THE REVOLUTIONISTS by Helise Flickstein

Based on the true stories of Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton

(c) WGAw Twin Forks Agency 18332 W. Port Au Prince Lane Surprise, AZ 85388 623-444-5712 [email protected] FADE IN:

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - SUSAN’S BEDROOM - NIGHT A WOMAN blows out a candle. TICKING CLOCKS are coming from every direction. The HOUR HAND MOVES from the eleven slot to the twelve. The second hand moves in succession. The CLOCKS STOP working. On the wall with the flicker of the moon is “The Declaration of Sentiments”. Highlighted within the document are the words “All men and women are created equal”. A DRIP OF WATER comes from the outside window as it runs down. The WATER DROPLETS now create PUDDLES on the window sill as it SPLASHES and FLOWS just enough onto the floor. In the mirror reflects a bed, floor and wash stand. Peering deeper into the mirror an outline of a person appears. In the mirror looking back is SUSAN B. ANTHONY (89). INSERT ON SCREEN:

WOMAN NARRATING “Something Left Undone” By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Labor with what zeal we will. Something still remains undone. Something uncompleted still. Waits the rising of the sun. By the bedside, on the stair, At the threshold, near the gates, with its menace or its prayer, Like a medicant it waits; Waits, and will not go away; Waits, and will not be gainsaid, By the curves of yesterday Even to-day is heavier made; Till at length the burden seems. Greater than our strength can bear. (MORE) 3 WOMAN NARRATING (cont'd) Heavy as the weight of our dreams, Pressing on us everywhere. And we stand from day to day, Like the dwarfs of times gone by, Who as Northern legends say, On their shoulders held the sky. MONTAGE SEQUENCE with the poem being read: 1.) A woman serving a man food, doing his laundry & dishes. 2.) A woman taking care of seven children, all very young. 3.) A woman getting raped and beaten by her husband. 4.) A woman getting her property taken away from her. 5.) A woman handing over her pay to her husband after a hard days labor. 6.) A CLASS OF STUDENTS lets out, A MALE AND FEMALE TEACHER both come out of their respective classrooms. They both go to get their pay. The Man is paid more, the Woman is paid less. 7.) A woman slave chained to a tree is being whipped. A diary opens with this very poem being taped to its inside cover. The diary closes to reveal the name on its cover “Susan B. Anthony’s Diary”. MONTAGE OF PICTURES: There are handkerchiefs falling from above and each picture is on the individual’s real pictures/next to the actors shows up on the handkerchiefs. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Guelma Penn Anthony McLean, Aaron M. McLean, Edward Bayard, Henry Brewster Stanton, Tryphena Bayard, Judge Daniel Cady, Margaret Cady, Daniel Anthony, Lucy Anthony, Henry Bayard, Frederick Douglass, Lucy Stone, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Carrie Chapman Catt, Anna Howard Shaw, Wendell Phillips, Harriet Tubman, Sojournor Truth and William Lloyd Garrison. 4

INT. HALL - PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: Presidential Candidate Debate The Presidential Candidate Debate is going on. TWO WOMEN stand at their podiums. JIM LEHER is sitting at the desk in the middle as Moderator. MADAME NORA JOHNSTON (54) Democratic Presidential Candidate and Secretary of State, wearing a blue pants suit and an American flag pin, pink pin and a red pin on the collar. GOVERNOR ELIZA TEFT (43) Republican Presidential Candidate and Governor of South Carolina, wearing red suit pants with a white shirt and an American flag pin with a pink pin. JIM LEHRER Today we have Secretary of State Nora Johnston, and Governor Eliza Teft of South Carolina who are the chosen Presidential Candidates. Welcome Ladies. Tonight’s question that we start off on is on Education. Does the federal government have a responsibility to public education of America? You both have one minute to respond. Being that Secretary of State Johnston won the coin toss, you can go first. NORA JOHNSTON I first like to thank you for that question, Jim and thank you to Governor Teft for being here. As the future President of the United States of America I feel it is our responsibility for all citizens of this country as well as the government state and federal to ensure the education of our future which is the children. As a mother of two grown children, I have put into my plan a Federal budget cuts need to be regulated to ensure that Title One and IDEA which is children with special needs as well as lower income children who have the meal programs as well as the necessary support through their schools. (MORE) 5 NORA JOHNSTON (cont'd) This will be regulated by the federal government by taking out the middle man and allowing parents to make the right choices for their children. ELIZA TEFT Thank you, Jim and Secretary of State Johnston for being here. This question holds a special place in my heart as the mother of three children myself, I know about the importance of education. And yes I agree with Secretary of State Johnston in regards to taking federal money and giving it to the parents. However, with these programs it is also our responsibility to ensure education for training people out of work by meeting with local and big corporate businesses and making sure that there is a job for the middle class to be able to provide a future for their children. Educational loans within my budget in 60 Billion dollars need to have lower interest rates than what is offered so that people can afford to pay back their college loans. JIM LEHRER Thank you Governor Teft, Secretary of State Johnston would you like to respond? NORA JOHNSTON Yes I would Jim. In order for the federal government to make the necessary cuts in funding for federal loans within a college education, it has to come from state budget cuts as well as cuts from the federal budget that are unnecessary with the help of alternative fuels and taking back the power shift of where the money goes in the world. We can place the needs of the people for education where it belongs...with the people. (MORE) 6 NORA JOHNSTON (cont'd) By allowing a person to make their own choices with their future careers will make for a happier workplace and home environment for all concerned. Not government programs that will get them a job that they don’t want. The AUDIENCE APPLAUDS.

EXT. LAKE - DAY A WOMAN sits out in a rowboat with oars and a bucket. She is gliding in the river holding an open parasol over her head. Painted on the side of the boat: “Compass of Life”.

INT. CADY MANSION - ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: Johnstown, New York - 1824 ELIZABETH CADY STANTON “Lizzy” (9) brown curls and big blue eyes, gets up and pulls out the knife from under her pillow and gets up. She goes downstairs, and quietly slips out the door.

EXT. JOHNSTOWN, NY (WEST MAIN & NORTH MARKET STREET) - NIGHT She runs down the block. A BARKING DOG startles her, and she turns around quickly to see if anyone is following her. She looks around the area. It is a park-like setting near the water. A huge oak tree stands before her. ELIZABETH There’s no noose. How can I protect that slave from being hung tomorrow? She goes up to the tree and slams it with her fists. Yellow worms are dangling down in front of her. ELIZABETH I wish I could cut you down.

Elizabeth runs back down the street towards home in tears. Every tree seems to have yellow worms dangling from them. Elizabeth silently SCREAMS as she swats them away. 7

EXT. PARK - DAY There is a CROWD OF PEOPLE gathered around. An AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE (23) has a noose around his neck. Suddenly the floor board is released. The body bounces down as the people turn away and then look at the dead man.

INT. LAW OFFICE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Johnstown, NY - 1826 JUDGE DANIEL CADY (53) is sitting in his office with his client.

FLORA CAMPBELL (54) is sitting there with a tear stained handkerchief. Elizabeth (11) is sitting there listening. FLORA Judge Cady, my husband has died and my stepson has taken over the farm. He has now decided to kick me off my family farm. JUDGE CADY I am sorry, Flora, there is nothing that I can do in the eyes of the law. Flora takes out another handkerchief from her purse. FLORA Why can’t I have my farm back? JUDGE CADY The law plainly states that a woman’s property becomes her husband’s or the oldest heir male. FLORA It’s not fair. She wipes the tears away from her eyes with a cloth napkin. JUDGE CADY As long as I live, Flora, I’ll not allow you or your children to want. I’ll put you on one of my very best farms. You can have all you make from it and stay there as long as you live. 8

FLORA I thank you for the offer, Judge Cady, but I want my own farm back. Flora takes her purse, and runs out of the office crying. Elizabeth runs after her. ELIZABETH Flora, I have marked all the unjust laws against women in my father’s law books. I will fix them, you’ll see. Flora smiles at Liz. Lizzy gives her a big hug and runs back to her father’s office. The trees line the way.

INT. JUDGE CADY’S OFFICE - NIGHT (1826) Elizabeth sits in her father’s office with scissors in hand, cutting huge sections out her father’s law books. ELIZABETH Those male laws can’t hurt us now!

INT. CADY MANSION - LIVING ROOM - NEXT NIGHT (1826) Judge Cady sits down to read a story to his girls, TRYPHENA (22), MARGARET “Madge” (9), CATHERINE “Kate” (7), Elizabeth “Lizzy” (11), and HARRIET (16). They all gather around Judge Cady’s cozy chair. JUDGE CADY Elizabeth listen very closely to what I am going to tell you. You can not just cut out the laws in regards to women from my law books and think that will fix everything. TRYPHENA You cut up father’s law books! Tryphena bends over and punches Elizabeth in the arm.

ELIZABETH Hey.

JUDGE CADY Tryphena, I am telling a story. 9

Elizabeth punches her back as the rest of them push over and knocks Tryphena down. Tryphena gets back into an Indian style sitting position and gives the rest of the girls a stern look. ELIZABETH Why not? JUDGE CADY Because it doesn’t work that way. ELIZABETH Then how does it work? MRS. MARGARET CADY (41) is knitting an alpaca apron. JUDGE CADY When you get older, you can petition the legislature. By doing this you can change the laws by proposing a new bill with signatures from many people. MARGARET I think it’s time for bed, Daniel. EVERYONE May we hear another story Papa? JUDGE CADY No. Please abide by your Mother’s laws. MARGARET To bed girls. They all follow in line to go up the stairs. Elizabeth turns to look at her father. ELIZABETH Papa, won’t you play chess with me? JUDGE CADY Tomorrow Lizzy, tomorrow. The children continue up the stairs.

INT. CADY MANSION - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT (1826) There is a casket in the room on top on top of a long table. The flicker of the fireplace grows dim. 10

The mirrors and pictures are all draped with white sheets. Judge Daniel Cady (54) sits in a chair, tears are streaming from his eyes. Peeking around the corner is Elizabeth (11) as tears well up in her eyes. Elizabeth creeps up to her father. She climbs up to sit on his lap and puts her head against his chest to listen to his HEARTBEAT. He mechanically puts his arm around her. ELIZABETH Papa, can I help? Judge Cady sits there for a while before answering. JUDGE CADY Oh my daughter, I wish you were a boy. Judge Daniel Cady looks over towards the casket. His son ELEAZAR CADY (20) lies still in the casket. The fire in the fireplace is now dimmer. Elizabeth looks longingly into her father’s eyes, but there is no one there. ELIZABETH I promise Papa, I will be all my brother was. Tears are streaming down Elizabeth’s face as he just stares at the fireplace. The BELLS are TOLLING from the church.

EXT. COLONIAL CEMETERY - DAY (1826) Judge Daniel Cady walks down the street to the cemetery. He goes to the left corner of the CEMETERY. Heading right to Eleazar’s grave. JUDGE CADY How I wish you didn’t die, Eleazar, my son. He goes on bended knee and cries. He takes out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his eyes. 11

He looks around to see if anyone is watching. The big tree overhead shadows the cemetery. Elizabeth is behind the rock wall on the other side. ELIZABETH If I were only a boy, father. Elizabeth runs back up the block towards the Cady Mansion.

EXT. CHURCH - DAY (1826) The church BELLS are RINGING. Elizabeth (11) goes outside to the backyard of the mansion. REVEREND SIMON H0SACK (64) is outside tending to his garden. ELIZABETH Reverend Hosack, since my brother died, my father needs another son. I want to be all that a son can be. Can you please teach me mathematics, horses, and Greek? The Reverend puts his arms around Lizzy as they embrace. He then takes her hand and leads her inside. REVEREND HOSACK’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS REVEREND HOSACK Have a seat Lizzy. He goes over to his book shelf for a math book and places it on the kitchen table where she is sitting He then goes to the desk and takes out paper and places it on the table. He reaches over to the top of his desk for the ink and pen. REVEREND HOSACK Do you want to learn long division first? ELIZABETH Oh yes! She places a sheet of paper in front of her as he opens the book to the proper page. 12

EXT. BARN - DAY Reverend Hosack is teaching Elizabeth horse riding lessons together. She is jumping over bars with the horse.

INT. REVEREND HOSACK’S HOUSE The Reverend is teaching Elizabeth Greek. Montage sequence: 1.) Liz winning horse jumping competitions. 2.) Liz winning mathematics awards.

INT. JUDGE CADY OFFICE - DAY Elizabeth has a ribbon in hand for best rider. ELIZABETH See father, I did this for you. JUDGE CADY I wish you were a boy.

INT. LAW OFFICE - DAY (1828) Judge Cady looks over the papers on his desk. He pounds the desk hard. JUDGE CADY Why? Why God! He swipes the papers off his desk, as the tears stream down his face. JUDGE CADY Why? Judge Cady sits back in his chair. He slides down from his chair onto the floor. JUDGE CADY Why? Eleven children...only five survive. Why? Why do you keep doing this to us? Why? You have taken Harriot, both Daniels, James, and both Eleazars. 13

The sunlight fades the room to a dimmed area of blue and greys.

INT. CADY MANSION - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: 1833 It’s Christmas and all the girls sit around the tree. Elizabeth is given a gift. She opens it to reveal a coral bracelet and necklace. ELIZABETH Oh, thank you, Papa. Elizabeth (18) runs over to give him a hug.

