Belva Ann Lockwood (1830–1917) was an American lawyer, politician, educator, and women’s rights advocate, best known as the first woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court and for her historic presidential campaigns.
Born in Royalton, New York, Lockwood pursued education despite societal barriers. She attended Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, later earning degrees from Genesee College and National University Law School. In 1879, she became the first woman admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, paving the way for future female attorneys.
Lockwood championed gender equality, running for U.S. president in 1884 and 1888 as the National Equal Rights Party candidate, the first woman to appear on official ballots. Though she did not win, her campaigns challenged societal norms and advanced women’s political participation.
Her writings include legal and political essays advocating women’s rights and international peace. She also worked in education reform, securing equal pay for female teachers.
Biographies include Jill Norgren’s Belva Lockwood: The Woman Who Would Be President (2007,) exploring her legal career and campaigns, and Nancy Hendricks’s Belva Ann Lockwood: Equal Rights Pioneer (2008,) highlighting her contributions to women’s rights.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Belva Ann Lockwood
The glory of each generation is to make its own precedents.
—Belva Ann Lockwood
Topics: Justice
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