Instant Insight

30-Second Take

• Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for U.S. president, 50 years before women gained the right to vote.
• She announced her candidacy in a letter to the New York Herald in 1870.
• Woodhull’s campaign was marked by her advocacy for women’s suffrage, labor rights, and social reform.

Quick Brief

2-Minute Digest

Essential Context

Victoria Woodhull, born on September 23, 1838, in Homer, Ohio, was a trailblazer in multiple fields. She was the first woman to run for the U.S. presidency, the first female stockbroker on Wall Street, and a prominent figure in the women’s suffrage movement.

Core Players

• Victoria Woodhull – First female U.S. presidential candidate, stockbroker, and women’s rights advocate.
• Frederick Douglass – Abolitionist and Woodhull’s chosen running mate, though he did not acknowledge the nomination.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt – Railroad magnate who supported Woodhull and her sister financially.
• Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Prominent suffragists who distanced themselves from Woodhull due to her radical views.

Key Numbers

• 1838 – Year Victoria Woodhull was born.
• 1870 – Year Woodhull announced her presidential candidacy in the New York Herald.
• 1872 – Year of the presidential election in which Woodhull ran.
• $700,000 – Approximate amount Woodhull and her sister earned from stock tips in six weeks.
• 1920 – Year the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote.

Full Depth

Complete Coverage

The Catalyst

Victoria Woodhull’s decision to run for president was a bold move in a time when women were not yet granted the right to vote. In a letter to the New York Herald on April 2, 1870, she declared, “I now announce myself as a candidate for the Presidency.”

This announcement was part of her broader advocacy for women’s rights, labor reforms, and social justice.

Inside Forces

Woodhull’s life was marked by significant challenges and achievements. She married at 15, divorced, and later married Colonel James Blood. Her work as a healer during the Civil War and her connections with Cornelius Vanderbilt helped her amass wealth and influence.

In 1870, she and her sister opened the first female-owned brokerage firm on Wall Street, Woodhull, Claflin & Co.

Power Dynamics

Despite her groundbreaking achievements, Woodhull faced significant opposition. Her advocacy for free love, communism, and spiritualism alienated many, including prominent suffragists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Her presidential campaign was further complicated by her age; at 34, she was below the constitutional minimum age of 35 to serve as President Trump.

Outside Impact

Woodhull’s candidacy had broader implications for the women’s suffrage movement. Her run highlighted the argument that women already had the right to vote under the 14th and 15th Amendments, a stance also taken by Susan B. Anthony.

Although Woodhull’s campaign did not succeed, it paved the way for future female candidates and contributed to the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Future Forces

Victoria Woodhull’s legacy continues to inspire women in politics. Her pioneering efforts in finance, journalism, and politics set a precedent for women’s participation in public life.

Her story serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the importance of persistent advocacy for social and political change.

Data Points

• 1854 – Year Woodhull gave birth to a handicapped son.
• 1868 – Year Woodhull and her sister moved to New York City.
• 1871 – Year Woodhull testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on women’s suffrage.
• 1877 – Year Woodhull expatriated to England.
• 1927 – Year Victoria Woodhull passed away at the age of 88.