Victoria Woodhull – First Woman to Run For President
Victoria Claflin Woodhull, a figure of remarkable audacity and unwavering conviction, etched her name into the annals of American history as a suffragist, feminist, writer, and the first woman to boldly declare her candidacy for President of the United States. Her life, a whirlwind of groundbreaking achievements and scandalous controversies, serves as a testament to her relentless pursuit of equality and her willingness to challenge the deeply entrenched societal norms of the 19th century.
Born on September 23, 1838, in the small town of Homer, Ohio, Victoria Woodhull‘s early life was far from conventional. Her parents, purveyors of a traveling medicine show, traversed the countryside, peddling remedies, performing faith healings, and offering glimpses into the future through fortune-telling. This nomadic existence offered little opportunity for formal education, leaving Victoria Woodhull to cultivate her intellect through self-study and observation. The unconventional upbringing undoubtedly shaped her independent spirit and fostered a keen understanding of human nature, qualities that would later serve her well in the tumultuous world of politics and social reform.
At the tender age of fifteen, Victoria Woodhull entered into matrimony with Canning Woodhull, a physician twelve years her senior. However, the union proved to be a source of disappointment and hardship. Canning, plagued by alcoholism and infidelity, struggled to maintain a stable practice, leaving Victoria Woodhull to shoulder the burdens of financial insecurity and emotional distress. Despite these challenges, the couple had two children. The societal constraints of the era made divorce a scandalous and arduous process, but Victoria Woodhull ultimately severed the ties in 1864, demonstrating her resolve to forge her own path, regardless of societal disapproval.
A few years later, Victoria Woodhull remarried, this time to Colonel James Blood. In 1868, she, Blood, and her younger sister, Tennessee "Tennie" Claflin, embarked on a new chapter, relocating to the bustling metropolis of New York City. It was here that Victoria Woodhull‘s ambitions truly took flight, propelled by a desire to challenge the status quo and champion the rights of women.
The sisters, driven by entrepreneurial spirit, set their sights on conquering the male-dominated world of finance. In 1870, they shattered convention by becoming the first female stockbrokers on Wall Street. With the patronage of the wealthy and influential Cornelius Vanderbilt, Woodhull, Claflin & Company was established. The sisters quickly earned the moniker "the Queens of Finance," captivating the public with their unprecedented success and challenging the prevailing notion that women were incapable of thriving in the business world.
Not content with merely breaking barriers in finance, Victoria Woodhull and Tennie Claflin sought to amplify their voices and disseminate their radical ideas through the power of the press. In the same year they launched their brokerage, they established Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly, a newspaper that served as a platform for their controversial views. The publication fearlessly advocated for women’s suffrage, challenging the prevailing disenfranchisement of women. It also championed other radical causes, including advocating short skirts as a symbol of liberation, embracing spiritualism, advocating for sex education, and controversially proposing licensed prostitution. These progressive stances, far ahead of their time, drew both fervent supporters and fierce critics.
The sisters’ advocacy for "free love," a concept that challenged traditional marriage norms and advocated for individual autonomy in relationships, drew particular ire. Accusations of promiscuity were hurled at Victoria Woodhull, to which she responded defiantly in the pages of her newspaper, asserting her right to self-determination and challenging the hypocrisy of a society that often condoned male infidelity while harshly judging female sexuality.
Despite her growing prominence, Victoria Woodhull‘s radical views alienated her from many mainstream suffragists of the era, including Susan B. Anthony. While both shared the goal of women’s enfranchisement, their approaches differed significantly. Anthony and others favored a more pragmatic and cautious approach, while Victoria Woodhull embraced a more revolutionary and confrontational style.
In 1872, Victoria Woodhull made history by accepting the nomination for President of the United States from the Equal Rights Party, a minor political organization that championed gender equality. Her candidacy, though largely symbolic, marked a watershed moment in American history. While laws at the time prohibited women from voting, no legal barriers explicitly prevented them from running for office. Although she stood little chance of winning against the incumbent Ulysses S. Grant, her very presence on the political stage challenged the deeply ingrained belief that the presidency was exclusively a male domain.
The establishment, threatened by her audacity and radical ideas, launched a concerted effort to discredit her. Opponents dredged up details of her personal life, including her first husband’s alcoholism and allegations of affairs, to undermine her credibility. Undeterred, Victoria Woodhull fought back, convinced that the prominent minister Henry Ward Beecher was orchestrating the attacks.
In a bold and controversial move, she exposed Beecher’s alleged affair with Elizabeth Tilton, the wife of one of his parishioners, in Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly. The exposé ignited a national scandal, captivating the nation and further polarizing public opinion. The revelation stemmed from a confession Theodore Tilton had made to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who passed the information to Victoria Woodhull.
Just days before the 1872 presidential election, Victoria Woodhull, her husband James Blood, and her sister Tennie Claflin were arrested on charges of sending obscene material through the mail. The charges, widely believed to be politically motivated, were based on the contents of Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly, particularly the exposé of the Beecher affair. Held in jail for a month, Victoria Woodhull was unable to cast a vote for herself on election day. Furthermore, she was a year shy of the constitutionally mandated age of 35 for presidential candidates, further diminishing her chances.
Over the next seven months, Victoria Woodhull faced a barrage of legal challenges, enduring eight arrests and numerous trials on charges of obscenity and libel. Although she was eventually acquitted of all charges, the exorbitant legal fees forced her into bankruptcy. Despite the controversies and legal battles, Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly continued publication for six years before ceasing operation in 1876. In the same year, she divorced James Blood.
The Reverend Beecher was put on trial for adultery in 1875, a spectacle that dominated newspaper headlines across the nation. The trial ultimately ended in a hung jury, a result that Elizabeth Cady Stanton denounced as a "holocaust of womanhood."
Victoria Woodhull made subsequent attempts to secure presidential nominations in 1884 and 1892, but she was unsuccessful. In 1878, she married John Biddulph Martin, an English banker, and relocated to England. There, she continued to advocate for women’s rights, establishing the Humanitarian newspaper in 1892, which ran until 1901. She passed away on June 9, 1927, leaving behind a legacy of courage, defiance, and unwavering commitment to social justice. Victoria Woodhull was a trailblazer who challenged the conventions of her time and paved the way for future generations of women in politics and beyond.