A major milestone in the women’s suffrage movement occurred on February 14, 1870, about 150 years ago. A woman by the name of Seraph Young, a schoolteacher from Salt Lake City, stopped at the polls on her way to work to cast her vote in the municipal election. She was the first woman in the nation to cast a vote and February 14, 2020 marked the 150 anniversary of this historic moment.

Books on early feminist writings have been highlighted in the Rare Books posts.

Dec 10, 1869 — Wyoming first Territory to grant women’s suffrage

Feb 3, 1870 — 15^th Amendment, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Feb. 12, 1870 — Utah Territory granted women’s suffrage

Feb 14, 1870 — Seraph Young is the first woman to vote

June 1, 1872 – A publication called The Woman’s Exponent was first published

Jan. 9, 1879 – Utah suffragists Emmeline Wells and Zina Young travel to a national suffrage convention at the suggestion of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

Aug. 18, 1920 – The 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, giving women across the nation the right to vote