HENRY BAYARD (20), is there as is his brother, EDWARD BAYARD (22), both are law student interns with Judge Cady and her other sister, Tryphena. ELIZABETH Look Tryphena. TRYPHENA Those items are very beautiful Liz. You should put them away so that you don’t lose it. ELIZABETH No, I want to put it on. EDWARD I will do it. He takes her wrist to put on the bracelet. Then she hands him the necklace. He takes the necklace out and stands over her curls. He smells her hair, as he touches her neck. ELIZABETH Edward, did you find the clasp? EDWARD I found it. He finally puts on the necklace and smiles.

EDWARD Lizzy is really becoming a woman now, Tryphena. 14

TRYPHENA Of course she is, they don’t stay young forever. Henry Bayard grabs Liz’s arm. HENRY BAYARD Now in due time you should be my wife, those ornaments would be mine. I could take them and lock them up, and you could never wear them except with my permission. I could even exchange them for a box of cigars, and you could watch them evaporate in a puff of smoke. Liz runs goes up the stairways crying.

Everyone looks at Henry Bayard. HENRY BAYARD What?

INT. CADY MANSION - ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM (1833) Elizabeth is filling out an application at her desk. There is a KNOCK at the door...it’s Edward (27). ELIZABETH Come in. Edward walks over to her looking her over from head to toe with a huge smile on this face. EDWARD What are you writing? ELIZABETH I am filling out an application to Union College. Elizabeth now looks up at him briefly and goes back to filling out her application. EDWARD But they do not allow women to attend.

Elizabeth starts writing faster. 15

ELIZABETH Well I am sending this to them anyway. EDWARD Good, let me know when you are done and we will bring it to the post office together. She smiles at Edward and starts writing again as Edward leaves her room.

INT. SCHOOL HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Union Village, (Greenwich) NY - 1834 SUSAN B. ANTHONY (12), HANNAH ANTHONY (11), GUELMA ANTHONY (14), DANIEL R. (8). A bunch of STUDENTS fill the class room with their chalk boards and paper with fountain pens and ink. The TEACHER is teaching the boy half of the school math. SUSAN I want to learn long division too. TEACHER Girls do not need to learn long division. SUSAN Why not? TEACHER You are not a boy. Susan stands behind the Teacher and watches her teach long division to the boys.

INT. CADY LAW OFFICE - DAY Henry Bayard is reading from “The Bible” and has “The Taming of the Shrew” next to him. HENRY BAYARD Adam took a rib from himself to create woman. This proves within the realms of God’s glory, that woman is less of a creature than man. Liz looks at him with pure disdain and leaves. 16

KITCHEN Liz opens the ice box to find a rib. She does and goes back into the law office. JUDGE CADY’S OFFICE With the rib in hand. ELIZABETH Hey, Henry. See this rib? HENRY BAYARD Yes. ELIZABETH Do you see this woman holding it?

HENRY BAYARD Yes. ELIZABETH Well you better run, because I am going to hit you with it. Elizabeth chases Henry, but stops dead when the Judge comes out of his office. JUDGE CADY Elizabeth. She backs down and goes to put the food away. HENRY BAYARD And it was a man who made the woman stop! Elizabeth turns and stares at him as if he were the Devil himself.

INT. BATTENVILLE HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Battenville, NY - 1835 Susan (15), Hannah (13), DANIEL ANTHONY (41) their father. DANIEL ANTHONY We are short a girl at the mill today. Who would like to go? Hannah and Susan raise their hands. 17

DANIEL ANTHONY Since you both want to go, then we will draw straws. The winner will divide her earnings with the loser. Daniel goes over to the side cabinet and pulls out two straws. He cuts one straw shorter. He goes over to the girls. DANIEL ANTHONY Pick one Hannah. Susan. Susan goes over right away to her sister to measure her piece of straw against hers. SUSAN I won father. I won. He looks over the other straw to confirm it. DANIEL ANTHONY All right Susan, you may go and work at the mill today. She looks at the straw in her hand and smiles.

EXT. MILL - DAY (1835) The brick mill is backed up against the Battenkill River. The mill’s machinery can be heard from the outside.

INT. MILL - DAY (1835) The WOMEN are working inside the mill weaving cotton. Susan sits down at the spinning wheel. A FEMALE WORKER (25) sits behind a spinning wheel. One of the dowels breaks. She gets up. Daniel Anthony walks by to see how Susan is doing and notices the worker is gone. DANIEL ANTHONY Susan, what happened to her? He points to her missing spot. 18

SUSAN Her wheel broke. DANIEL ANTHONY Why didn’t she just call someone? The Female Worker comes back and starts to repair the wheel. SUSAN She did not need to, Father. He smiles at the Female Worker, as does Susan. The Worker smiles back. The sunlight is going down. DANIEL ANTHONY We are done for the day girls. Collect your pay on the way out. The FEMALE MILL WORKERS collect their pay. Some of their HUSBANDS wait outside of the mill. The Female Mill Workers hand over their money to their Husbands as Susan watches.

INT. BATTENVILLE HOUSE - DAY (1836) Susan (16) has her trunks packed. Daniel Anthony comes in from outside. SUSAN Are you ready to go? AARON MCLEAN (24) comes over to her. AARON I’ll miss you. SUSAN Please write to me. AARON I will. Aaron grabs one of her trunks and takes it out to the wagon. Daniel Anthony helps Aaron load the trunk.

SUSAN Aaron, come back here. Aaron runs back. 19

AARON Don’t worry Susan. I will write to you. SUSAN Often? AARON I promise. SUSAN Good. Aaron loads the last trunk with Daniel Anthony. He runs back to the house and takes Susan into the living room. AARON I need to ask you something. SUSAN What? He bends down on his knee. AARON Will you marry me, Susan? SUSAN I am about to leave with my father to go away to school, and now you ask me? AARON Will you marry me, Susan? He puts her hands on his face. SUSAN When I return home. He pulls his foot back a bit and grabs her hands. AARON Is that a yes? She pulls her hands away, smiling. SUSAN When I return home.

AARON I think that’s a yes. 20

Susan smiles at him and hides her face from blushing. Aaron gives her a quick kiss on the cheek and runs across the street to his uncle’s white house.

INT. DEBORAH MOULSON’S FEMALE SEMINARY SCHOOL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Deborah Moulson’s Female Seminary School - 1837 Susan (17) is sitting reading a letter. Next to Susan is her friend DEBORAH (17). SUSAN Aaron wrote to me again. DEBORAH Really, what does he say? SUSAN He loves me. DEBORAH Susan, that’s wonderful. Susan puts down the letter and walks away. Then she runs back to it. SUSAN I have to read it again. The two girls climb on the bed with their feet up in the air while lying on their stomachs and giggle.

EXT. HUDSON RIVER - DAY (1838) INSERT ON SCREEN: Hudson River, NY 1838 Edward (32), Elizabeth (23) and “Madge” (Margaret Cady) (21) goes into the boat down the Hudson River. ELIZABETH I am so excited about seeing Harriet. What about you, Madge? MADGE Me too, Edward.

Edward looks a long time at Liz as she blushes. ELIZABETH Edward how long will it take for us to get to New York City? 21

EDWARD When we get there, then we will know. Madge goes off to explore the boat. Edward looks after her and sees that all is clear. Edward walks over to Liz at the other end of the boat. He takes her hand in his. They intertwine their fingers together. Liz smiles at Edward.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY - BATTERY PARK - NIGHT (1838) Edward and Elizabeth walk hand in hand. ELIZABETH I am so glad that you are my best friend. EDWARD I can’t stand it anymore. Liz, I must have you. ELIZABETH What about Tryphena? EDWARD I know you love me. ELIZABETH That’s not the point. She turns away. He grabs her. EDWARD I know you love me. Just say it. Edward looks deep into Liz’s eyes and pulls her closer to kiss. ELIZABETH I can’t do this. EDWARD We belong together, Lizzy. ELIZABETH I don’t want to hurt Tryphena. 22

EDWARD But my heart aches for you Liz. I can’t stand another moment without you in my life. Liz breaks free of Edward and runs down the street in tears.

INT. JUDGE CADY OFFICE - DAY Elizabeth takes out her father’s law books that she has marked over the years and turned upside down. ELIZABETH Father kept the books upside down for me. She takes one off the shelf and opens to her marked pages. (These books are at the Johnstown Historical Society). MONTAGE SEQUENCE: 1. Lizzy studying law books. 2. Sitting in court watching her father Judge. 3. Lizzy is having debates with the law students in her father’s law firm. EDWARD Lizzy the most important aspect of law is the written presentations. And how well you research it to compare with the law. Edward takes out a case. EDWARD This is a property case. I want you to read it over and tell me from your research how you would you defend the client? I will give you one week? Lizzy finds the laws and writes them down. Asks her father about the various law cases she can site. She presents it back to Edward as he looks it over and smiles.

INT. GERRIT SMITH’S MANSION - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Peterboro, New York - 1839 23

GERRIT SMITH (42), Elizabeth’s cousin, comes to the door. Elizabeth (24) comes in and gives Gerrit a hug. ELIZABETH I am so happy to see you Gerrit. GERRIT Liz, we have guests today. Gerrit takes Liz by the arm. ELIZABETH Wonderful. GERRIT Come in and I’ll introduce you.

INT. DINING ROOM - DAY (1839) Seated in the chairs is JOHN BROWN (39) and HENRY BREWSTER STANTON (34). JOHN Hello my name is John Brown. ELIZABETH Hello, I am Elizabeth Cady. GERRIT And this is Henry Stanton. HENRY STANTON Nice to meet you. Henry looks over at Elizabeth as she smiles. Around the table is famed abolitionists FREDERICK DOUGLASS (21), WENDELL PHILLIPS (28), WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON (34), and Gerrit and his wife, ANN CAROL FITZHUGH (34). GERRIT Elizabeth, I would like you to meet the rest of our guests. Frederick Douglass, Wendell Phillips, and William Lloyd Garrison. Frederick stands up and smiles at Elizabeth.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS It’s very nice to meet you Miss Cady. She goes around the table as they shake her hand. 24

ELIZABETH Likewise, Mr. Douglass. Elizabeth takes her seat at the table. HENRY We have to make a strategy to help John Brown in his crusade with the Underground Railroad. FREDERICK DOUGLASS My people are hunted like wild animals, burned, hung, our homes are burnt down to the ground. I have had enough and I want to help my people become free in this society.

GERRIT Well the only way to do that is to pass an Amendment to the Constitution. HENRY President Van Buren will not help for he is a Democrat. After the meeting Henry walks over to Lizzy. HENRY Allow me to properly introduce myself. Henry Brewster Stanton. He takes Lizzy’s hand and bends over to kiss the back of it. Lizzy turns her head and blushes. ELIZABETH Lizzy Cady, I mean Elizabeth. HENRY Lizzy is just fine. They walk outside of the house. MONTAGE SEQUENCE OVER DAYS: 1. Henry and Lizzy having a picnic.

2. Henry and Lizzy sitting at the pond as the water glistens in her eyes. 3. Henry and Lizzy walking through town. 25

EXT. WOODS - DAY (1839) Elizabeth (24) and Henry Stanton (34) are riding horses in the woods. It is a beautiful fall day. The morning dew glistens on the grass and trees. They stop at a stream for the horses to drink. Henry helps Elizabeth down off her horse. He places his hand on the horse and gets down on one knee. HENRY STANTON Lizzy, will you marry me? Elizabeth stands there with a huge smile on her face. ELIZABETH Yes. They embrace to hug and kiss.

INT. GERRIT SMITH’S HOUSE - DAY (1839) The two return to the house. HENRY STANTON Gerrit we have wonderful news. ELIZABETH Cousin, we are to be married. GERRIT Liz, I know you are happy, but I know your father and he will not approve of an abolitionist. Henry is taken aback. ELIZABETH Don’t worry Henry. Let’s go inside. GERRIT I must get back to my guests. Henry and Lizzy are sit next to each other.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS Lizzy, this one might interest you. There is a bill that was introduced by Judge Hertell in the New York State legislature in 1836. (MORE) 26 FREDERICK DOUGLASS (cont'd) It was granting married women property rights. However, only five women signed the bill so it did not pass. ELIZABETH I would like to get a copy of this bill. Thank you Mr. Douglass. Elizabeth writes down on paper “Judge Hertell” and “1836” with “Married Women Property Rights”.

EXT. WOODS - DAY (1839) Elizabeth and Henry are horseback riding together in the woods. The sun is shining through the streaks of the clouds.

ELIZABETH So how do you go about preparing speeches? HENRY I write an outline of what I want to say and then I speak on the subject matter. ELIZABETH You had them all transfixed on you. HENRY To free the Negros from their slave owners is what I believe in. ELIZABETH I wish I could free my father’s slaves too. Peter and I have been good friends for such a long time. Their horses run into the woods together.

INT. BATTENVILLE HOUSE - DAY (1839) INSERT ON SCREEN: Battenville, NY 1839 The Anthony children are playing hide-n-seek under the huge rounded stairway. Mary S. (12) , Guelma P. “Gula or G.P.” (20), Daniel R. (15), Hannah L.(18), & J. MERRITT (5).

