reminding us that democracy is strongest when every voice is heard.
We are honored to feature one of the nation’s premier Susan B. Anthony reenactors, bringing this extraordinary suffragist’s story to life with authenticity, passion, and historical accuracy.
Visit Voices of American HERstory to learn more about our performances, educational programs, and mission to ensure that the voices of America’s trailblazing women continue to inspire future generations.