‘I Voted Today’: Paying tribute to Susan B. Anthony
After casting their ballots, voters head to New York cemetery in order to pay respects to Susan B. Anthony.
Published On 8 Nov 2016
On the day the United States could elect its first female president, hundreds of people lined at the New York grave site of suffrage movement leader Susan B. Anthony.
Dozens of visitors placed their “I Voted Today” stickers on her tombstone on Tuesday, in an election day tradition given additional emphasis this year by the prospect of Hillary Clinton holding the highest office in the country.
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For many, the pilgrimage to Mount Hope cemetery in Rochester, New York began before dawn, and by 15:30 GMT, more than 1,000 people had come to pay respects, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper.
The line to visit #SusanBAnthony's grave. I have chills. pic.twitter.com/FPtirDcqSS
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) November 8, 2016
An icon of women’s rights in the US, Anthony travelled across the country in the late 19th century, advocating for female voting rights as well as the abolition of slavery.
An attempt to vote in Rochester got her arrested in 1872. She went on trial and was convicted, but refused to pay the $100 fine. She died in 1906, at the age of 86.
Fourteen years later, Congress passed the 19th amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote.
INTERACTIVE: A history of voting rights in America
Many arrived on Tuesday after having cast their ballots at polling sites, where they received the “I Voted Today” stickers that are near ubiquitous across the US on election day.
The modest tombstone was nearly fully covered in the red, white and blue-coloured stickers.
One note left at the grave site read: “Thank you, Susan B Anthony, for dedicating your life to women’s voting rights. Because of your work, Tuesday, November 8, I will cast my ballot for the first woman president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton!”
The procession was being streamed live on the internet and participants were sharing photos and videos on social media.
Cemetery officials said they were extending the site’s opening hours until 02:00 GMT on Wednesday to accommodate the demand, with visitors encouraged to bring flashlights.
Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies