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Victoria Woodhull Starts School
Victoria Woodhull had little formal education. She went to school on and off for three years, from ages eight to eleven. After that, she was mostly self-taught until age fifteen. Considering she grew up to be a very literate public speaker, teaching herself was a big accomplishment. -
Woodhull was Marketed As a Clairvoyant and Healer by Her Father
When Woodhull was young girl, she always claimed that she could communicate with her dead siblings and heal the sick. Her father, looking for money, took advantage of this and put Woodhull and her sister to work as fortune tellers and healers. This inspired her later life where she worked as a medical clairvoyant in the Civil War making tons of money. -
Victoria Marries Canning Woodhull
In November of 1853, Victoria Woodhull marries her first of four husbands at a time where divorce was extremely rare. She was fifteen years old and married her doctor, who did not turn out like she expected. This marriage inspired her to be a proponent of free love later in life and also speak about how women are in control of their own bodies. -
Woodhull and Her Sister Become the First Female Brokers
In 1868, Woodhull's sister, Tennessee, gained many stock tips from a relationship with the owner of a railroad company. With this information, Woodhull and her sister started a company and became the first female brokers. They surprisingly had a lot of support from men, although they were never able to gain a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. -
Woodhull Makes Her Campaign Announcement
Victoria Woodhull made her official campaign announcement in "The New York Herald" on April 2, 1870. Her running mate was Frederick Douglass, a former slave, and abolitionist. This campaign was a very big deal because Woodhull was the first woman to run, and she had a black running mate. Some historians questioned whether or not she was even eligible to run because her 35th birthday was on the election day. -
Woodhull and Her Sister Start a Newspaper
On May 14, 1870, Victoria and her sister Tennessee created "Woodhull and Claflin's Weekly". They wanted a place to speak their minds on the controversial topics of the time, like women's rights. Victoria also used her newspaper to criticize public figures. -
Woodhull was the First Woman to Address a Congregational Committee
On January 11, 1871, Victoria Woodhull became the first woman to address Congress. She got an invitation from a friend to speak to the House Judiciary Committee about woman's suffrage. Her argument was that women already had the right to vote because it is said in the Constitution that anyone who pays taxes has the right to voice their opinion on the subject matter of those taxes. -
Woodhull Spoke at the National Women's Suffrage Association
In January 1861, Victoria gave a speech to the National Women's Suffrage Association. The speech was actually the same one she gave at the House Judiciary Committee the day before. She was invited after other women's suffragist, including Susan B. Anthony, heard about her speech. -
Victoria Woodhull and Her Sister Get Arrested
A few days before the election, Woodhull and her sister published an article in their newspaper speaking out against popular preacher Henry Ward Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe's brother. Their supporters immediately got Woodhull and her sister arrested and they spent about a month in jail. They were in jail during election day, which affected the number of votes she got. This event lowered her already slim chances of being the first female president. -
Woodhull Loses the Election
Although Woodhull got no electoral votes in the election, her running for president inspired many others. She was the first woman to take a stand against the stereotype that only men could be president. This action affected many women and caused them to join the movement for women's rights, hoping to one day have a woman as president.
