In the mid 19th Century, a worldwide movement began with the aim of winning the vote for women. In 1848, a women’s rights convention was held in New York State by two famous American reformers- Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This was the first of many public meetings in the U.S.A.

The women’s rights movement in the U.S evolved out of the crusade against slavery and the fight against discrimination of women at work - place. Sojourner Truth was a Black American who became famous for her stand against slavery and the demand for equal rights for women. Born a slave in 1771, she traveled all over the U.S. drawing a large number of people through her moving speeches. Along with Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Stanton and Lucy Stone, she laid the foundation for women’s suffrage in the U.S.A. Very often these women faced stiff opposition from those opposed to the emancipation of women.