Anna Elizabeth Dickinson Historic Marker

1324 Arch Street (map)

Anna Elizabeth Dickinson (1842–1932) was a nationally renowned American orator at a time when women rarely spoke in public. She advocated ardently for the abolition of slavery and women’s rights. During the Civil War, she helped secure key political victories in the North. In 1864, at the age of 21, she became the first woman ever to speak before Congress. With President Lincoln, military officers and civilian leaders in attendance, she received a standing ovation. She never married. Her letters and interviews suggest she had love affairs with women.

Dickinson was born to a Quaker family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The historic marker stands at the site of a home where she frequently stayed.

Additional Information:

Anna Elizabeth Dickinson – LGBT History Month

Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/
biography/Anna-Elizabeth-Dickinson

Hidden City Philadelphia – https://hidden
cityphila.org/2021/03/the-forgotten
-fame-of-anna-dickinson/

Mr. Lincoln’s White House – http://www.
mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/
residents-visitors/notable-visitors/
notable-visitors-anna-dickinson-1842-1932/

Smithsonian – https://npg.si.edu/
exh/brady/gallery/84gal.html