The Revolution

Susan B. Anthony

The Revolution, a weekly feminist and women's rights newspaper, was the official publication of the National Woman Suffrage Association formed by feminists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to secure women's enfranchisement through a federal constitutional amendment. Published between January 8, 1868 and February, 1872, it was edited by Stanton and Parker Pillsbury and initially funded by George Francis Train, a wealthy and eccentric Democrat, and David Melliss, financial editor of the New York World newspaper. The Revolution’s motto, printed on the masthead of the first edition's front page, was, "Principle, not policy; Justice, not favors." Beginning with the second edition, the following was added: "Men, their rights and nothing more; Women, their rights and nothing less." Later editions had this motto: "The True Republic—Men, their rights and nothing more; Women, their rights and nothing less.” Although its circulation never exceeded 3,000, The Revolution’s influence on the national woman’s rights movement was enormous. As the official voice of the National Woman Suffrage Association the paper confronted subjects not discussed in most mainstream publications of the time including sex education, rape, domestic violence, divorce, prostitution and reproductive rights. It was instrumental in attracting working–class women to the movement by devoting columns to concerns such as unionization and discrimination against female workers.