Susan (19) is cooking in the kitchen. 27

She starts to place all the dishes on the table, when Daniel Anthony (45) sits down in a chair rubbing his head in his hands. DANIEL ANTHONY I want everyone to sit. GUELMA What is the matter, Father? DANIEL ANTHONY The Panic of 1837 caused a huge downfall in our business. The mills have to be shut down and my creditors are claiming the house and all our possessions. GUELMA But why? Aaron McLean comes in the house. DANIEL ANTHONY We have no money. SUSAN But Father, even our own personal belongings? DANIEL ANTHONY I am afraid so. Daniel Anthony is making out the court papers and detailing the house inventory; clothes, food, and furniture. GUELMA I will not allow them to take my belongings. DANIEL ANTHONY We have no choice, Guelma. Daniel Anthony gets up to go over his inventory from room to room. LUCY I am writing to my brother, Joshua. Maybe he will be able to save some of our belongings.

Daniel Anthony writes the last item on the list. 28

DANIEL ANTHONY I just can’t take these papers over to the court to relinquish my house and all of our belongings. I just can not do it! AARON If you would like, Mr. Anthony, I will take them. DANIEL ANTHONY Please. He hands the papers to Aaron, but unwillingly.

EXT. BATTENVILLE HOUSE - DAY (1839)

An auction is taking place. MANY NEIGHBORS and OTHER PEOPLE are standing outside of the house. AUCTIONEER The first item on the list to be sold is the house itself. Any bidders? A MAN raises his hand. Daniel Anthony walks away in tears...Lucy follows. DANIEL ANTHONY Everything that I have built and made successfully is lost, Lucy. LUCY We will make it again, Daniel, you’ll see. But we must go back to the Hardscrabble house now. DANIEL ANTHONY I want to see the people purchasing our belongings. WOMAN I will purchase the bible and the silver spoons. LUCY The family bible and my mother’s spoons are now gone. JOSHUA READ (44) pulls up with his horse and wagon. 29

LUCY Joshua. JOSHUA I have come to save your belongings. LUCY Oh thank you. Thank you, dearest brother. He gets out of the wagon. JOSHUA Say you, Auctioneer. Any and all further belongings of the Anthony’s shall not be sold. For I will purchase them all. CHEERS comes from the Anthony children.

EXT. LAKE - DAY A WOMAN sits out in her row boat holding a parasol. The oars are in the boat as well as a bucket. She puts the oars into the water to paddle the boat. ELIZABETH NARRATING If no man were in a life boat, should she not row her own boat? We are all alone from beginning to end. We come into this earth alone and we die alone.

INT. CENTER FALLS HOUSE - DAY (1839) A wedding is taking place. Susan is standing with her sisters pretending to smile. Susan’s heart is pumping, and her throat is gulping. MINISTER Do you, Guelma Penn Anthony, take Aaron Mulick McLean for thy wedded husband? GUELMA I do. 30

MINISTER Do you, Aaron Mulick McLean, take Guelma Penn Anthony for your wedded wife? AARON I do. MINISTER The rings please. Guelma’s sister Mary Anthony hands over the rings. MINISTER You are now man and wife. Aaron you may kiss the bride. Aaron takes his bride and brings her close to him to give her a long kiss. Susan runs out of the room.

INT. SUSAN’S BEDROOM - NIGHT (1839) Susan B. Anthony (19) is writing in her diary by candle light. SUSAN 6/10/1839 Dear Diary: I dreamed of being married last night, queerly enough too. I imagined myself in New York and Father with me. It seemed as if I had married a Presbyterian Priest that I had never seen before that day. I thought I repented the marriage thoroughly before one day had passed. It appeared to me that I had acted rashly, my mind was much troubled. She puts the pen in it’s cradle and closes the ink well.

INT. JUDGE CADY’S OFFICE - DAY (1839) JUDGE CADY Elizabeth I will not allow you to marry a poor abolitionist. ELIZABETH You are my father, but you will not decide my future life for me. (MORE) 31 ELIZABETH (cont'd) That’s for me to decide, as you did with mother.

INT. CADY MANSION - LIVINGROOM - DAY EDWARD You must truly love the person you marry, Elizabeth. ELIZABETH Just like you did, Edward.

INT. GERRIT SMITH’S HOUSE - DAY GERRIT You barely know Henry. ELIZABETH I love Henry Brewster Stanton, and I will become his wife.

INT. CADY MANSION - ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM There is a KNOCK at the door. Elizabeth is writing a letter at her desk. ELIZABETH Come in. JUDGE CADY I am your father and I want you to dissolve this engagement to Henry Stanton. If you do not, I will disinherit you from my will. The Judge leaves as Lizzy weeps on her bed. Finally she takes another piece of paper and writes and reads the letter. ELIZABETH Dear Cousin: I finally dissolved my engagement to Stanton. Between my father, cousin, and brother-in- law together outweighed my conscience and turned my sweetest dream of my life into a tragedy. Henry has written to Gerrit stating that he “dreaded the influence of Mr. Bayard upon his fiancee.” Love, Elizabeth 32

She seals the envelope.

INT. CADY MANSION - ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM - DAY (1840) Elizabeth is lying on her bed reading a letter. HENRY STANTON (V.O.) Dear Elizabeth: I was entirely thrown upon my own resources at the age of 13. I refused a dollar’s gratuitous aid from anyone. I have paid for the costs of my own schooling, and the liberal education of my two brothers. I have a modest library, have made generous contributions to reform causes and still I have managed to save three thousand dollars. To receive aid from others would relax my perseverance and distract from my self reliance. If I would be a man I must build on my own foundation with my own hands. Love, Henry Brewster Stanton She closes up the letter and runs out of her bedroom.

INT. JUDGE CADY OFFICE - DAY Elizabeth hands the letter to her father to read. He reads it and crumbles it up and throws it into the garbage. Elizabeth & Judge Cady argues. Edward is listens around the corner. ELIZABETH But Papa, I love Henry. JUDGE CADY I will not have you marrying an Orator. He will not bring money into the household. ELIZABETH He will provide for us. JUDGE CADY Rubbish, he will make nothing, provide you with nothing, and you will have nothing and your children will be starving. 33

ELIZABETH Doesn’t love account for anything, Papa? JUDGE CADY Love is simple, not practical. ELIZABETH Love is something that makes your heart race when you look at someone. The Judge turns away. Elizabeth turns him back to face her. Edward Bayard walks into the room. ELIZABETH Love is something that makes you smile. JUDGE CADY He is not the one, Lizzy. ELIZABETH Yes he is. Henry Stanton does that for me Papa. JUDGE CADY He is not a practical man and I object. (He looks over at Edward) Edward, I am arguing with Lizzy about her marrying Henry Stanton. EDWARD I will not allow it, Father. JUDGE CADY See he agrees. Elizabeth looks at both of them with disdain. ELIZABETH I don’t understand, when you find someone that you want to be with for the rest of your life, then you should marry them. Edward stares at Elizabeth.

JUDGE CADY I will not allow the marriage. EDWARD The engagement should be dissolved. 34

The Judge pats Edward on the back. JUDGE CADY And it shall be so. As the Judge walks out of the room. ELIZABETH This is not a court of law where you make the final decision your Honor. This is my life, and I am your daughter, not your possession. The Judge does not turn around, but he stops to hear her and then keeps walking. EDWARD Elizabeth how can you promise your love to this Henry Stanton fellow, when you clearly and wholeheartedly love me? ELIZABETH I can not play games with you for the rest of my life Edward. I will not hurt Tryphena. Elizabeth turns to walk away. Edward grabs her and kisses her. This time she pushes him away. ELIZABETH I can not and won’t play these games with you any longer. EDWARD This is not a game Lizzy. He takes her hand and puts it on his chest. EDWARD Can you feel how fast my heart is beating? Edward stares into Liz’s eyes. EDWARD Can you? Elizabeth has tears in her eyes.

ELIZABETH My father wouldn’t approve, and I can not go on like this. 35

EDWARD How can you betray me with that thing they call Henry Stanton? ELIZABETH Betray you? Betray you. Have you forgotten that you are married to my sister? Now Edward, you must leave me alone. She breaks free of Edward. EDWARD I can not...because I love you. She takes one last look back at him and SLAMS the DOOR to leave.

INT. CADY MANSION - ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM She goes downstairs to mail the letter when she finds one from Henry. HENRY STANTON (V.O.) Dear Lizzy: I am to sail for London in May as a delegate to the World’s Antislavery Convention. You must marry me and come with me. Love, Henry

INT. JUDGE CADY’S OFFICE Henry is sitting there with Judge Cady as Elizabeth enters. JUDGE CADY Lizzy, I am glad you are here. HENRY I have come to an agreement with the Judge. ELIZABETH Which is? JUDGE CADY Mr. Stanton will study law with me, so that he can provide for you and your future family. HENRY I will start as soon as we return from Europe. 36

Elizabeth runs over to Henry and gives him a big hug.

INT. CONVENTION - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: World’s Anti-Slavery Convention, Europe 1840 Freeman's Hall on Great Queen Street. Wendell Phillips and William Lloyd Garrison are in line with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. The speakers center is in the lower level of the hall. A MAN is checking off the list. WENDELL I am Wendell Phillips, speaker from the States. The Man is checking off the name on the list. WILLIAM I am William Lloyd Garrison speaker also from the States. LUCRETIA I am Lucretia Mott, ordained minister and speaker. The Man looks up at her from head to toe. MAN You can not speak on abolition. LUCRETIA Why not? MAN Because you are a woman. Elizabeth stamps her foot down. ELIZABETH Excuse me, I am a woman too and my husband is the secretary and I will speak as well. Elizabeth gives him a disdainful look.

MAN No you will not. You will sit in the upper section of the house. 37

Wendell interrupts... WENDELL Then I will not either. MAN But Mr. Phillips, you are scheduled to speak. William grabs Wendell’s arm. WILLIAM If you will not allow Mrs. Mott nor Mrs. Stanton to speak simply because they are women, then why are we all here to fight for the Negros and equality? We will sit with the women in the upper seats. Wendell and William each take Lucretia and Elizabeth’s arms. MAN Mr. Garrison, you and Mr. Phillips are both scheduled to speak. WENDELL When you allow these ladies to speak, then I shall do so as well. The group leaves.

EXT. WORLD ANTI SLAVERY CONVENTION - DAY Elizabeth (24) is walking with Lucretia Mott. ELIZABETH I can’t believe that they would not let us speak during the convention. LUCRETIA We should make plans that when we get back to the states to hold our own convention. ELIZABETH And it should be about women’s rights.

LUCRETIA Absolutely. The women LAUGH as they walk away. 38

INT. SCHOOL - DAY (1846) INSERT ON SCREEN: Canajoharie, NY - 1846 It’s a small town with a couple of blocks of buildings. There is a toll bridge. On the hill is a stone building. Canajoharie Academy sign is near the steep steps leading up to its entry way. The BELL RINGS in the upper tower. A WOMAN is sitting behind the desk with her hair up in a bun, 40’s, and dressed prim and proper. Susan is receiving her money from Canajoharie Academy.

SUSAN I teach for the same amount of hours, and for the same amount of days as a male teacher, correct? WOMAN Of course. She slams her hand on the desk. SUSAN Then why don’t I get paid the same wages? WOMAN It’s not for a woman to say these things. She pulls down her glasses slightly and moves back her chair. SUSAN Why not? I am earning a dollar and fifty cents pay versus a man making ten dollars per week. It’s simply not fair just because I am a woman! She pulls out the rate of pay sheet. WOMAN This is what the job paid, you knew that. 39

SUSAN Yes but I didn’t know that by doing the same job for the same amount of work just because I am a woman that I would get paid $8.50 less then a man! Do I not do the same job? WOMAN Yes. SUSAN Then you tell me why don’t I get the same pay? WOMAN It’s right here on the pay sheet. SUSAN Oooh. She walks out and SLAMS the DOOR.

EXT. SENECA FALLS - DAY (1847) INSERT ON SCREEN: Seneca Falls, NY 1847 Edward Bayard is standing outside of a house on Washington Avenue with another gentleman, ELISHA FOOTE (32). Elisha is a law student of Judge Cady’s. AUCTIONEER We have this house up for bid. Of course we will take the highest bidders. Then the buyers are responsible for any taxes. Now let us start with the bidding. EDWARD Two hundred. AUCTIONEER Any other bidders? ELISHA Yes I would like to bid $250. EDWARD Elisha, why are you bidding against me? ELISHA This is for the personal excitement, correct? 40

EDWARD No. ELISHA Are you sure? EDWARD Yes, $250 is it. AUCTIONEER Any other bidders? People just stand around, others are shaking their heads.

INT. JUDGE CADY OFFICE - (1847) Edward walks into the room with title in hand. EDWARD Judge Cady, Elisha and I purchased another house. JUDGE CADY That’s great. He looks over the paper work in front of him without looking up. EDWARD Hence we forget. Henry lost his law practice in Massachusetts. Elizabeth has nowhere to go. Three kids, and a husband. I have the perfect solution. A house near myself and Tryphena to help out Lizzy. Tryphena and I of course, not blessed with children like Lizzy, we could help with their rearing. He looks up at Edward. JUDGE CADY What is the condition of this house? EDWARD It needs some repairs.

JUDGE CADY I will buy the house from you and give it to Liz. 41

EDWARD Just don’t tell her it was my idea. JUDGE CADY Okay, Edward.

INT. JUDGE CADY’S OFFICE - LATER THAT DAY JUDGE CADY Elizabeth, I have the perfect solution for you. A house in Seneca Falls. You are for women’s rights. Then clean up your home and hire workers to fix it. ELIZABETH Thank you Father. I will leave the boys with Mother while it’s getting fixed up.

