Right to Vote

Have you ever thought that people treated you wrong because of how old you are or the color of your skin? Sometimes people are not nice to you because of who you are or how you look. A woman named Susan B. Anthony didn't think that was fair! She was born a long time ago in 1820 in the state of Massachusetts . During that time some people were not treated right. Women and black people were treated very unfairly. They could not own land, earn money at a job, or vote. Susan wanted to change all of that!

She was very brave! Even though unfriendly people discouraged her, Susan traveled all across the United States to talk with groups who were not treated fairly. She made a big change in the lives of Americans as she worked for equal rights. She got many signatures of people who wanted to end slavery. Then she tried to get the schools to educate students the same, no matter what their color was. She wrote a newsletter, hoping people would hear her point of view. She wanted women to work fair hours for fair pay.

Her bravery paid off! But Susan never knew what a difference she made because she died in 1906. Just fourteen years later, in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was passed, and women finally won the right to vote. Susan would have been so proud! Today an American dollar coin has her picture on it, to remind all of us how special she was and what a difference she made in all of our lives.

In honor of Susan B. Anthony the government minted a silver dollar with her picture on it. This coin is different than the original because it is eight sided.

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