Women and men from across Rochester, New York and surrounding areas flocked to the gravesite of Susan B. Anthony on Tuesday, marking the potential election of America’s first woman president with “I Voted” stickers, flowers and other performative tributes to the ground-breaking 19th century suffragist.
Anthony, who died 14 years before the 19th Amendment granted voting rights to women nationwide, was an abolitionist, temperance advocate and tireless activist for women’s right to vote.
She was arrested in 1872 for attempting to vote in Rochester. After she had been convicted of that crime, in 1878, she introduced an amendment to Congress to give women the right to vote. Forty-two years later, it became the law of the land.
View some of the tributes below:
Women are flocking to Susan B Anthony’s NY State gravesite, leaving their “I Voted” stickers on headstone, in honor of historic election pic.twitter.com/bXZTjrdCKD
— Tamala Edwards (@TamEdwards6abc) November 8, 2016
This is not a line to vote; it’s a line to see Susan B. Anthony’s gravesite. #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/xUd44WpJgj
— Patrick Thornton (@pwthornton) November 8, 2016
The 250 person line in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester New York to pay their respects at Susan B Anthony’s grave pic.twitter.com/Zv1WyTQyNl
— Sarah Maslin Nir (@SarahMaslinNir) November 8, 2016
The scene at Susan B. Anthony’s grave. And it’s a scene. pic.twitter.com/mgQNwmsB9f
— Sarah Maslin Nir (@SarahMaslinNir) November 8, 2016
WROC in Rochester also has a live stream of Anthony’s gravesite posted on their Facebook page. Watch it live below:
That is so awesome! Way to go Rochester!
Hmmmmm…wonder why my eyes are watering. It’s long past allergy season.
(It’s scenes like this that give me great hope for this country, especially in times where it feels everything is going wrong.)
And I’m suddenly crying. I can’t imagine why…
A great day for this country. A fabulous day for women!
OK, I thought I would be emotional casting my vote for Hillary this morning, but I was more excited than anything. But now? Now I’m tearing up. This is wonderful and, for the first time in my life, I wish I was in Rochester.