EXT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY (1847) A sign is placed up under the porch that reads “Grasmere”. The sign swings as it blows in the wind. Elizabeth hired CONTRACTORS, PAINTERS, to start fixing up the house. Elizabeth is cleaning the porch off with a broom. On the porch rail is a book by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. EXT. SENECA FALLS - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: July 4, 1848 The grass area where many people have gathered WOMEN are wearing their long dresses and some have adopted the petticoat. Women are wearing hats on their heads, and the men with their formal dress and top hats. ELIZABETH Boys stay close so we can stay at the celebration.

BOYS OK mother. Two of Stanton’s sons go and play on the grass. 42

EXT. SENECA FALLS PARK - NIGHT Elizabeth and the boys are now sitting on a blanket. PEOPLE around her are doing the same. The FIREWORKS celebration has begun. A formidable display of FIREWORKS brighten the sky above. Above the Church down the street from them, reflections of the FIREWORKS glimmer across the water and brighten the surrounding houses on the lake. One final EXPLOSION....

INT. HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: ROCHESTER, NY Susan B. Anthony is at the podium and BANGS HER GAVEL. SUSAN Quiet, we shall have order here. Since men are for temperance then they should leave this meeting. It is about abolishing it and not keeping it. MAN If we abolish liquor then no one will have any fun. SUSAN This is not your meeting. I paid for this hall and I am conducting the meeting. Now get out! MAN We are not going anywhere. Susan leaves the podium and starts to blow out the candles as do the other WOMEN. SUSAN Unless you want to sit in the dark, leave unless you want me to get the sheriff.

The Women get up and move in a V formation getting closer to the men, basically pushing them out of the hall. 43

SUSAN Thank you, now where was I? The Women lock the door once they are out. SUSAN I told them to leave. We have closed up all the bars in the town, so now we must move it into the rural community. They CHEER as they sit back down.

EXT. STANTON HOME (SENECA FALLS, NY) - DAY Elizabeth leaves her home by horse and buggy.

She arrives at Mary Ann & Thomas Mc’Clintock’s home. It is a brick home of modest size with a small front green lawn.

INT. PALOR MC'CLINTOCK'S HOME - DAY Gathered around the table is LUCRETIA MOTT (55), JANE HUNT, MARY McCLINTOCK, MARTHA COFFIN WRIGHT (42), and Elizabeth (32). ELIZABETH I have entitled the speech The Declaration of Principles and Resolutions. What subjects do we have girls? Elizabeth notices The Declaration of Independence on the wall. ELIZABETH I have reports of the antislavery and temperance conventions. LUCRETIA This needs something more than the common subjects that everyone else is talking about. I think it should be The Declaration of Sentiments, Elizabeth. Mary gets up to pour some tea from the buffet table.

ELIZABETH Simplify Lucretia I like it. Mary, over on the wall. Can we take down the Declaration of Independence? 44

Mary hands the Declaration to Elizabeth. JANE I will read it aloud first. Lucretia passes the Declaration of Independence to Jane. ELIZABETH We will base the resolutions on this most sacred document and then people will take us seriously. Mary passes out the tea and places the sugar and spoons on the table. The women all take the spoons and cubes of sugar and start mixing them.

JANE When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. (pause) We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Paper after paper with pen and ink is drafted and dried by the fireplace. First one and then five pages are sitting to dry. INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY (1848) The three boys are running around the house, and start fighting with each other.

Henry comes out of his office. Elizabeth is sitting at the kitchen table. 45

ELIZABETH Henry I need your help of legal grievances from the statue books HENRY Elizabeth I can’t do any work. Would you calm these children down? ELIZABETH Children would you please stop running around? They continue to do what they were doing and is not even listening to their mother. HENRY They need to be spanked.

ELIZABETH I will not have anyone spanking the children. I don’t believe in it. HENRY And that’s why they act like this Elizabeth. Henry goes into the office to get another book. Elizabeth writes one more resolution. ELIZABETH That’s it, the ninth resolution, Resolved. That is the duty of the women of this county to secure for themselves their sacred right to elective franchise. Henry comes back with another book. ELIZABETH Henry look what I wrote for the ninth resolution. He reads it over. HENRY No, you can’t put that into the proceedings, they will think that the entire thing will be a farce. As a matter of fact, I do not want you to go to this Women’s Right’s Convention. You need to tend to the children. 46

ELIZABETH I really don’t care what you say. I am going. You get to make speeches about what you believe in and leave the house for several months at a time, all I ask is that you watch your three children for a couple of hours so that I may have this convention. If that, my dear Sir, is too much to ask then you shall suffer the consequences. She walks upstairs goes into her bedroom and SLAMS the DOOR. HENRY If you go then I will leave town. I will also never attend any of your meetings. ELIZABETH What’s new, there’s the door. Elizabeth STAMPS HIS FEET UPSTAIRS as Henry SLAMS THE BACK DOOR.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM - STANTON HOUSE - DAY Elizabeth is reading over the report on the World Anti- Slavery Convention. ELIZABETH How thoroughly humiliating it was to us! Men and angels give me patience! I am at my boiling point! If I do not find someday the use of my tongue on this question, I shall die of an intellectual repression, a woman’s rights convulsion! She gets dressed, has speech in hand.

EXT. WESYLAN CHAPEL - SENECA FALLS, NY - DAY (1848) Elizabeth (33) is standing outside of the chapel with her sister Harriet (38) and her nephew, DANIEL (12).

She tries opening the door, but it is locked. 47

ELIZABETH Here I am trying to hold a convention and I can’t even open the doors. She walks towards the next door, it is also locked. Then she tries another, but it is locked. She sees an open window up high. ELIZABETH Daniel, can you climb through that window and open the door if I lift you up? NEPHEW DANIEL I can do it, Aunt Liz.

She lifts up Daniel and he climbs in. HARRIET Don’t fall son. NEPHEW DANIEL I’ll try not to, Mom. He gets down inside the church and UNLOCKS the DOOR. ELIZABETH You saved the day little one. Nephew Daniel has a big grin on his face. ELIZABETH Harriet, I am so nervous. I can’t believe Tryphena did not want to attend. HARRIET She sides with Father about almost everything, that stick-in-the-mud. She pulls Elizabeth to the podium. HARRIET But are you ready for this? Elizabeth looks out over the pews and imagines people sitting in them...then closes her eyes.

She opens her eyes. Now the room is filled with people. JAMES MOTT (61) is standing at the podium to deliver a speech. 48

Elizabeth hands Lucretia her speech. ELIZABETH Lucretia, read over the ninth resolution. LUCRETIA Oh Lizzy! If thou demands that, thou will make us ridiculous! We must go slowly. Elizabeth miffed takes back the speech from Lucretia. JAMES We are hereby holding a meeting for the First Women’s Rights Convention. I will be personally presiding over this meeting along with my wife Lucretia Mott. We are both ordained ministers. Lucretia. Lucretia Mott (54) stands up and goes over to the podium. LUCRETIA Eight years ago, I had met Elizabeth Cady Stanton at the World Anti-Slavery Convention in Europe. We were both denied the right to speak about abolition simply because we were women. This is the very reason why we are here today. Allow me to present to you with the very woman who called this very convention...Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Elizabeth walks up to the podium. Her speech in her hand is rustling. ELIZABETH (inaudible) Thank you Mrs. Mott. I have prepared a document about women’s unjust laws in this country and abroad. AUDIENCE MEMBER We can’t hear you Mrs. Stanton! 49

ELIZABETH I have prepared the Declaration of Sentiments which is modeled after the Declaration of Independence with Lucretia Mott, Mary Ann Mc Clintock, Martha Coffin Wright, and Jane Hunt. A MAN stands up in the back of the room. MAN We still can’t hear you! She finally projects her speech to the back of the room. ELIZABETH Declaration of Sentiments~ We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled. The history of mankind is a history of repeated in juries and usurpations on the part of man towards woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. (MORE) 50 ELIZABETH (cont'd) He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise, to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice... MAN A woman can’t vote! ELIZABETH A woman should be allowed to vote! And you interrupted me, Sir. Thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides. He has made her, if married, in the eyes of the law, civilly dead, and has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns. In her head there is a WOMAN and 2 CHILDREN with their belongings out on the street. The Woman holds he two Children sobbing. ELIZABETH He has so framed the proper laws of divorce, in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of the women - the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands. In her head a WOMAN is pushed out of her home and her children taken away as the DOOR SLAMS in her face. ELIZABETH After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it. He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration. (MORE) 51 ELIZABETH (cont'd) He closes against her all careers to wealth and distinction, which he considers most honorable to himself and as such has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education - all colleges being closed against her. In her head a WOMAN is dressed like a doctor, policeman, politician, and college graduate but the MAN is shaking his finger “NO”. ELIZABETH He allows her in church, as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the Church. In her head a POPE looks down upon the FIVE WOMEN and places them as secretaries, reception. Another WOMAN dresses like a Pope and the POPE shakes his finger “NO”. ELIZABETH He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life. Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and religious degradation, - in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of these United States. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts, petition the State and National Legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions, embracing every part of the country. (MORE) 52 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Firmly relying upon the final triumph of the Right and the True, we do this day affix our signatures to this declaration. WENDELL This is outrageous; women are not allowed to vote! ELIZABETH And why not? Am I not a United States of American citizen? Aren’t we as women...think of your daughters, nieces, aunts, and mothers people too? Women can and will vote. FREDERICK DOUGLASS What Elizabeth Cady Stanton says does ring out true. Women are repressed in this society and women should stand tall along with our fellow Negro, and declare our rights. ELIZABETH Thank you, Mr. Douglass. FREDERICK DOUGLASS Everyone should also adopt these resolutions and should sign The Declaration of Sentiments and go down into the history of this great nation as signers. Everyone rises as many men leave. Women stay, unsure of what to do. ELIZABETH Please come up and sign this document. JAMES MOTT It is a document worthy of signing and change the laws as we now see it. 68 WOMEN and 32 MEN come up front to sign the document.

After everyone has left, Edward Bayard rounds the corner and starts to clap. ELIZABETH Edward, you came? 53

EDWARD Of course, who wouldn’t support the one woman who will change the world? She smiles and leaves with him.

EXT. STREET - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN:: Seneca Falls, NY, May 13, 1851 Susan B. Anthony (31) is walking up the block. AMELIA BLOOMER (34) dressed in a bonnet and a pantaloon is walking with her. Across the street, Elizabeth (36) is coming out of Edward’s Bayard’s house. Elizabeth has a bonnet on. AMELIA Elizabeth? I want you to meet someone. Susan B. Anthony this is Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she founded the First Women’s Rights Convention. Susan smiles and holds out her hand to Elizabeth. ELIZABETH Hello it’s nice to meet you Susan. SUSAN It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Stanton. AMELIA Elizabeth, Susan had stayed with me last night to hear William Lloyd Garrison and George Thompson speak on the subject of the Anti-Slavery Society. ELIZABETH Oh did you cover the story Amelia for your newspaper The Lily? AMELIA Of course I did. 54

SUSAN Mrs. Stanton, I remember my parents speaking very highly of you when they attended your Women’s Rights Convention in Rochester and they signed the Declaration of Sentiments over there. ELIZABETH Tell your parents thank you for me. AMELIA Elizabeth, Susan is a School Teacher. Susan, weren’t you telling me something about no equal pay among men and women teachers? ELIZABETH Really? Tell me more, Susan. SUSAN I am only making $1.50 a week as a female Teacher, versus a man Teacher’s pay at $10 a week. That really makes me angry. ELIZABETH Me too. There is much much more that you are probably not even aware of. The Three Women walk towards Elizabeth’s home. Amelia stops and... AMELIA I have to go back and write the story for tomorrows paper. Amelia heads back in the other direction. ELIZABETH OK. Miss Anthony, would you walk home with me? SUSAN Of course. 55

ELIZABETH I want to tell you all about the women who came into my father’s law office about their property being taken away from them because they are women, the other women who had to turn over their inheritance and earnings to their husbands. Do you know Lucretia Mott? SUSAN No. ELIZABETH Reverand Mott and I attended the Anti-Slavery Convention back when I was first married in 1840 and my husband was speaker there. Lucretia and I wanted to speak but they did not allow it because we were women. They come up to her home on Washington Street. SUSAN I can’t believe all the injustice about women. But what can we do? They come up to the stoop and enter the house as Elizabeth closes the DOOR.

EXT. OHIO HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Akron, OH - June, 25, 1851 SOJOURNER TRUTH (42) comes on to the stage. She is wearing a dress and a white shawl with glasses. SOJOURNER TRUTH "Wall, chilern, whar dar is so much racket dar must be somethin’ out o’kilter. I tink dat 'twixt de niggers of de souf and de womin at de norf, all takin’ ‘bout rights, de white men all takin’ ‘bout rights, de white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all dis here talkin’ ‘bout?" "Dat man ober dar say dat womin needs to be helped into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to hab be best place everywhar. (MORE) 56 SOJOURNER TRUTH (cont'd) Nobody eber helps me into carriages, or ober mud-puddles, or gibs me any best place! (raising herself upright) And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! She bares her right arm to the shoulder showing her muscle. SOJOURNER TRUTH I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could eat as much as a man- when I could get it - and bear de lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have born thirteen chilern, and see ‘em mos’ all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman? Den dey talks ‘bout dis ting in de head; what dis dey call it? A WOMAN from the audience. WOMAN Intellect. SOJOURNER TRUTH Dat’s it, honey. What dat got to do wid womin’s rights or nigger’s rights? If my cup won’t hold a pint, and yourn holds a quart, wouldn’t ye be man not to let me have my little half-measure full? She points to her significant finger. SOJOURNER TRUTH Den dat little man in back dar, he say women can’t have as much rights as men, ‘cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Whar did your Christ come from? She stretches out her arms open and wide. The AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AND LAUGHS.

SOJOURNER TRUTH Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothin’ to do wid him. 57

The AUDIENCE LAUGHS. SOJOURNER TRUTH If de fust woman God ever made was strong enough to turn de world upside down all alone, dese women togedder (glaces around) ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now dey is asking to do it, de men better let ‘em. CHEERS from the CROWD. SOJOURNER TRUTH ‘Bleiged, to ye for herin’ on me, and now ole Sojourner han’t got nothin’ more to say. The AUDIENCE CHEERS her as she goes off the platform. The Reporters is writing notes of the speech down.

INT. HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Son’s of Temperance Meeting, Rochester, NY - 1852 Susan is in the meeting listening to the men speak. Susan taps the MODERATOR on the shoulder. SUSAN I would like to speak on behalf of temperance too. MODERATOR The only thing you need to do is learn and listen. SUSAN Fine, then I will formulate my own Daughter’s of Temperance meetings so that I and all women can speak. MODERATOR Do what you want.

SUSAN I will gather women from all over and start petitions to bring to legislation and pass a law. 58

He CHUCKLES at Susan. MODERATOR Good luck with that. Susan looks at him with pure disdain and leaves the building.

INT. JUDGE CADY OFFICE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Cady Mansion, Johnstown, NY - 1854 Judge Cady is sitting reading the newspaper. Elizabeth comes into the room. JUDGE CADY Elizabeth, is this your ad in the newspaper? ELIZABETH Yes. Elizabeth takes a seat. JUDGE CADY Have you ever spoken before such an assembly of men as the New York State Legislature Committee? He paces back-n-forth. ELIZABETH No. JUDGE CADY Then how do you know you can? ELIZABETH I have carefully prepared my speech. I have memorized it, and it has been pronounced good by several men. JUDGE CADY I don’t want you to give this speech. She stands up.

ELIZABETH I am. 59

JUDGE CADY I don’t think you are capable of handling this speech and I don’t want you to do it. She looks directly into his eyes. ELIZABETH I am going to give this speech. JUDGE CADY I will offer you the title to the house in Seneca Falls. She paces too. ELIZABETH No! JUDGE CADY You’ve been asking me for years for this title. ELIZABETH I don’t want it. She removes a law book that he kept upside-down for her. JUDGE CADY I don’t want you to give this speech. I will cut you out of my will. ELIZABETH I don’t care! Judge Cady walks around the room as Elizabeth watches him getting red faced. He then takes a big breath and looks at his daughter’s face. JUDGE CADY Then after tea this evening, I want you to come into my office and read it to me. She looks at him and smiles.

INT. CADY MANSION - LIVINGROOM - NIGHT

She reads it as we watch the fire go from full to almost embers. 60

JUDGE CADY Surely you have had a happy comfortable life, with all your wants and needs supplied; and yet that speech fills me with self- reproach; for one might naturally ask, “How can a young woman, tenderly brought up, who has had no bitter personal experience, feel so keenly the wrongs of her sex?” Where did you learn this lesson? ELIZABETH I learned it right here in your office, when I was a child listening to the complaints women made to you.

JUDGE CADY You have made your points clear and strong, but I think I can find you even more cruel laws than those you have quoted. They both go over to the law books and start to pull out some of the books for Elizabeth to copy.

INT. ASSOCIATION HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: The New York State Women’s Right Convention, Albany February 14, 1854. Elizabeth sits on the platform looking down into AUDIENCE waiting for the CHAIRMAN to introduce her, she suddenly comes to the full realization of what she is doing. She is terrified and yet exultant. Her mind flashes back to the day long ago when she had cut her father’s books all the laws which made women suffer. A. Flora Campbell, “My farm is gone because my stepson took it and I have nowhere else to go.” B. Gertrude Quinn, “My husband’s creditors took my house after he left me.” C. Paige Lewen, “My husband wants a divorce, and has only allowed me to take the clothes on my back, without my children.” D. Judge Cady, “I am sorry, but there are no laws protecting women’s rights.” 61

She knew that all her life she had been consciously and unconsciously working towards this moment. CHAIRMAN May I introduce Elizabeth Cady Stanton. As she arose the APPLAUSE sounded through the Senate Chamber. She is dressed in black silk with lace around her throat and wrists. Her speech is entitled, “The Position of Woman as Woman, Wife, Widow, Mother”. ELIZABETH To the Legislature of the State Of New York: "The thinking minds of all nations call for change. The tyrant, custom, has been summoned before the bar of Common Sense. His Majesty no longer awes the multitude -- As she is speaking she is visualizing a scepter broken and a crown trampled in the dust by horses. ELIZABETH his scepter is broken -- his crown is trampled in the dust -- the sentence of death is pronounced upon him. All nations, ranks and classes have, in turn, questioned and repudiated his authority; and now, She is visualizing a Monster (Dragon) being chained and caged. ELIZABETH that the monster is chained and caged, timid woman, on tiptoe, comes to look him in the face and to demand of her brave sires and sons, who have struck stout blows for liberty, if, in this change of dynasty, she, too, shall find relief. Yes, gentlemen, in republican America, in the 19th century, She is visualizing a GROUP OF WOMEN standing before the American Flag with the year 1761 with their DAUGHTERS. (*Check the amount of stars on the flag.) 62

ELIZABETH we, the daughters of the revolutionary heroes of 1761, demand at your hands the redress of our grievances -- a revision of your State Constitution -- a new code of laws. Permit us then, as briefly as possible, to call your attention to the legal disabilities under which we labor. Look at the position of woman as woman. It is not enough for us that by your laws we are permitted to live and breathe, to claim the necessaries of life from our legal protectors -- to pay the penalty of our crimes; we demand the full recognition of all our rights as citizens of the Empire State. We are persons; native, freeborn citizens; property- holders, taxpayers; yet are we denied the exercise of our right to the elective franchise. She visualizes women in the roles of a TEACHER, COLLEGE GRADUATE, CHURCH MARM, ARMY WOMEN, NAVY WOMEN, POLITICIANS. ELIZABETH We support ourselves, and your schools, colleges, churches, poorhouses, jails, prisons, the army, the navy, the whole machinery of government, and yet we have no voice in your councils. We have every qualification required by the constitution, necessary to the legal voter, but the one of sex. In conclusion, then, let us say, on behalf of the women of this state, we ask for all that you have asked for yourselves in the progress of your development, since the May Flower cast anchor side Plymouth rock; and simply on the ground that the rights of every human being are the same and identical. You may say that the mass of the women of this State do not make the demand; it comes from a few sour, disappointed old maids and childless women. You are mistaken; the mass speak through us. (MORE) 63 ELIZABETH (cont'd) A very large majority of the women of this state support themselves and their children, and many of their husbands too. Now, do you candidly think these wives do not wish to control the wages they earn -- to own the land they buy -- the houses they build? To have at their disposal their own children, without being subject to the constant interference and tyranny of an idle, worthless profligate? Do you suppose that any woman is such a pattern of devotion and submission that she willingly She visualizes a woman sewing and being handed fifty cents.

ELIZABETH stitches all day for the small sum of fifty cents, which she may enjoy the unspeakable privilege, in obedience to your laws, of paying for her husband's tobacco and rum? Think you the wife of the confirmed, beastly drunkard would consent to share with him her home and bed, if law and public sentiment would release her from such gross companionship? Verily, no! Think you the wife, with whom endurance has ceased to be a virtue, who, through much suffering has lost all faith in the justice of both Heaven and earth, takes the law in her own hand, severs the unholy bond and turns her back forever upon him whom she once called husband, consents to the law that in such an hour tears, her child taken from her -- all that she has left on earth to love and cherish? The drunkards' wives speak through us, and they number 50,000. This long list you add all the laboring women who are loudly demanding remuneration for their unending toil -- those women who teach in our seminaries, academies and common schools for a miserable pittance; the widows, who are taxed without mercy; who are they that we do not now represent? (MORE) 64 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Women will need and seek protection, and through other lips demand, in their turn, justice and equity at your hands. A standing ovation from the AUDIENCE.

INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY (1854 AFTER SPEECH) Elizabeth writes a letter with pen ink and paper on her desk. ELIZABETH Dear Susan: My father, a now retired Supreme Court Judge, has a lot of time on his hands. As he reads the newspapers about me, becomes mortified. He threatens to disinherit me if I publicly speak ever again. So my next speech will be an expensive one. I told him that I hope it to be a profitable one. I can not tell you how deeply the iron entered my soul. I never felt more keenly the degradation of my sex. To think all in me of which my father would have felt a proper pride had I been a man, is deeply mortifying to him because I am a woman. That thought has stung me to a fierce decision--to speak as soon as I can do myself credit. I wish that I were as free as you and I would stump the state in a twinkling, but I am not. The pressure on me just now is too great. Henry sides with my friends who oppose me in all that is dearest to my heart. They are not willing that I would write even on the woman question. Sometimes, Susan, I struggle in deep waters. As ever your friend, sincere and steadfast, Elizabeth Cady Stanton She seals the envelope.

INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: January 20, 1856 65

Elizabeth is walking with her BABY, HARRIOT. She puts her down in her crib and walks over to her desk. ELIZABETH Dear Susan: Imagine me, day in, day out, watching, bathing, nursing and promenading the precious contents of a little crib in the corner of my room. I pace up and down these two chambers like a caged lioness, longing to bring nursing and housekeeping cares to a close. I have other work at hand. Love, Elizabeth The Baby is CRYING. ELIZABETH I do feel like a caged lioness. She picks up her daughter.

INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Seneca Falls, NY - 1857 Susan and Elizabeth are sitting at the kitchen table. ELIZABETH I had just gotten letters from Susan Lucy Stone and Antoinette Blackwell had gotten married. SUSAN How dare any suffragists get married! I didn’t and I had a couple of offers of marriage. ELIZABETH It was your choice Susan. Let Lucy Stone and Antoinette Blackwell rest awhile in peace and quietness with their babies and marriage. As for yourself, do not get so upset that they strayed by the wayside rather then fighting for suffrage. You should have great thoughts for their future. It is not well to be in the excitement of public life all the time. 66

SUSAN I do not understand. How are we suppose to fight for our God given rights in this country if everyone is at home making babies? ELIZABETH Do not keep stirring them up or moaning over their repose. Susan paces back-n-forth. ELIZABETH You need to rest too Susan. Let the world alone a while. We can not bring about a moral revolution in a day or year. Now that I have two daughters I feel fresh strength to work. It is not in vain that in myself I have experienced all the wearisome cares to which woman in her best estate is subject. Susan stands still looks at her and walks out the back door.

INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY Elizabeth OPENS A WINDOW. She looks down in the crib at her son. ELIZABETH Oh Robert you have given me such pain. At 43 years old I can’t do this anymore. You my dear, were the biggest baby out of the seven. Twelve and a half pounds. I still ache from the delivery. The BABY CRIES. She puts him in his crib. Elizabeth lies down on her bed and holds her head in her hands.

INT. SENECA FALLS - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: December 15, 1859

Elizabeth is pacing back and forth from room to room. She looks out from the window at the boys playing on the back lawn. She sits at her desk. 67

ELIZABETH Dear Susan: Indeed it would do me great good to see some reformers just now. The death of my father, the worse than death of my cousin Gerrit, the martyrdom of the great and glorious John Brown, all conspire to make me regret more than ever my dwarfed womanhood. In times like these every soul should do the work of a full grown man. When I pass the gate of the celestials and good Peter asks me where I wish to sit, I will say: “Anywhere so that I am neither a Negro nor a woman. Confer on me, great angels, the glory of white manhood, so that henceforth I may feel unlimited freedom.” Love, Elizabeth Cady Stanton She seals the letter and addresses it to Susan in Rochester. ELIZABETH Where are you Susan? I can’t take this confinement anymore. I struggle in deep waters. She closes her eyes and sees... 1) Worms dangling from trees. 2) Eleazar’s dead body in the casket. 3) Decaying bodies. 4) Church bells ringing. 5) Judge Cady’s dead body in the casket. 6) John Brown’s (59) raid at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. 7) John Brown being hung 12/2/1859. 8) Gerrit Smith (62) being locked away in an insane asylum. 9) Bells ringing and worms falling off of the bells. The NURSE comes into the room and takes the baby into another room. The DOOR CLOSES as Elizabeth SCREAMS. 68

INT. SENECA FALLS (WASHINGTON AVE) - DAY Susan is helping Elizabeth pack to move by placing books in boxes. ELIZABETH I can’t wait to move near the city to Brooklyn. SUSAN It will do us both some good to see the city suffragettes. Susan packs the plates into the boxes.

INT. THE COOPER UNION - DAY

INSERT ON SCREEN: Tenth Annual Women’s Rights Convention - May 10 & 11, 1860 - New York, New York The panel before the podium is Elizabeth, Susan, Wendell Phillips, William Loyd Garrison and REVERAND ANTOINETTE BROWN BLACKWELL. ELIZABETH Can a woman be said to have a right to life, if all means of self- protection are denied her? Can she be said to have a right to liberty, when another citizen may have the legal custody of her person? Can any citizen be said to have the right to the pursuit of happiness, whose inalienable rights are denied; who is disenfranchised from all the privileges of citizenship? Reverand Antoinette Brown Blackwell gets up from her seat on the stage. ANTOINETTE Mrs. Stanton, this is not a matter that should be discussed. A marriage should be for the rest of a person’s life. ELIZABETH If the marriage is one of equal substance then I would agree with you. (MORE) 69 ELIZABETH (cont'd) I have seen many people come into my father’s law office with the facts that their spouse beat and raped them, that their husbands were drunk and beat their children so bloody that they could hardly move, then the women would have no rights to their children, belongings, nor property...so Reverand Blackwell if the world were a fair and peaceful place then I would agree with you...alas it is not. WENDELL Mrs. Stanton I do not believe that this should be on the record.

ELIZABETH Mr. Phillips, I vehemently disagree that women should not only be protected in politics, but on the home front as well. ANTOINETTE We Resolve that these resolutions should be adopted for women's full protection under the law: the right to vote, to trial by jury of her peers and equal opportunity in churches, schools, and places of employment. We resolve that divorce reform, calling for legislation permitting separation or divorce in cases of drunkenness, insanity, desertion or cruelty. Mr. Phillips stands again placing the secretary book down. WENDELL I object to entering these resolutions upon the journal of this convention. I would move to lay them on the table; but my conviction that they are out of order is so emphatic that I wish to go further than that, and move that they do not appear on the journals of this convention. This is not a marriage convention, it is suppose to deal with laws unequally about women. 70

WILLIAM The subject is not appropriate for the convention and they we have not come together about the questions of marriage. However the matter should not be expunged from the records. SUSAN Marriage has never been a one sided matter, resting most unequally upon the sexes. By it man gains all, woman loses all; tyrant law and lust reign supreme with him; meek submission and ready obedience alone befit her. Woman has never been consulted; her wish has never been taken into consideration in regards to the terms of marriage impact. By law, public sentiment and religion from the time Moses down to the present day--woman has never been though of other than piece of property, to be disposed of at the will and pleasure of man. She must accept marriage as man proffers it, or not at all. ANTOINETTE I was not aware of this until Mrs. Stanton pointed out the cruel behaviors that could lead to divorce besides the obvious. ELIZABETH While I respect your position here. Allow me to remind you that as Secretary, Mr. Phillips, it is your job to record the meeting, not dictate it. As I am the President of this organization and not you. Susan gets up and APPLAUDS Mrs. Stanton as does the rest of the 600 PEOPLE in the audience.

INT. HALL - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: Syracuse, NY - 1860

Men are gathered around as Susan opens the hall. She feels looks around her constantly watching her back. 71

Men gather around and start throwing eggs. Susan immediately enters the building. They enter behind her and start breaking the benches. She exists the side door with SAMUEL J MAY. Two fake bodies being dragged through the street. Susan and Samuel spot this. The men gather in town square and set the two of them on fire. Susan and Samuel are passing by in their horse and buggy. SUSAN We need to go to the next town. Samuel nods his head looking behind the carriage to make sure no one is following them.

INT. HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Albany, NY - 1860 Elizabeth and Susan are at a group of supporters for abolishing slavery. SUSAN Mrs. Stanton, the absolute hell I went through from Buffalo to Syracuse where I truly felt that my life was threatened. ELIZABETH I always worried about this fact of going from town to town, state to state. Isn’t that why you carry a gun with you, Susan? SUSAN Yes I need to feel protected Mrs. Stanton. I have had my life threatened many times, that was not the first and doubt the last time it will happen. After all a revolution is going on between the sexes and just like the Negros we have to fight our own battles. 72

INT. BROOKLYN HOUSE - DAY ELIZABETH Susan we can not protest a war fighting President. Lincoln is under enough stress with the Civil War. SUSAN If we stop now Mrs. Stanton we will lose much time. ELIZABETH Let us focus on helping the President now, not be against him.

EXT. BATTLE FIELD - TENNESSEE - APRIL 6, 1862 ON SCREEN: Battle of Shiloh (Tennessee) - April 6, 1862 The Civil War is going on the Battle of Shiloh. Battle grounds are blooded with 23,746 SOLDIERS. GENERAL ULYSSES GRANT (42) is watching his UNION SOLDIERS battle the CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS.

INT. ROCHESTER FARM HOUSE - DAY (1862) SUSAN I tried to interest myself in a sewing society; but little intelligence among them. Attended a Progressive Friends Meeting; too much namby-pambyism. She visualizes herself at the Quaker meeting house with it’s MEMBERS. SUSAN Went to colored church to hear Frederick Douglass. He seems without solid basis, only speaks popular truths. She visualizes herself sitting in the hall hearing Frederick Douglass speak.

SUSAN The next day I quilted, however sewing no longer seems to be my calling. 73

She visualizes herself sitting and quilting. SUSAN I stained and varnished the library bookcase today, and superintended the plowing of the orchard. She visualizes herself varnishing the bookcases outside and plowing the apple orchard. SUSAN Washed every window in the house today. Fitted out a fugitive slave for Canada with the help of Harriet Tubman. Susan B. Anthony taking a SLAVE with HARRIET TUBMAN (42) to the next Underground Railroad. SUSAN I wish the Government would move quickly, proclaim freedom to every slave and call on every able-bodied Negro to enlist in the Union Army. How not to do it seems the whole study at Washington. To forever blot out slavery is the only possible compensation for this merciless war.

EXT. OFFICE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: WOMEN’S NATIONAL LOYAL LEAGUE - January 1, 1863 Susan, Elizabeth and her two children, THEODORE STANTON (12), and MARGARET STANTON (13) is celebrating. ELIZABETH Today we are rejoicing for Lincoln who signed the Emancipation Proclamation. However there is a lot of work to be done being that he wants to abolish slavery by a state by state basis. We are now demanding that Congress pass the 13th Amendment to Abolish Slavery. Our goal is 1 million signatures.

She hands out boxes of printed flyers and envelopes. 74

SUSAN Today we mail from our list and tomorrow we start obtaining signatures from the street. Elizabeth grabs a badge. ELIZABETH And children, for every 100 signatures you get a badge. Stanton’s children run out with flyers and a hard board and pen with ink.

INT. SENATE HOUSE - DAY Susan B. Anthony comes in with stacks of papers and hands them to SENATOR SUMNER. SENATOR SUMNER I have 500,000 signers from the women’s suffrage association of Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton to pass the 13th Amendment. He piles the papers onto the desk of the speaker of the house. CHEERS come from the Republican party.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN sits at his desk with the signatures from Stanton and Anthony before him. ABRAHAM LINCOLN Yes Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony the Negros must have their day instead of a state by state basis. President Lincoln looks over the documents at hand.

INT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - DAY SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE President Lincoln tells us that there is no talks of peace and that we must vote on signing the bill for the 13th Amendment. What say you? Ayes and Nays from each SENATOR. The Ayes out vote the Nays. 75

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE The 13th Amendment is now passed. Cheers from the Republican party while the Democrats are up in arms.

INT. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT Stanton and Anthony rejoice. ELIZABETH Susan we finally got an amendment passed. SUSAN Now it’s our turn.

INT. STANTON’S NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: New York City - 1866 Elizabeth (51) is sitting at her desk with banners, signs and literature stating, “Elizabeth Cady Stanton for Congress”.

ELIZABETH To the voters of New York City’s Eighth District, I am running as an Independent for Congress. I advocate free speech, free press, free men and free trade. I will stop the legalization of prostitution in New York. I am opposed to the 14th & 15th Amendments. Ratification of the 16th Amendment enfranchising women. I would gladly have a voice and vote in the Fortieth Congress to demand universal suffrage, that thus a Republican form of government might be secured to every state in the Union. The newspapers reads, “Stanton for Congress”. The next newspaper states, “Stanton Loses Election”.

INT. TENAFLY HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Tenafly, NJ - 1868 76

Elizabeth is writing a letter. ELIZABETH Dear Susan: I have left Henry finally. I can not stand the fact of his “male” freedom. The older boys are of course siding with Henry, while the younger children are siding with me. Love E.C.S.

INT. HOTEL - DAY (1869) Susan is dining in with GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN(40). GEORGE F. TRAIN I am glad to come on board with you Susan. SUSAN Thank you George Francis Train. GEORGE F. TRAIN With a run for President, I will support women’s rights. SUSAN We are to go into Kansas next. My brother Daniel R. owns “The Leavenworth Press”. GEORGE F. TRAIN Does he? SUSAN Yes, so you will be able to get a handle on things over your running mates there. GEORGE F. TRAIN Miss Anthony, I can’t see why the Equal Rights Society did not publish their own newspaper? SUSAN We have no money. GEORGE F. TRAIN I will give you the money.

Susan is overcome with happiness. 77

SUSAN I must consult with Elizabeth Cady Stanton right away. GEORGE F. TRAIN We should set up shop in New York City, and call it “The Demand”. SUSAN No, “The Revolution”. GEORGE F. TRAIN Yes, “The Revolution”. Women fighting a battle for equality. We need a motto. SUSAN “Fight for equality.” GEORGE F. TRAIN “Men their rights and nothing more, women their rights and nothing less.” SUSAN Perfect. GEORGE F. TRAIN That’s why I am going to be the next President, my dear lady.

EXT. KANSAS - DAY (1869) A platform speech is being held. GEORGE F. TRAIN A woman’s newspaper will be published. Miss Susan B. Anthony will run the paper. SUSAN I thank you wholeheartedly for your supporting the newspaper. Later that evening on a light skiff on the Missouri River. GEORGE F. TRAIN Miss Anthony, I want you and Mrs. Stanton to join me on a lecture tour on the way back East. I will pay for all the arrangements and expenses. 78

MONTAGE SEQUENCE PASSING OF TOWNS: Chicago, Springfield, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Springfield, Massachusetts, Worcester, Boston, Hartford, and New York City. Mr. Train paid out three thousand dollars in cash. SUSAN This is the most luxurious campaign trip I have ever taken in my whole life. Eating fine meals, and speaking at expensive halls. We only upset the people more because of our involvement with Train...who is a bigot.

INT. TENAFLY HOUSE - DAY (MAY 1870) Mrs. Stanton is sitting behind her desk preparing a speech. ELIZABETH Free divorce without problems. That’s what we need. I could have divorced Henry years ago to be with Edward. HARRIET No you couldn’t mom, you would have hurt Aunty Ty. ELIZABETH Why, we were both miserable in our marriages anyway. HARRIET You didn’t want to cause a scandal. ELIZABETH I did not have a deep soul love with your father. Edward made my heart race, as I did for him. She looks longingly at his photo perched on the mantle with additional family photos.

INT. REVOLUTION OFFICE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: New York, New York 1869 The door on the office states: “The Revolution”. 79

The stationery states: 37 Park Row, NY, NY. The Motto on the newspaper reads: “Principle, not Policy; Justice, not Favors” is on the first masthead. MONTAGE: 1.) Elizabeth’s name is in the articles. 2.) Park Pillsbury writes the leads. 3.) Susan gets the advertisement. 4.) Train does the financial reports. One newspaper after another is published showing a MONTAGE of various newspaper headlines. SUSAN I just got word that Mr. Train was arrested for speaking out about Victoria Woodhull and her views on sex.

ELIZABETH How will we support the newspaper? A financial editor of the New York World, David Melliss, took over the financial debt of the paper. His name is now on the door, along with Susan B. Anthony as proprietor. The last newspaper is published due to lack of subscribers. SUSAN Charged to the muzzle with literary nitro-glycerine. ELIZABETH We will have to sell the newspaper to try to keep our shirts. The ad went out in the newspaper. ELIZABETH I am not going to write anymore columns after it is sold. SUSAN And Mr. Tilton can still be Editor. ELIZABETH If he wants to.

EXT. LAKE - DAY

The Woman sits out in a rowboat with oars and a bucket. The water is going against the way she wants to go. She folds up the parasol, and panics. She tries to row, but the force of the water is pushing her in another direction. 80

The wave crests pass from another larger boat. Large amounts of water is coming into the boat and it starts to weigh heavily on one side. The woman takes her bucket to bail out the water. One large wave crashes over the bow of the boat onto her head and drenches her severely.

INT. STEINWAY HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Steinway Hall - American Equal Rights Association - May 1869 A debate is ensuing and Elizabeth (54) is speaking on the stage. ELIZABETH I declare a moratorium on all sarcasm and ridicule, as well as every unkind act and words. Let us sink all petty considerations in the one united effort to secure woman’s suffrage. A CROWD pushes its way into the hall. STEPHEN FOSTER (60) glasses, balding, with vest and cane makes his way in front of the crowd. STEPHEN F. FOSTER I demand that Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony be immediately withdrawn from this organization! Susan B. Anthony spent A.E.R.A. money and was not forthcoming about her Kansas campaign. SUSAN That is false! STEPHEN F. FOSTER What about your newspaper, “The Revolution” pages that ridicule the Negro by, George Francis Train which espoused educated rather than universal suffrage, and pronounce the Fifteenth Amendment infamous. HENRY BLACKWELL Train is no longer with the paper and is not a legitimate issue. (MORE) 81 HENRY BLACKWELL (cont'd) No one can seriously question Stanton & Anthony’s commitment to equal rights, and the executive committee has been fully satisfied with Anthony’s record keeping. ELIZABETH May I have a vote of confidence from the audience with a show of hands? All but a few raise their hands. Frederick Douglass steps up front. FREDERICK DOUGLASS I ask to be heard!

ELIZABETH You may come up front. Frederick Douglass comes on stage. FREDERICK DOUGLASS I still admire you Mrs. Stanton after all of these years that we have been acquainted. However, your views in The Revolution deeply wounded me. The employment of certain names such as ‘Sambo’ and ‘the boot black’ and ‘the daughters of Jefferson and Adams’ and all the rest, that I can not coincide with. I have asked what difference there is between the daughters of Jefferson and Washington and other daughters? I must say that I do not see how anyone can pretend that there is the same urgency in giving the ballot to woman as to the Negro. With us, the matter is a question of life and death, at least in fifteen States of the Union. When women, because they are women, are hunted down through the cities of New York and New Orleans; when they are dragged from their houses and hung upon lamp-posts; when their children are torn from their arms, and their brains bashed out upon the pavement; when they are objects of insult and outrage at every turn; (MORE) 82 FREDERICK DOUGLASS (cont'd) when they are in danger of having their homes burnt down over their heads; when their children are not allowed to enter schools; then they will have an urgency to obtain the ballot equal to our own. The entire room APPLAUDS. FREDERICK DOUGLASS Yes, yes, yes; it is true of the black woman, but not because she is a woman, but because she is black. The entire room APPLAUDS. FREDERICK DOUGLASS Julia Ward Howe, at the conclusion of her great speech delivered at the convention in Boston last year, said, “I am willing that the Negro shall get the ballot before me.” The entire room APPLAUDS. FREDERICK DOUGLASS Woman! Why, she has 10,000 modes of grappling with her difficulties. Let me tell you that when there were few houses in which the black man could have put his head. This woolly head of mind found refuge in the house of Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and if I had been blacker than sixteen midnights, without a single star, it would have been the same. There is no name greater than hers in the matter of woman’s rights and equal rights. Susan (49) stands up on the stage. SUSAN If Mr. Douglass has noticed when he said “black men first and white women afterwards,” he would have seen that it was only the men. When he tells us that the case of black men is so perilous, I tell him that even outraged as they are by the hateful prejudice against color, he himself would not today exchange his sex and color with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. 83

FREDERICK DOUGLASS Would you allow me a question? SUSAN Yes, anything for a fight today. FREDERICK DOUGLASS I want to inquire whether granting a woman the right of suffrage will change the nature of our sexes? LAUGHTER comes from all of the audience. SUSAN It will change the nature of one thing very much and that is pecuniary position of woman. It will place her in a position in which she can go out into the world on equal competition in the struggle for life, so that she shall not be compelled to take such positions as men choose to accord her and then take such pay as men chose to give her. I offer two resolutions: one calling for the opposition to the Fifteenth Amendment, the other demanding educated suffrage. The amendment would not mean equal rights it would put 2 million colored men in the position of tyrants over 2 million colored women, who until now had at least been equals of the men at their side. If you will not give a whole loaf of justice to the entire people. If you are determined to extend the suffrage piece by piece then give it first to women, to the most intelligent and capable portion of the women at least, because in the recent state of government it is intelligence, and morality which is needed. LUCY STONE Mrs. Stanton will, of course, advocate the precedence for her sex, and Mr. Douglass will strive for the first position for his, and both are perhaps right. (MORE) 84 LUCY STONE (cont'd) But if we are lost, if we turn away from the middle principal and argue for one class then women have an ocean of wrongs that cannot be fathomed. There are two great oceans; in one the black man, and in the other is the woman. But I thank God for the Fifteenth Amendment, and hope that it will be adopted in every State. I will be thankful in my soul if anybody can get out of the terrible pit. PAULINA DAVIS Enfranchising black men would enslave black women. Take any class that have been slaves and you will find that they are the worst when free and become the hardest masters. ELIZABETH Not another man should be enfranchised until enough women were admitted to the polls to outweigh those already there. I do not believe in allowing Negros and foreigners to make laws for us to obey. FRANCIS WATKINS HARPER I regret that the nation can not seem to handle more than one question at a time, but since it is a fact, I would not have the black woman put a single straw in the way, if only men of the race could obtain what they wanted. ELIZABETH Let’s finalize the vote. All those in favor to resolve for educated suffrage raise their hands. The room shows of hands is few. ELIZABETH All those in favor to resolve opposition to the Fifteenth Amendment. The room shows many people raising their hands. Stanton says to Anthony walking out of the room. 85

ELIZABETH Susan, so closely interwoven have been our lives, our purposes and experiences that separated, we have a feeling of incompleteness-- united, such strength of self assertion that no ordinary obstacles, difficulties, or dangers ever appear to us insurmountable. Susan smiles at Elizabeth.

INT. OFFICE - DAY (1872) Susan goes into the office. SUSAN I am here to sell my newspaper. LAWYER Do you have the paperwork? Susan takes out the papers from her alligator bag. SUSAN Yes. LAWYER Susan you are still short on The Revolution’s expenses by ten thousand dollars. In order to free oneself from this debt, you will have to take a note. She signs the note of a ten thousand debt. MONTAGE: The debt is paid down by Susan’s earnings. Creditors hounding her at every turn. I.O.U.’s from Susan’s sister Mary & Lucy etc.

EXT. ROCHESTER BARBERSHOP - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN:: Rochester, NY - November 4, 1872 Sixteen women go with Susan to register to vote. Susan B. Anthony (52), LOTTIE BOLLES ANTHONY, Mary S. Anthony, ELLEN T. BAKER, NANCY M. CHAPMAN, HANNAH CHATFIELD, JANE M. COGGSWELL, RHODA DE GARMO, MARY S. HEBARD, SUSAN M. HOUGH, MARGARET L. LEYDEN, Guelma P. (Anthony) McLean, Hannah L. 86

(Anthony)Mosher, MARTHA N. FRENCH, MARY E. PULVER, and SARAH C. TRUESDALE.

INT. ROCHESTER BARBERSHOP - DAY Edwin T. Marsh, Mr. Beverly Jones and William B. Hall are sitting behind the desk. MR. MARSH? May I help you Miss Anthony? SUSAN Yes, we are all here to register to vote for this upcoming election day. MR. HALL You can’t vote. SUSAN If you do not allow me to vote, then I will sue you on the grounds that I am a citizen of these United States and according to the Constitution of this America I am within my rights. Mr. Marsh and Mr. Hall look at each other not knowing what to do. SUSAN If there is any court matters regarding the inspectors that are here I will take care of the costs. They give Susan a voter’s registration card. SUSAN Thank you for the registration card, but we need fifteen more. Mr. Marsh and Mr. Hall bring out more registration cards. SUSAN Come up front Lottie, Mary, and fill out your voters card. Susan is smiling as she fills out hers.

Guelma is coughing in the background, and appears weak. She sits herself in the corner of the room. 87

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY Susan has THREE SUFFRAGETTES around her hustling with paperwork. SUSAN I want telegrams sent to all the headquarters around the country for all suffragettes to vote! Matilda Joslyn Gage starts writing it down. There is a KNOCK at the door and Matilda goes down to answer it. MATILDA Hello.

REPORTER I would like a quote from Miss Anthony about her illegal voting. MATILDA Well here is my quote from Matilda Josyln Gage, “Miss Anthony is not on trial here the United States government is because of the wording of the 14th Amendment. And she had every legal right to vote.” Reporter writes it down. REPORTER Is Miss Anthony coming out to speak with us? MATILDA Not now, she’s busy writing to all her suffragettes nationwide to go and vote like her. The Reporters are throwing lots of questions out. MATILDA That’s enough for today. She goes back inside the house and closes the door.

INT. SUSAN B. ANTHONY’S HOUSE, OFFICE - DAY (1872) The calendar on the wall states November 5, 1872. 88

Susan sits in her office behind the desk. With ink well and pen ready, she begins reading her letter aloud and smiles. SUSAN Dear Mrs. Stanton: Well I have been & gone & done it!!- -positively voted the Republican ticket--strait this a.m. at 7 Oclock--& swore my vote in at that-- was registered on Friday....then on Sunday others some 20 or thirty other women tried to register, but all save two were refused....Amy Post was rejected & she will immediately bring action for that....& Hon Henry R. Selden will be our Counsel--he has read up the law & all of our arguments & is satisfied that we have our right & ditto the Old Judge Selden--his elder brother. So we are in for a fine agitation in Rochester on the question--I hope the morning's telegrams will tell of many women all over the country trying to vote- -It is splendid that without any concert of action so many should have moved here so impromptu-- The Democratic paper is out against us strong & that scared the Dem's on the registry board--How I wish you were here to write up the funny things said & done....When the Democrat said my vote should not go in the box--one Republican said to the other--What do you say Marsh?-- I say put it in!--So do I said Jones--and "we'll fight it out on this line if it takes all winter"....If only now--all the women suffrage women would work to this end of enforcing the existing constitution--supremacy of national law over state law--what strides we might make this winter--But I'm awful tired--for five days I have been on the constant run--but to splendid purpose--So all right--I hope you voted too. Affectionately, Susan B. Anthony

She sits back in her chair with a big smile on her face. 89

INT. SUSAN B. ANTHONY HOUSE - PARLOR - DAY There is a KNOCK at the DOOR. Her sister Mary Anthony (45) answers the door as a UNITED STATES MARSHALL (23) dressed in full uniform and hat. U.S. MARSHALL I am here by federal law to arrest Miss Susan B. Anthony. MARY Susan come downstairs! Susan comes down from upstairs. SUSAN What can I do for you? U.S. MARSHALL I am here to arrest you. SUSAN For what? U.S. MARSHALL For illegally voting. SUSAN Well, if they want me then I must change my clothing. You will have to wait. The U.S. Marshall sits in the parlor waiting for Miss Anthony. She comes back down stairs and thrusts out her wrists. U.S. MARSHALL What are you doing? SUSAN If I am a criminal for being a citizen of this country, which enables by God’s eyes that all are created equal, then put the handcuffs on me. The Marshall is shaking.

U.S. MARSHALL I don’t believe that is necessary. She thrusts out her wrists again. 90

SUSAN Cuff me! He handcuffs her. They walk out together and wait for a trolley.

INT. TROLLEY - DAY There are other PEOPLE on the bus. The DRIVER sits up front. DRIVER Fare please. SUSAN If the Federal Government wants to arrest me for illegally voting, then they shall pay for my fare! The U.S. Marshall gives the money to the driver.

INT. COURT HOUSE - DAY (JUNE 1873) Susan is brought into a small room in the building. SUSAN Isn’t this room usually used for run-a-way slaves? He places the handcuffs on a chain, to attach Susan to a desk. U.S. MARSHALL Yes, but you’ll have to wait here until they are ready to question you. SUSAN Do I have a choice? He CLOSES the DOOR. Susan has a smile on her face. SUSAN A fine agitation all right. A fine agitation.

Henry Selden comes into the room. 91

JUDGE SELDEN Susan I can’t believe they arrested you. SUSAN I made them. He notices that Susan is chained to the desk. JUDGE SELDEN Why did they handcuffs you to the desk like a run-a-way slave? SUSAN Because I apparently committed a crime for illegally voting, Sir. Henry Selden shakes his head and steps out of the room. The U.S. Marshall comes in to unlock Miss Anthony from the desk. U.S. MARSHALL She wanted this. JUDGE SELDEN I can’t believe that you would go to such an extreme. Don’t you know who this woman is? He looks at him. U.S. MARSHALL Of course I do...Susan B. Anthony like it states on the arrest warrant. JUDGE SELDEN My good Sir she is the woman’s rights reformer of the 19th century and famous in her own right. U.S. MARSHALL I am aware. I was just doing my job. The U.S. Marshall pulls the door open and leaves.

INT. SMALL COURT ROOM - DAY The FIFTEEN WOMEN are sitting in the court room and Susan is seated next to them. 92

JUDGE WARD HUNT Miss Anthony Did Judge Selden give you his opinion on how to vote? SUSAN He had not studied the question. JUDGE WARD HUNT Would you have made the same efforts to vote that you did, if you had not consulted with Judge Selden? SUSAN Yes Sir. JUDGE WARD HUNT Were you influenced in the matter by his advice at all? SUSAN No Sir. JUDGE WARD HUNT You went into this matter for the purpose of testing the question? SUSAN Yes, Sir. I had been resolved for three years to vote at the first election when I had been home for thirty days before. JUDGE WARD HUNT Thank you, Miss Anthony that concludes today’s meeting. We will hear this again in January before the jury. Next case.

EXT. OUTSIDE - DAY MONTAGE SEQUENCE: Susan and Matilda Joslyn Gage canvasing different counties for women’s right to vote and that she was facing trial because of her gender. MATILDA Susan B. Anthony is on trail for illegally voting. Allow me to tell you about the wording of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution which states: Section 1. (MORE) 93 MATILDA (cont'd) All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The gathering of PEOPLE around her gather and disperse like leaves in the wind.

INT. COURT HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, Albany, NY - June 19, 1873 Judge Selden, Defense Attorney, is before Judge Nathan Hall. PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY CROWLEY, he has white hair and dressed all in black, is seated on the prosecution side. The TWELVE MALE JURORS are seated in their respective seats. JUDGE SELDEN If the Court please, Gentlemen of the Jury: This is a case of no ordinary magnitude, although many might regard it as one of very little importance. The question whether my client here had done anything to justify her being consigned to a felon's prison or not, is one that interests her very essentially, and that interests the people too. (pause) I claim and shall endeavor to establish before you that when she offered to have her name registered as a voter, and when she offered her vote for Member of Congress, she was as much entitled to vote as any man that voted at that election, according to the Constitution and laws of the Government under which she lives. (MORE) 94 JUDGE SELDEN (cont'd) If I maintain that proportion, as a matter of course she has committed no offence, and is entitled to be discharged at your hands. But, beyond that, whether it was a legal vote or not, whether she was entitled to vote or not, if she sincerely believed that she had a right to vote, and offered her ballot in good faith, under that belief, whether right or wrong, by the laws of this country she is guilty of no crime. I apprehend that proposition, when it is discussed, will be maintained with a clearness and force that shall leave no doubt upon the mind of the Court or upon your minds as the gentlemen of the jury. If I maintain that proposition here, then the further question and the only question which, in my judgment, can come before you to be passed upon by you as a question of fact is whether or not she did vote in good faith, believing that she had a right to vote. The public prosecutor assumes that, however honestly she may have offered her vote, however sincerely she may have believed that she had a right to vote, if she was mistaken in that judgment, her offering her vote and its being received makes a criminal offence- a proposition to me most abhorrent, as I believe it will be equally abhorrent to your judgment. Before the registration, and before this election, Miss Anthony called upon me for advice upon the question whether, under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, she had a right vote. I had not examined the question. I told her I would examine it and give her my opinion upon the question of her legal right. She went away and came again after I had made the examination. I advised her that she was as lawful a voter as I am, or as any other man is, and advised her to go and offer her vote. (MORE) 95 JUDGE SELDEN (cont'd) I may have been mistaken in that, and if I was mistaken, I believe she acted in good faith. I believe she acted according to her right as the law and Constitution gave it to her. But whether she did or not, she acted in the most perfect good faith, and if she made a mistake, or if I made one, that is not a reason for committing her to a felon's cell. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY I call Beverly W. Jones as my first witness. Beverly W. Jones stands before the officer being duly sworn in as a witness for the United States. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Mr. Jones, where do you reside? MR. JONES Eighth ward, Rochester. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Where were you living on the 5th of November, 1872? MR. JONES The same place. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Do you know the defendant, Miss Susan B. Anthony? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY In what capacity were you acting upon that day, if any, in relation to election? MR. JONES Inspector of the Election. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Into how many election districts is the 8th ward divided? MR. JONES Two, Sir. 96

PROSECUTOR CROWLEY In what election district were you Inspector of Elections? MR. JONES The first district. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Who were the Inspectors with you? MR. JONES Edwin T. Marsh and William B. Hall. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Had the Board of Inspectors been regularly organized? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Upon the 5th day of November, did the defendant, Susan B. Anthony, vote in the first election district of the 8th ward of the city of Rochester? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Did you see her vote? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. MR. JONES Will you state to the jury what tickets she voted, whether State, Assembly, Congress and Electoral? Judge Selden stands quickly. JUDGE SELDEN I object as to calling a conclusion. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY State what tickets she voted, if you know, Mr. Jones? 97

MR. JONES If I recall correctly Miss Anthony voted the Electoral ticket, Congressional ticket, State ticket, and Assembly ticket. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was there an election for Member of Congress for that district and for Representative at Large in Congress, for the State of New York, held on the 5th of November, in the City of Rochester? MR. JONES I think there was; yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY In what Congressional District is the City of Rochester? MR. JONES The 29th. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Did you receive the tickets from Miss Anthony? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY What did you do with them when you received them? MR. JONES Put them in the separate boxes where they belonged. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY State to the jury whether you had separate boxes for the several tickets voted in that election district? MR. JONES Yes, Sir; we had. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was Miss Anthony challenged upon that occasion? 98

MR. JONES Yes, Sir-no; not on that day she wasn't. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY She was not challenged on the day she voted? MR. JONES No, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN Prior to the election, was there a registry of voters in that district made? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN Were you one of the officers engaged in making that registry? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN When the registry was being made did Miss Anthony appear before the Board of Registry and claim to be registered as a voter? MR. JONES She did. JUDGE SELDEN Was there any objection made, or any doubt raised as to her right to vote? MR. JONES There was. JUDGE SELDEN On what ground? MR. JONES On the ground that the Constitution of the State of New York did not allow women to vote. JUDGE SELDEN What was the defect in her right to vote as a citizen? 99

MR. JONES She was not a male citizen. JUDGE SELDEN That she was a woman? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN Did the Board consider that and decide that she was entitled to register? PROSECUTOR CROWLEY I object. JUDGE WARD HUNT Objection overruled. JUDGE SELDEN Did the Board consider the question of her right to registry, and decide that she was entitled to registry as a voter? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN And she was registered accordingly? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. JUDGE SELDEN When she offered her vote, was the same objection brought up in the Board of Inspectors, or question made of her right to vote as a woman? MR. JONES She was challenged previous to Election Day. JUDGE SELDEN It was canvassed previous to Election Day between them?

MR. JONES Yes, Sir; she was challenged on the second day of registering names. 100

JUDGE SELDEN At the time of the registry, when her name was registered, was the Supervisor of Election present at the Board? MR. JONES He was. JUDGE SELDEN Was he consulted upon the question of whether she was entitled to registry, or did he express an opinion on the subject to the Inspectors?

PROSECUTOR CROWLEY The Board of Inspectors, under the State law, constitute the Board of Registry, and they are the only persons to pass upon that question. MR. JONES Yes, Sir; there was a United States Supervisor of Elections, two of them. JUDGE SELDEN Did they advise the registry, or did they not? MR. JONES One of them did. JUDGE SELDEN And on that advice the registry was made with the judgment of the Inspectors. MR. JONES It had a great deal of weight with the Inspectors, I have no doubt. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was Miss Anthony challenged before the Board of Registry? MR. JONES Not at the time she offered her name. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was she challenged at any time? 101

MR. JONES Yes, Sir; the second day of the meeting of the Board. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was the preliminary and the general oath administered? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Won't you state what Miss Anthony said, if she said anything, when she came there and offered her name for registration? MR. JONES She stated that she did not claim any rights under the constitution of the State of New York; she claimed her right under the Constitution of the United States. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Did she name any particular Amendment? MR. JONES Yes, Sir; she cited the 14th Amendment. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Under that she claimed her right to vote? MR. JONES Yes, Sir. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Did the other Federal Supervisor who was present, state it as his opinion that she was entitled to vote under the 14th Amendment, or did he protest, claiming that she did not have the right to vote? MR. JONES One of them said that there was no way for the Inspectors to get around placing the name upon the register; the other one, when she came in, left the room. 102

PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Did this one who said that there was no way to get around placing the name upon the register, state that she had her right to register, but did not have the right to vote? MR. JONES I didn't hear him make any such statement. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY You didn't hear any such statement as that? MR. JONES No, Sir.

PROSECUTOR CROWLEY Was there a poll list kept of the voters of the first election district of the 18th ward on the day of election? MR. JONES Yes, Sir.

PROSECUTOR CROWLEY What tickets does it purport to show that Susan B. Anthony voted upon that occasion? MR. JONES Electoral, State, Congress and Assembly. PROSECUTOR CROWLEY The United States rests. JUDGE WARD HUNT The defendant will stand up. Has the prisoner anything to say why sentence shall not be pronounced? Susan stands up at her table. SUSAN Yes, your Honor, I have many things to say; for in your ordered verdict of guilty, you have trampled under foot every vital principle of our government. (MORE) 103 SUSAN (cont'd) My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, my judicial rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject; and not only myself individually, but all of my sex, are, by your Honor's verdict, doomed to political subjection under this, so-called, form of government. JUDGE WARD HUNT The Court cannot listen to a rehearsal of arguments the prisoner's counsel has already consumed three hours in presenting. SUSAN May it please your Honor, I am not arguing the question, but simply stating the reasons why sentence cannot, in justice, be pronounced against me. Your denial of my citizen's right to vote, is the denial of my right of consent as one of the governed, the denial of my right of representation as one of the taxed, the denial of my right to a trial by a jury of my peers as an offender against law, therefore, the denial of my sacred rights to life, liberty, property and- JUDGE WARD HUNT The Court cannot allow the prisoner to go on. SUSAN But your Honor will not deny me this one and only poor privilege of protest against this high-handed outrage upon my citizen's rights. May it please the Court to remember that since the day of my arrest last November, this is the first time that either myself or any person of my disfranchised class has been allowed a word of defense before judge or jury. 104

JUDGE WARD HUNT The prisoner must sit down-the Court cannot allow it. Judge Hunt SLAMS HIS MALLET DOWN on it’s base. SUSAN All of my prosecutors, from the 8th ward corner grocery politician, who entered the compliant, to the United States Marshal, Commissioner, District Attorney, District Judge, your Honor on the bench, not one is my peer, but each and all are my political sovereigns; and had your Honor submitted my case to the jury, as was clearly your duty, even then I should have had just cause of protest, for not one of those men was my peer; but, native or foreign born, white or black, rich or poor, educated or ignorant, awake or asleep, sober or drunk, each and every man of them was my political superior; hence, in no sense, my peer. Even, under such circumstances, a commoner of England, tried before a jury of Lords, would have far less cause to complain than should I, a woman, tried before a jury of men. Even my counsel, the Honorable Henry R. Selden, who has argued my cause so ably, so earnestly, so unanswerably before your Honor, is my political sovereign. Precisely as no disfranchised person is entitled to sit upon a jury, and no woman is entitled to the franchise, so, none but a regularly admitted lawyer is allowed to practice in the courts, and no woman can gain admission to the bar-hence, jury, judge, counsel, must all be of the superior class. JUDGE WARD HUNT The Court must insist-the prisoner has been tried according to the established forms of law. 105

SUSAN Yes, your Honor, but by forms of laws all made by men, interpreted by men, administered by men, in favor of men, and against women; and hence, your Honor's ordered verdict of guilty; against a United States citizen for the exercise of "that citizen's right to vote," simply because that citizen was a woman and not a man. But, yesterday, the same man made forms of law, declared it a crime punishable with $1,000 fine and six months imprisonment, for you, or me, or you of us, to give a cup of cold water, a crust of bread, or a night's shelter to a panting fugitive as he was tracking his way to Canada. And every man or woman in whose veins coursed a drop of human sympathy violated that wicked law, reckless of consequences, and was justified in so doing. As then, the slaves who got their freedom must take it over, or under, or through the unjust forms of law, precisely so, now, must women, to get their right to a voice in this government, take it; and I have taken mine, and mean to take it at every possible opportunity. JUDGE WARD HUNT The Court orders the prisoner to sit down. It will not allow another word. SUSAN When I was brought before your Honor for trial, I hoped for a broad and liberal interpretation of the Constitution and its recent Amendments, that should declare all United States Citizens under its protection--that should declare equality of rights the national guarantee to all persons born or naturalized in the United States. But failing to get this justice- failing, even, to get a trial by a jury not of my peers-I ask not leniency at your hands-but rather the full rigors of the law. 106

JUDGE WARD HUNT The Court must insist- Susan sits down. JUDGE WARD HUNT The prisoner will stand up. Susan rises again. JUDGE WARD HUNT The sentence of the Court is that you pay a fine of one hundred dollars and the costs of the prosecution. SUSAN May it please your Honor, I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty. All the stock in trade I possess is a $10,000 debt, incurred by publishing my paper- The Revolution -four years ago, the sole object of which was to educate all women to do precisely as I have done, rebel against your man made, unjust, unconstitutional forms of law, that tax, fine, imprison and hang women, while they deny them the right of representation in the government; and I shall work on with might and main to pay every dollar of that honest debt, but not a penny shall go to this unjust claim. And I shall earnestly and persistently continue to urge all women to the practical recognition of the old revolutionary maxim, that "Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God." JUDGE WARD HUNT Madam, the Court will not order you committed until the fine is paid.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: Rochester, NY February 25, 1874

A KNOCK is heard on the front door. Susan comes out of the kitchen to answer it. 107

SUSAN Yes. MARY PULVER Susan, I just heard that the three inspectors were arrested. Susan grabs her coat that is hanging next to the front door. SUSAN Thank you Mary for telling me. Mary heads to her house. Susan heads through the snow to go into the town police department.

INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT

Susan comes in frozen from walking. The POLICEMAN looks up at her. POLICEMAN May I help you Miss Anthony? She takes off her coat and shakes it off. SUSAN Yes, may I speak with the prisoners that were arrested because they allowed me to vote please? The Policeman takes her down to the holding cells. SUSAN I told you that I’d be here for you. The men stand up happy to see her. MR. JONES Wow I didn’t think you’d actually be here. SUSAN You’re lucky I was home. I am usually traveling the country for women’s suffrage. MR. JONES Is there an attorney to help? SUSAN I will go to Judge Selden’s home right now to straighten this out. 108

Susan leaves the police station to go to Judge Selden’s home through the high snow banks. She KNOCKS on his door but no answer. She then goes to the side door and KNOCKS again. SUSAN If he’s not here then who? She continues out and sees that the newspaper office is open. