As the United States could elect its first woman president, at least 1,000 people, mainly women, visited women’s rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony’s grave in Rochester, New York on election day Tuesday to mark her stone with “I voted” stickers.
That wouldn’t have been possible fewer than 100 years ago, as women only got the right to vote in 1920.
The local paper added: “Women and girls had made the pilgrimage to the 196-acre Victorian cemetery. Hundreds more stood patiently in line, enduring an hour’s wait for the chance to approach Anthony’s stone.”
Exactly 144 years ago, in 1872, Anthony was arrested for illegally voting. Her work for women’s suffrage led to the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, giving women the right to vote.
With her grave becoming a shrine, “Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren announced that the Mount Hope Cemetery would remain open until 9 p.m. on Tuesday instead of closing at the regular 5:30 p.m.,” said the New York Daily News.
Hillary Clinton supporters cheered the tributes:
Americans put I Voted stickers on Susan Anthony’s tombstonehttps://t.co/j5znmsYw4i via @MailOnline
I’ll never understand ppl who don’t vote— Cassie (@BlondeCassie) November 8, 2016
In 1872, Susan Anthony was arrested for voting. 144 years later, people are voting at a station by her grave for the first female President. https://t.co/3DdZuEIFE4
— Tom Hayes (@CllrTomHayes) November 8, 2016
On Nov. 8 1872, Susan Anthony attempted to cast a ballot for U.S. president. Instead, the suffragette was arrested. https://t.co/jUaP4XJUbl pic.twitter.com/vNYQfAzq9N
— CBC Radio (@cbcradio) November 7, 2016