The Susan B. Anthony Few Know

The Susan B. Anthony Few Know

 

By Elton Camp

 

In our day, Anthony is a person of note

Mostly in connection with womens’ vote

But name just one other thing she did do

Those who could do it are extremely few

 

Her image was on a dollar that didn’t do well

Is just about most people would be able to tell

We likely recall her visage that looked so stern,

But, in school, little about her work did we learn

 

She was active in urging and end to alcohol abuse

To try to speak at temperance rallies was no use

For a mere woman to address such a large crowd

Why, it just simply was shocking and not allowed

 

Opposition to slavery was a cause she advocated

Reasons to abolish the horrible practice she related

Both Douglass and Garrison she knew as friend

And planned with them how slavery best to end

 

Using speeches, posters, leaflets slavery to defeat,

Was hung in effigy, image dragged in the street

Property a woman owned, her husband could claim

Nothing of value could she hold in her own name

 

Women a college education weren’t allowed to get

With the University of Rochester, Anthony had a fit

Until the college came to admit it had made a mistake

And agreed that women as well as men they would take

 

About another injustice Susan B. Anthony had a say 

It is fair that women, for equal work, get equal pay

She demanded that women to professions be admitted

With minds as good as men, to any occupation fitted

 

Anthony also agitated for a workday eight hours long

Shifts longer than that she explained, were just wrong

She encouraged women to enter into the printing trade

And for all to purchase goods that were American made

 

Her newspaper read, “Men their rights, and nothing more”

“Women their rights and nothing less.”  Injustice did abhor.

Despite all the things the rights crusader came to do and say,

Very few know that February 15^th is Susan B. Anthony Day