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This Day in Legal History:
Equal Rights Party Formed

On September 20, 1884, a group of #American #suffragists formed the
🔸Equal Rights Party 🔸
in San Francisco, marking a significant moment in the fight for #gender #equality in the United States.

The party was established with the goal of securing
"equal and exact justice"
for all citizens, regardless of color, sex, or nationality.

A key focus was on amending state laws to recognize women as voters

and to ensure equal property rights,

aiming to empower women to become self-sufficient rather than remain dependent.

In a bold move, the party nominated Mrs. #Belva #Lockwood as its candidate for U.S. President and #Marietta #Snow for Vice-President.

Lockwood, a lawyer and prominent suffragist, became one of the first women to actively campaign for the presidency.

While Grover Cleveland ultimately won the election, Lockwood’s candidacy broke new ground.

She garnered around 4,149 votes, all cast by male voters, as women did not yet have the right to vote nationally.

This event showcased the growing momentum of the women’s suffrage movement,
which would eventually lead to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920,
granting women the right to vote.

The Equal Rights Party's formation highlighted the early intersection of gender, legal rights, and political advocacy in American history

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This entry was edited (1 week ago)
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