On November 1st, 1872, Susan B. Anthony and her three sisters demanded their right to register to vote. The registrars were shocked by this demand and initially refused until Ms. Anthony insisted that these registrars were illegally preventing her from exercising her rights as a citizen of the United States. She quoted the 14^th amendment as the legal authority allowing her to vote. Needless to say, the male registrars were stunned by her forceful well-educated demands and allowed Anthony and her sisters to vote.

On November 5^th, 1872, Susan B. Anthony and eight other women cast their votes. Some of the ballot inspectors argued about removing their votes from the ballot boxes but in the end they allowed the votes to be cast. The ballot inspectors knew they could not deny a registered voter the right to cast a ballot.

On November 18^th, 1872, Susan B. Anthony was arrested for voting in the November 5^th presidential election. She demanded that she be punished to the full extent of the law for her crime. The court refused to punish her in that manner but she continued to demand it. At her sentencing, she was asked if she had anything to say. Her response is epic to say the least.

“Yes, your honor, I have many things to say; for in your ordered verdict of guilty, you have trampled underfoot every vital principle of our government. My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, my judicial rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject; and not only myself individually, but all of my sex, are, by your honor’s verdict, doomed to political subjection under this, so-called, form of government.” (Taken from Anthony’s own account. http://ecssba.rutgers.edu/docs/sbatrial.html)

The judge repeatedly interrupted Susan B. Anthony during her response but she persisted like the amazing woman she was. The judge finally fined her $100 and the costs of prosecution. She stated in court that she would refuse to pay a single penny to the court for this unjust fine and she never did.

To learn more read Failure is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony In Her Own Words

Failure Is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony In Her Own Words