Born into the age of Victorianism Victoria Woodhull faced limited opportunities because of social conventions. The ideal for women to strive toward was a domestic situation with husband and children to tend to, morality and spiritual purity, obedience, and subservience. Victoria was a mother and had been married (three times), but otherwise was none of these things.
Women Stockbrokers
After the failure of her first marriage and her subsequent remarriage Victoria moved to New York with her family and sister, Tennessee. They were able to form connections once there and were befriended by the wealthy Cornelius Vanderbilt. He had an interest in Spiritualists, a belief system which both sisters followed and helped him to further explore the subject. As their friendship deepened he helped to establish Victoria and “Tennie” as the first female stock brokers in the country. Contrary to general opinion they were wildly successful. The novelty of women as stock brokers attracted some, but her success in the business kept people coming through her doors.
Woodhull and Claflin’s Weekly
With the profits she founded Woodhull and Claflin’s Weekly, a publication with varied content. She published articles on women’s rights issues, espoused her idea of “free love,” encouraged the same moral standards for men and women, tax reforms, and other financial subjects. The Weekly was the first to print an English version of the Communist Manifesto. The press was used to challenge the societal norms and encourage alternative ways of thinking.
Addressing Congress
Her interest in women’s suffrage brought her in contact with some of the leaders of the movement. Susan B. Anthony thought that she would bring vibrancy and attention to the issues while Elizabeth Cady Stanton was more reserved in her approach to Woodhull. It was hard for anyone in the movement to overlook the influence of Victoria when she became the first woman to address a congressional committee. The thirty-three year old stockbroker and activist went in front of the House Judiciary Committee January 11, 1871 and argued that women did not need an amendment to the Constitution to vote, they already had the right. A stirring performance she captivated the audience with the strength of her argument. Victoria Woodhull had broken another barrier for women; the practice of courting congressional members directly became a common practice for those in the suffrage movement.
Presidential Candidate
While she was initially welcomed in Suffrage circles, her unconventional views and actions made her an unwelcome participant in a very short time. She moved onto holding her own lectures, writing, and in 1872 becoming the first woman to accept the nomination of a political party for the presidential race. She ran for the Equal Rights party who was a small contender in the race, but Woodhull’s nomination drew national attention. Frederick Douglass was put on the ticket as the Vice President without being consulted; he never took part in the campaign. She was no real threat to the major parties but once again she stepped out of the “appropriate” sphere and challenged the perceptions of women.
Decline, Arrest, and Emigration
After her run for President, Woodhull became a target for those who found her actions unacceptable. She was also plagued by personal problems related to her family. She used her press to take aim at her opponents and enemies. Woodhull printed the account of an affair between a prominent Brooklyn minister and the wife of one of his parishioners. Her publication was sent through to the mail to subscribers and it was that action that would mark the end of her success in America. At the time there was a law that prevented “obscene” materials to be distributed through the mail. The Comstock Law as it was called had severe consequences. She was arrested and was only acquitted of the charges against her after a very difficult seven months. After the trial Victoria and her sister moved to England. Never one to stay in a position of anonymity she married a wealthy banker and continued to lecture and write about the issues she held dear. A woman of firsts, Victoria Woodhull, helped to pave the way for those willing to break with societal norms and loosen the bonds that held women.
Sources:
McHenry, Robert, ed. Famous American Women: A Biographical Dictionary From Colonial Times to the Present. New York: Dover, 1980.
Woloch, Nancy. Women and the American Experience, Fourth Edition. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006.
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