Anna Howard Shaw Quotes

A collection of quotes by Anna Howard Shaw.

Anna Howard Shaw (1847-1919) was a prominent American women's suffrage leader, social reformer, and physician. Born on February 14, 1847, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Shaw immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of four. Growing up in a conservative Quaker household, she developed an early passion for women's rights and equality.

Shaw embarked on a career in education, teaching school at the age of 15 and eventually attended Albion College in Michigan. Following graduation, she became a Methodist pastor, becoming the first woman to be ordained in the Methodist Protestant Church. However, her interests soon shifted towards medicine, leading her to pursue a medical degree at Boston University. Shaw subsequently became a licensed physician, making her one of the few women in the country to hold such a qualification.

As an advocate for women's suffrage, Shaw played a crucial role in the fight for women's right to vote. She served as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association from 1904 to 1915, leading campaigns to promote voting rights for women nationwide. Shaw was known for her powerful oratory skills and her ability to mobilize support, tirelessly traveling and delivering speeches to convey the urgency of gender equality.

In addition to her suffrage work, Shaw was dedicated to a range of social reform causes, including temperance, labor rights, and world peace. She firmly believed that achieving women's suffrage was vital in order to address broader social issues.

Anna Howard Shaw passed away on July 2, 1919, leaving a lasting legacy as a committed advocate for women's rights and an inspiration to future generations of activists.