Who Was Susan B. Anthony?

Who Was . . . ? Series

by Pam Pollack, Meg Belviso, Who H.Q.

Susan B. Anthony may be an international icon but her campaign for women’s rights had personal roots. Working as a school teacher in New York, Anthony refused to settle for less pay than her male colleagues which ignited her lifelong devotion to women’s equality. Anthony toured the United States and Europe giving speeches and publishing articles as one of the most important advocates of women’s rights. Learn more about the woman behind the movement in  Who Was Susan B. Anthony?

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Childrens, American History, School, Biography Memoir

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2014

About the author

Pamela Pollack is a writer/editor/compiler of children's and young adult books.

Reviews

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 5 out of 5]

book + audiobook. I loved this book. Susan B. Anthony had an impressive life because she was anti-slavery and she fought for the women's rights, mainly for the right to vote. Susan managed The Revolution newspaper and its motto was: "Men, their rights, and nothing more; women their rights, and nothing less."

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully done!

She was a persistent rebel for the good of mankind. This is a perfect example of how one person can make a movement happen. She met so many famous people and I am sure she never expected to be one of those famous persons herself. What a wonderful role model.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful view of a life well lived.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan B. Anthony was rad. I don't think women should ever forget what all our feminist forbearers were up against. There is still a lot to fight for, but we've come along way and Susan B. Anthony is a great place to start.

Basically, Susan spent her whole life fighting for women's rights. When she was in school she got made because her teacher wouldn't teach the girls long division, so she went home and told her family about it and figured out how to do it on her own.

She and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are true feminist heroes. They never gave up fighting. They learned the hard way that if they let up for even one second things went back to how they had been. They won a huge victory when women were allowed to own property, I think, in New York. (I don't have the book by me and my memory is less than perfect. :D)

I really loved reading this book and I love that this series makes all these amazing men and women accessible to children.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan B. Anthony was an American woman who became an international icon for women's rights starting early in her career as a teacher who refused to work for less pay than her male colleagues. Who Was Susan B. Anthony by Pam Pollack tells the life history of one of the foremost champions for women's right to vote while supporting many other women's rights causes along the way. The author presents a fact-filled overview of the life of this larger-than-life American and her lifelong quest for equal rights. She traveled the US and the world giving speeches and writing articles to shine a spotlight on what needed to happen to bring equality to everyone. With the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, her life's goal was finally realized; unfortunately, she died in 1906 and never lived to see it. This is a quick read that will provide the important facts about the life of Susan B. Anthony and her goals for gaining equal rights.

[Natalie Stinehour · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Who Was Susan B. Anthony?, the reader learns about a woman’s lifelong fight for the right to vote. Not only did Susan fight for women’s rights, but she also fought against slavery. This biography spreads the message that you should never stop fighting for what you believe in because “Failure is impossible” (p.96).
I believe that this book is a “WOW” book because it shows how one individual can greatly impact the world. In a time where justice and equality seems impossible, this story demonstrates the possibility of change through hard work and determination.
I would use this book to provide 2nd-3rd graders with an accessible, understandable account of one of the most important events in history. There are many different ways that educators could use this book in the classroom. (1) Educators could use this book to teach United States history, (2) Educators could use this book to explain the importance of voting and create a class vote of some kind, and (3) Educators could read this book to the class and have their students create a “passion project”. During this passion project, the students could choose something that they are passionate about (recycling, kindness, more recess time, etc.) and create a short autobiography of how they hope their actions will change the world.

[Felipe Alfaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love these books! This is probably the twentieth one I've read. I've lost count!

Before reading, I only knew that Susan B. Anthony was a suffragette and one of the first feminists, so I learned a lot of things:

She was a Quaker and an abolitionist.
Girls were not allowed to learn long division.
She was friends with another prominent women's rights activist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who to my delight I later discovered had secular humanist views.
Another friend was Amelia Bloomer whose name and fashion inspired the skirt's name.
She was active in the temperance movement to ban alcohol.
She was active before and after the Civil War.
She met and received support from Frederick Douglass.
Horace Greeley was a chief opponent of hers.
She met presidents McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt.

Thanks to this book, I'll have a better understanding of her when I see her name pop up in other reading and political discussions.

[shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for Mighty Girl Book Club. The girls are 8-9 years old.

This book gave good details about Susan B Anthony's life and work. The book focuses on her social and political activism, as well as her strong relationships with her family and friends.

[Kathy Grispon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written simplified biography is Susan B. Anthony for Elementary age students. Take the woman's suffrage movement and condensed it so that it's easy to understand. Well done, I'd highly recommend as a source for students to learn how women got the right to vote.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previewed this from the library before buying it for my niece. Well-written, good info, and inspiring.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the simplicity of these books. My nine year old read most of this book to me. It was interesting for both of us to read.

[Gia Ruiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally wish Susan B. Anthony got to see the 19th amendment happen. Another book read to me by my 9 year old son. Teaching him about all the great women. One at a time.

