Susan B. Anthony remains one of the most prominent figures in the history of civil rights and women's suffrage in the United States. Her relentless dedication to equality paved the way for future generations. Below is a collection of her most inspiring and documented words, offering a glimpse into her fierce determination and vision for a fairer society.
Verified Quotes by Susan B. Anthony
“Failure is impossible.”
Source: Attributed to her final public speech given on her 86th birthday in 1906, widely recorded in historical accounts and biographies.
“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.”
Source: Recorded in the diary and papers of Susan B. Anthony, compiled by Ida Husted Harper in The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony (1898).
“Independence is happiness.”
Source: Written in her personal journal entry from 1869.
“The day may be approaching when the whole world will recognize woman as the equal of man.”
Source: Speech on women's rights delivered in 1859.
“There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers.”
Source: Address to the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention, 1894.
About Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts, into a socially active Quaker family that instilled a strong moral compass and belief in personal accountability and reform from an early age. Before dedicating her life entirely to the abolitionist and women's rights movements, she worked as a teacher and became involved in the temperance movement, which campaigned against the abuse of alcohol. However, after being denied the right to speak at a temperance conference simply because she was a woman, Anthony realized that women would never be taken seriously as political or social reformers until they secured voting rights.
In the decades that followed, Anthony formed a formidable partnership with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, traveling extensively across the United States to deliver speeches, gather petition signatures, and lobby lawmakers. She co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association and edited the radical weekly newspaper The Revolution, which advocated for women's social and industrial equality. In 1872, Anthony made headlines by illegally casting a vote in the presidential election in her hometown of Rochester, New York, leading to a highly publicized trial where she delivered a passionate defense of a citizen's constitutional right to vote.
Although she did not live to see the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920—which is often referred to as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment in her honor—her tireless groundwork fundamentally transformed the American political landscape. Her legacy endures not only through the monumental legislative changes she championed, but also through her unyielding belief that persistence and moral clarity can overcome institutional injustice.
Conclusion
The words of Susan B. Anthony continue to resonate with anyone striving for social justice and equality. Her steadfast belief in the power of civic participation and the inevitability of progress serves as a timeless reminder that meaningful change requires enduring courage and action.