Essay 9-B: Belva Lockwood: Historic Suffragette, Heroine and Humanitarian

Essay Read by Constituting America Founder, Actress Janine Turner

You’ve heard the names: Susan B Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Victoria Woodhull, Amelia Bloomer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The founding mothers of the suffragette movement, yes? Yes. But, there were more. Have you ever heard of Belva Lockwood? She was a bit younger than most of her contemporary founding mothers but certainly not any less mature and successful. Belva Lockwood’s legacy, however, was broader in scope. She championed not only women, but humanity in general.

The true beginning of the American suffragette movement was thrust into the American psyche in March of 1776, by none other than our nation’s original, most revered founding mother, Abigail Adams. Her demand to, “Remember the Ladies,” was such a novel concept at the time that it literally left her husband, John Adams, and his band of revolutionaries, speechless, aghast. In her famous letter to John, she wrote:

*If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are
determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves
bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation.

The percolating resolution within the Declaration of Independence, and subsequent ratification of it, would inspire not only its founders but all who heard of its revolutionary intent: all are created equal, and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were for all of God’s people. In the late 1770’s, African American slaves filed lawsuits demanding their entitlements to what was stated within the Declaration of Independence, and many won, and women, such as Abigail Adams, challenged that these enlightened ideals should also apply to women.

It is safe to assume that Abigail would be astounded to learn that it took another 143 years for this to be accomplished.

During this tenuous era for women, Belva Lockwood, 1830-1917, emerged. Unlike her fellow suffragettes, she didn’t wait for permission. She charged forth into men’s worlds because to Belva, sex was irrelevant. Both male and female inhabited the same mind. Sex had nothing to do with it. When she hit wall after wall, she steadfastly ventured forth into unknown territory: high school education, college education, law school. She stepped into the vast unknown, the mud, the mire —the arena. When knocked down, she got up, straightened her skirts, and started all over again. She exhibited the true grit of the American spirit, a pioneering relentlessness to be a part of, to succeed in —to grasp—the American promise. Refused again and again for acceptance to law school, she persevered. “I am very simple minded,” Belva declared, “When I wish to do a thing, I only know one way, to keep at it until I get it.” When she was refused her diploma from National Law School, now George Washington University, after
passing all the requisite courses and tests with flying colors, she wrote to none other than—the current President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. She got it.

Not to be deterred, when her thriving practice presented a case that needed to be argued at the United States Supreme Court, Belva received her recommendation for the court, and passed the bar exam. When denied admittance to the bar, she strode into the Supreme Court and demanded an answer. Why had she been denied? The Justices were flabbergasted that she was standing in their presence demanding accountability—she was a woman. Time and time again she was denied and time and time again she demanded answers. Eventually the Justices pronounced exasperatedly, “There is no precedent.” Raising the ire of Belva, she reasoned: if a woman can only be admitted if another woman has been admitted but if no woman has ever been admitted then how can a woman be admitted?

There was simply no common sense within their statement.

Forever relying on the republican principles of the American Republican government, Belva decided to utilize the checks and balances of the United States Constitution. She marched the halls of congress, amongst the all male House and Senate, lobbying for a bill that would allow women to be admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court. This effort took Belva five years to accomplish. Eventually a majority of men in the House and Senate passed the bill, and President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it. Belva Lockwood became the first women to be admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court! She was the only woman to argue cases there for the next twenty years.

One such case, representing Belva’s ardent desire to fight for justice for all, (whether it be to abolish slavery, help the helpless or demand women’s right to vote), Belva agreed to represent the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation was demanding that they be paid for their lands, the lands relinquished due to the Echota Treaty, resulting in the Trail of Tears. True to her indefatigable nature, Belva, a lone woman among all men in the Supreme Court, was victorious. It was an historic, landmark decision, accomplished by the woman who had originally been denied the right to argue within its esteemed walls.

Often it is recounted that until the 21st century no woman had ever been on the ballot for President of the United States. This is a falsity. Belva Lockwood ran for President of the United States, her name appearing on the ballot, in both 1884 and 1888. She campaigned around the country for her Equal Rights Party fighting for equal rights —for all. By her side, at all times, was her beloved daughter, Lura. Another groundbreaking decision Belva made, after her husband died when Lura was three years old, was to not remarry and thus, raise her daughter by herself. (Belva would remarry much later in life.) During the 1850’s women, when married, had no rights to their children. Belva decided not to take this risk. Thus, she climbed the rocky path of attaining her inherent calls to action, with her daughter in tow. She provided for Lura and also, inspired her. Lura attended law school, as well. Like mother, like daughter. Like rebel, like renege.

Belva’s contribution to the suffragette movement included rallies and speeches, but her contribution to the suffragette movement ventured further and wider. Impatient, fortified with faith and fervor, Belva did the unthinkable —she simply reached beyond her grasp, (*for what’s a heaven for) and succeeded, before it was certain or certified. She *dreamed the impossible dream and willed it into fruition. She was an American, representing the exceptionalism of our founding documents. She, “ fomented a rebellion,” against the status quo and won.

*Abigail Adam’s quote left in original form
*Referencing Robert Browning’s poem, Andrea del Sarto
*The Impossible Dream, Man of La Mancha, Mitch Lee composer, Joe Darion, lyrics

Janine Turner
Founder, Creative Director of Constituting America and co-editor of Constituting America’s History Holds the Key the Future annual academic study. She is an actress, an Emmy and three time Golden Globe Best Actress nominee, speaker, author, playwright. Turner has written a musical about Belva Lockwood, currently in pre-production.

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