Virginia Minor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Virginia Minor
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| Born | March 27, 1824 |
| Died | August 14, 1894 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) |
Francis Minor
(m. 1843) |
Virginia Louisa Minor (born March 27, 1824 – died August 14, 1894) was an important American activist. She worked hard to get women the right to vote, which is called women's suffrage.
Virginia Minor is best known for a big court case in 1875. It was called Minor v. Happersett and went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In this case, Minor argued that the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution already gave women the right to vote. However, the Supreme Court did not agree with her.
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Virginia Minor's Early Life and Activism
Virginia Minor was born in Caroline County, Virginia on March 27, 1824. In 1843, she married her distant cousin, a lawyer named Francis Minor. They moved to St. Louis in 1844.
During the American Civil War, Virginia Minor was very active. She was a member of the St. Louis Ladies' Union Aid Society. This group helped support the Union soldiers during the war.
Fighting for Women's Right to Vote
In 1867, Virginia Minor helped start a group called the Woman's Suffrage Association of Missouri. She became its first president. This was the very first group created just to help women get the right to vote.
Virginia Minor believed strongly that the U.S. Constitution already gave women this right. At a meeting in St. Louis in 1869, she said that the Constitution gave her "every right and privilege to which every other citizen is entitled." Later that year, she and her husband, Francis, wrote and shared papers explaining why women should be able to vote based on the new Fourteenth Amendment.
The Supreme Court Case: Minor v. Happersett
On October 15, 1872, Virginia Minor tried to register to vote in St. Louis. But the election official, Reese Happersett, would not let her.
Because of this, Virginia Minor, with her husband Francis representing her, filed a lawsuit. The case went through several courts in Missouri. Eventually, it reached the Supreme Court of the United States.
The Court's Decision
In 1875, the Supreme Court made a final decision. All the judges agreed that the Constitution of the United States does not automatically give anyone the right to vote. They said that it was up to each state to decide who could vote. This meant Virginia Minor lost her case. Even though she lost, her case was very important in the fight for women's suffrage.
Later Years and Continued Efforts
Virginia Minor continued to fight for women's voting rights. In 1889, she spoke to the United States Senate about women's suffrage. In 1892, she was an honorary vice president for a big meeting called the Interstate Woman Suffrage Convention.
Virginia Minor passed away in St. Louis in 1894. She is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery.
Virginia Minor's Lasting Impact
Virginia Minor's work left an important mark on history. In December 2013, she was chosen to be part of the Hall of Famous Missourians. A bronze statue of her is now on display in the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.
In 2020, the National Women's History Alliance also honored Virginia Minor for her contributions.
See also
In Spanish: Virginia Minor para niños
