Lucy Stone Thesis

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Lucy Stone
Lucy Stone rose to prominence during the 1920’s abolitionist and first-wave feminist movements. Strong-willed and bold in her beliefs, Stone was among the first women to receive a Bachelor’s degree in the state of Massachusetts. Along with getting a college degree she was known to use her maiden name as a married woman--an unbeknownst concept at the time. At the First National Women’s Convention, Stone delivered her career defining speech entitled, “Disappointment is the Lot of Women”, that speech would later solidify her status as the definitive orator of the reform movement period. Lucy Stone drew tremendous inspiration from her discriminatory experiences while getting her education and working as a teacher, the works of William …show more content…

Lucy Stone was born on the 13th of August in 1818 in West Brookfield, Massachusetts to a family of 9. Both her mother and father were devout abolitionists, instilling in her the belief that all people should have equal rights. Initially, her parents did not allow Stone to pursue higher education, but seeing her older brothers receive college degrees only further inspired her to strive for greatness. After graduating from a public institution she raised funds to go to college by school teaching at age 16, as her parents did not support her decision to get educated. While working as a teacher, there was an evident wage gap between Stone and her male co-workers. Female teachers earned only 1.00USD per day as starting pay while male teachers earned more than twice as much. During her time at the university, Stone crossed paths with abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison and associated herself with the American Anti-Slavery Society--one of many abolitionist associations she would contribute to in her lifetime. Garrison was quoted as saying, “She is a very superior young woman, and has a soul as free as the air, and is preparing

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