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

She fought even harder than I thought she did. Also there were some facts I did not know about her. She even worked as a assistant kindergarten teacher part of her awful life.

[Xenophon Westie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very descriptive about Susan's life/career as an abolitionist. It includes parts of her speeches and other famous quotes that she made.

[Bradley]

Ursula Leguin is the first writer in her second book on the Wizards of Earthsea who made me really feel the…wrath that nearly every woman must go through living in what I always imagine Wonder Woman and her Amazons calling “Man’s World” and the injustice that it brings. I’m not flawless, and there are times where I’ve been genuinely misunderstood, as I’ve tried to understand the struggle.

I think Susan is outstanding because she stuck to what was right in her mind, in her heart, whatever. Everything else be damned. Good behavior can only get us so far sometimes. And honestly, it was quite plain in hindsight, that she was simply right. And if the American constitution was worth its salt then it would back her up. It did. And as dumb as it should sound to us now, women have a right they had to fight for when it was given at birth.

There’s a case here for what education can be and do.

“The good old folks call us crazy fanatics now, the day will come when they must acknowledge their stupidity.” ~ Page 20

While the quote is in reference to the abolition of slavery, it stands nearly just as true for all the ideals Susan stood for. The book covers a range of topics and other important persons from the times and associated with Susan. It was just as informative and educational to me as most of my school’s textbooks. In fact, maybe more so.

Still, I find it sad that Susan was unable to speak among friends during her birthday without a cause to argue. But the next quote probably settles how she was. An intense woman for sure.

“You have trampled underfoot every vital principle of our government…Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God.” ~ Page 66

[Amanda up North · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography describes Susan B. Anthony's tireless fight for human rights, her participation in many organizations in support of abolition and women's suffrage. It introduces other important women who served in various parts of the women's movement, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It seems that Susan B. Anthony would not be known as she is today without Elizabeth, and vice versa.
It's well illustrated; these are the kind of illustrations that set the bar for me when I read others books in this series.
It answers the question, Who Was Susan B. Anthony?
Unfortunately, I found it a little dull. But still important!
Summed up, Susan B. Anthony spent her life fighting for women's legal rights as citizens, most of all - the right to vote. Sadly, she didn't get to see women get that right. She died before her life's work came to fruition. It leaves me with the sense that I owe it to her legacy to exercise my right to vote.

[Whitney Boatright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really really liked this book! I didn't like how women used to be treated and sad that it took so long for women were able to vote. Some of my favorite quotes from Susan were.

“The good old folks call us crazy fanatics now, the day will come when they must acknowledge their stupidity.

The new York times regarded Elizabeth Cady Stanton as below her husband and said she should tend to her domestic duties and Susan needed to find a good husband and pretty baby. I found that to be very degrading to women like they shouldn't be out fighting for what they believed in. I was also surprised that it took 14 years after Susan's death in 1906 for the 19th amendment to be ratified.

This is the perfect book to learn facts about the wonderful lady who fought for us to have voting rights.

[David Rough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan B. Anthony's biography is a study in determination and tenacity. Being on this side of the 1920s, it is hard to believe that women in America had very little rights. Civil rights made faster headways than women's rights. In the context of the emancipation, women were decades behind the slaves in gaining their freedom. The glass ceiling that exists in many organizations seems to be made of the same spirit of the entire American society in the in the late 1800s and early 20th century. I learned a great deal from this biography for young readers.

[Sara Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Who HQ series. It gives you a little information about the person's life and what they are known for. I had heard of Susan B Anthony only from her coin but honestly had no idea anything about her. I found out that she was a big activist for women's right to vote and an abolitionist. The book was overall good, but I was sad that women didn't get the right to vote under 14 years after her death and that the book didn't mention her coin.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. It is just infuriating to read historical accounts, because there really is nothing new under the sun. People will find any reason to separate themselves from others and create conflict. Thank God for the people that keep fighting for what is right, fair, equitable, and loving!

[Micaela - Rose]

Susan was someone who believed that women should be treated the same way as men and she fought for that right along with making new friends. She was also a teacher and someone who believed in working hard enough to make a change, I liked reading about her life.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is cool that she wanted the same thing I do. It is sad she died, but at least it was a natural death. Like, of old age

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Podling 5 and I read this aloud together over the past few weeks. It's a solid kid-level biography.

[North Landesman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done. Interesting person.

[Pumkin pie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little book. Not being a history buff, I didn't know that much about Susan B. Anthony...other than a coin was named after her. Enjoyed this.

[Karen Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

good summary of her achievements and life

[Victoria Barco]

This book talks about who Susan B. Anthony was, and what she did in her lifetime.
Lexile level: 530L
grade level: 2-3 grade

[Clea Overstreet · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who says they want to be a change maker, read this book! Susan's struggle embodies everything it means to change a society that is obsessed with maintaining status quo.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strong woman, She was amazing.