Today in History 05/10/18

Victoria Woodhull, American woman's rights leader, circa 1890s (CSU Archives / Everett Collection/REX)(1872) First female US presidential candidate is nominated
The Equal Rights Party nominates suffragist Victoria Woodhull for president of the United States. Her candidacy, the first ever by a woman in the US, will be derailed a few days before the election when she’s arrested on obscenity charges, but she will try again in subsequent elections.
Victoria Claflin Woodhull, later Victoria Woodhull Martin was an American leader of the women’s suffrage movement. In 1872, Woodhull ran for President of the United States. While many historians and authors agree that Woodhull was the first woman to run for President of the United States, some have questioned that priority given issues with the legality of her run. They disagree with classifying it as a true candidacy because she was younger than the constitutionally mandated age of 35. However, election coverage by contemporary newspapers does not suggest age was a significant issue; this may, however, be due to the fact that no one took the candidacy seriously.
Lived: Sep 23, 1838 – Jun 09, 1927 (age 88)
Spouse: James Blood (m. 1865 – 1876)
Parents: Reuben Buckman Claflin · Roxanna Hummel Claflin
Siblings: Tennessee Celeste Claflin (Sister)
Education: No formal education
Children: Byron Woodhull
Highlights
  • 1865: Victoria Woodhull married James Blood in 1865; their marriage lasted 11 years till 1876.

  • 1868: She said that she was guided in 1868 by Demosthenes to what symbolism to use supporting her theories of Free Love.

  • 1870: Woodhull, with sister Tennessee (Tennie) Claflin, became the first female stockbrokers and in 1870 they opened a brokerage firm on Wall Street.

  • 1872: In 1872, Woodhull publicly criticized well-known clergyman Henry Ward Beecher for adultery.

  • 1872: Woodhull was nominated for President of the United States by the newly formed Equal Rights Party on May 10, 1872, at Apollo Hall, New York City.

  • 1901: After her husband died in 1901, Martin gave up publishing and retired to the country, establishing residence at Bredon’s Norton’s, where she built a village school with Tennessee and Zula.

Victoria Woodhull
Cabinet card portrait photograph of Victoria Woodhull
wiki/Victoria_Woodhull
4.9.a18

(1872) First female US presidential candidate is nominated.
Also on this day,
1774 | Louis and Marie ascend
1869 | Rails across America
1970 | Orr’s “flying” goal

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