Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis
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| Born |
Paulina Kellogg
August 7, 1813 |
| Died | August 24, 1876 (aged 63) |
| Occupation | Suffragist Abolitionist Educator |
| Spouse(s) | Francis Wright (m. 1833, 1845 his death) Thomas Davis (m. 1849, 1876 her death) |
| Parent(s) | Ebenezer Kellogg Polly Saxton |
Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis (born August 7, 1813 – died August 24, 1876) was an important American activist. She fought for the rights of women and for ending slavery. She was also an educator. Paulina helped start the New England Woman Suffrage Association.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Paulina was born in Bloomfield, New York, on August 7, 1813. When she was four, her family moved to a new area near Niagara Falls. Sadly, both her parents died when she was young. In 1820, she went to live with her aunt in Le Roy, New York.
She joined the Presbyterian church. However, she felt the church didn't welcome women who spoke up. Paulina wanted to become a missionary. But the church only allowed married women to do so.
Later Life and Activism
Fighting for Change
In 1833, Paulina married Francis Wright. He was a merchant from Utica, New York. They shared similar beliefs. They both left their church because it supported slavery. They worked together in the Central New York Anti-Slavery Society.
In 1835, Paulina and Francis organized an anti-slavery meeting in Utica. They also supported women's rights. They worked with famous activists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ernestine Rose. During this time, Paulina also studied women's health. Francis Wright died in 1845. They did not have any children.
Medical Studies and Lectures
After her husband's death, Paulina moved to New York to study medicine. In 1846, she started giving lectures. These talks were only for women. She taught them about anatomy and how the body works.
She even brought a special medical mannequin from Europe. Paulina traveled across the eastern United States. She taught women and encouraged them to become doctors.
New Beginnings and Women's Rights
In 1849, Paulina married Thomas Davis. He was a politician from Providence, Rhode Island. They adopted two daughters.
In 1850, Paulina decided to focus all her energy on women's rights. She stopped lecturing. She helped organize the first National Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. Paulina led this important meeting and gave the opening speech.
In her speech, she argued that women were not treated fairly by the government. She said they were not given the same protections as men. She felt women were treated as a "disabled caste." Paulina was president of the National Woman's Rights Central Committee from 1850 to 1858.
In 1853, she started editing a newspaper for women called The Una. She handed over this job to Caroline Healey Dall in 1855.
Leading the Suffrage Movement
Paulina was one of the people who started the New England Woman Suffrage Association in 1868. When this group split, she and Susan B. Anthony joined the National Woman Suffrage Association.
In 1870, Paulina organized a special meeting. It celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement. She also published a book called The History of the National Woman's Rights Movement.
Death and Recognition
Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis died on August 24, 1876. She passed away in Providence, Rhode Island, seventeen days after her 63rd birthday. Elizabeth Cady Stanton gave a speech praising her life and work.
In 2002, Paulina was honored by being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. In 2003, she was also inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, along with her second husband, Thomas Davis.
See also
In Spanish: Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis para niños
