Paulina Wright Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulina Wright Davis
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Paulina Kellogg
August 7, 1813 Bloomfield, New York, U.S.
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| Died | August 24, 1876 (aged 63) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
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| Children | 2 (adopted) |
Paulina Wright Davis (born Kellogg; August 7, 1813 – August 24, 1876) was an important American woman. She was an abolitionist, meaning she worked to end slavery. She was also a suffragist, which means she fought for women to have the right to vote. Paulina was also an educator, teaching others. She helped start the New England Woman Suffrage Association.
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Early Life and Beliefs
Paulina Kellogg was born in Bloomfield, New York, in 1813. When she was four, her family moved 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.
Paulina joined the Presbyterian church. However, she felt the church did not welcome women who spoke up. She wanted to become a missionary, but the church did not allow single women to do this.
Fighting for Change
In 1833, Paulina married Francis Wright, a merchant from Utica, New York. They shared similar strong beliefs. Both of them left their church to protest its support of slavery. They also worked together on the Central New York Anti-Slavery Society. This group worked to end slavery.
In 1835, Paulina and Francis organized a meeting in Utica to fight against slavery. They also supported women's rights. They worked with famous women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ernestine Rose. During this time, Paulina also studied women's health. Francis Wright passed away in 1845. They did not have any children.
After her husband's death, Paulina moved to New York to study medicine. In 1846, she started giving lectures about anatomy and how the human body works, but only to women. She even brought a special medical model, like a mannequin, to help her teach. She traveled across the eastern United States, teaching women and encouraging them to become doctors.
In 1849, Paulina married Thomas Davis. He was a politician from Providence, Rhode Island. They adopted two daughters together.
A Voice for Women's Rights
By 1850, Paulina focused all her energy on women's rights. She stopped giving lectures. Instead, she helped organize the very first National Women's Rights Convention. This important meeting took place in Worcester, Massachusetts. Paulina led the meeting and gave the opening speech.
In her speech, Paulina argued that women were not treated fairly by the government. She said they did not have the same protections as men. She felt women were treated like a "disabled caste," meaning they were held back and not given equal chances. Paulina was the 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 later gave this job to Caroline Healey Dall in 1855.
In 1868, Paulina was one of the people who started the New England Woman Suffrage Association. When this group later split, she and Susan B. Anthony joined the National Woman Suffrage Association. In 1870, Paulina organized a special meeting to celebrate 20 years 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 Wright Davis passed away on August 24, 1876, in Providence, Rhode Island. She was 63 years old. Elizabeth Cady Stanton gave a speech honoring her life.
Paulina was recognized for her important work many years later. In 2002, she was added to 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
- List of suffragists and suffragettes
- Married Women's Property Acts in the United States
- Timeline of women's suffrage
- Women's suffrage organizations
