Belva Ann Lockwood
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“We shall never have equal rights until we take them, nor respect until we command it.” “Defeats are always advantageous, if they only bend the spirit and do not break it.” “The glory of each generation is to make its own precedents.” |
Belva Ann Lockwood was an educator, lawyer and advocate for Women’s Rights. She had the distinction of being the first woman lawyer admitted and to argue a case before the Supreme Court. As an attorney she specialized in veteran pensions, women’s causes and Indian land rights. She successfully represented the Eastern Cherokee Indians against the federal government for monies owed them, resulting in a five million dollar settlement. The Indians inhabited the U.S long before the European settlers arrived; however, they were not granted U.S. citizenship or able to vote until 1924.
In 1884, Lockwood nominated by the Equal Rights Party became the first woman legally eligible to run for President. Victoria Woodhull ran in 1872 but did not meet the constitutional age requirement of 35.
It is unclear if the motivation behind the nomination was serious or more symbolic. Whatever the intended purpose, it did draw attention to the fact although a woman could not vote yet nothing in the constitution prohibited her from running for the office of President.
Lockwood took the nomination and the direction of her campaign seriously. After announcing her candidacy, she formulated the platform to address the current issues of the day and at the same time be so brief that the newspapers would publish it and the people would read it.
Contributions and press exposure, like today, were needed to support a campaign. Lockwood, a skilled orator, accepted fees for speeches that focused on National Issues not just Women’s Rights. A consummate self-promoter and excellent strategist, she used her connections, developed over the years with reporters, to ensure her name was constantly in the papers. It was not always flattering coverage but coverage nonetheless. Way ahead of her time, she proposed a Presidential debate with Cleveland and Blaine that never materialized. Just to put it in perspective, the first Presidential debate was between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960.
Lockwood was actively involved in the Women’s Right Movement; she was a close associate of Susan B. Anthony and other prominent suffragists, yet she did not get their endorsement. They supported the Republican Party hoping it would eventually endorse the women's right to vote. She received over 4,000 votes, a respectable result considering many ended up in the trash as the election officials declared them false votes.
As a young teacher Lockwood was exasperated to learn she was paid half of what her male counterpart earned for the same job. Years later she helped draft and was instrumental in the 1872 passage of Federal legislation giving women who worked for the Federal Government “equal pay for equal work”. It is hard to comprehend that in 2020 women are not being paid the same as their counterparts, and that we are still trying to pass an Equal Rights Amendment.
Later as Principle of the Lockport Union School, she added public speaking, gymnastics, and botanical walks to the women’s study program, which was considered very radical. A lifelong advocate of physical wellbeing, she would use a bicycle to get around D.C. That was not considered very ladylike but did receive a lot of attention.
As a woman, it took persistence more than mental aptitude to be admitted to law school. One college declination noted that women in classes would be distracting and hard for the men to concentrate. Lockwood was 39 at the time. In 1871, she was admitted to the National University Law School but given segregated instruction. After completing her courses, it took a letter to President Grant demanding her diploma before she received it. She was denied the right to practice before the Supreme Court because of her gender until congress passed a bill that no one could be excluded on account of sex from practicing law at any court in the United States.
Lockwood continued into her mid 80’s as an active lawyer, as an equal rights and world peace advocate. She published numerous articles about women’s rights and the challenges they face. Her article “My Efforts To Become Lawyer” in Lippincott’s February 1888 edition gives an insightful look into personality and outlook on life. She was a feminist who liked men and felt they were her peers. She criticized the “professional suffragists” for talking too much, and lacking action.
Lockwood is buried in the Congressional Cemetery located in heart of Washington, D.C.
In 1884, Lockwood nominated by the Equal Rights Party became the first woman legally eligible to run for President. Victoria Woodhull ran in 1872 but did not meet the constitutional age requirement of 35.
It is unclear if the motivation behind the nomination was serious or more symbolic. Whatever the intended purpose, it did draw attention to the fact although a woman could not vote yet nothing in the constitution prohibited her from running for the office of President.
Lockwood took the nomination and the direction of her campaign seriously. After announcing her candidacy, she formulated the platform to address the current issues of the day and at the same time be so brief that the newspapers would publish it and the people would read it.
Contributions and press exposure, like today, were needed to support a campaign. Lockwood, a skilled orator, accepted fees for speeches that focused on National Issues not just Women’s Rights. A consummate self-promoter and excellent strategist, she used her connections, developed over the years with reporters, to ensure her name was constantly in the papers. It was not always flattering coverage but coverage nonetheless. Way ahead of her time, she proposed a Presidential debate with Cleveland and Blaine that never materialized. Just to put it in perspective, the first Presidential debate was between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960.
Lockwood was actively involved in the Women’s Right Movement; she was a close associate of Susan B. Anthony and other prominent suffragists, yet she did not get their endorsement. They supported the Republican Party hoping it would eventually endorse the women's right to vote. She received over 4,000 votes, a respectable result considering many ended up in the trash as the election officials declared them false votes.
As a young teacher Lockwood was exasperated to learn she was paid half of what her male counterpart earned for the same job. Years later she helped draft and was instrumental in the 1872 passage of Federal legislation giving women who worked for the Federal Government “equal pay for equal work”. It is hard to comprehend that in 2020 women are not being paid the same as their counterparts, and that we are still trying to pass an Equal Rights Amendment.
Later as Principle of the Lockport Union School, she added public speaking, gymnastics, and botanical walks to the women’s study program, which was considered very radical. A lifelong advocate of physical wellbeing, she would use a bicycle to get around D.C. That was not considered very ladylike but did receive a lot of attention.
As a woman, it took persistence more than mental aptitude to be admitted to law school. One college declination noted that women in classes would be distracting and hard for the men to concentrate. Lockwood was 39 at the time. In 1871, she was admitted to the National University Law School but given segregated instruction. After completing her courses, it took a letter to President Grant demanding her diploma before she received it. She was denied the right to practice before the Supreme Court because of her gender until congress passed a bill that no one could be excluded on account of sex from practicing law at any court in the United States.
Lockwood continued into her mid 80’s as an active lawyer, as an equal rights and world peace advocate. She published numerous articles about women’s rights and the challenges they face. Her article “My Efforts To Become Lawyer” in Lippincott’s February 1888 edition gives an insightful look into personality and outlook on life. She was a feminist who liked men and felt they were her peers. She criticized the “professional suffragists” for talking too much, and lacking action.
Lockwood is buried in the Congressional Cemetery located in heart of Washington, D.C.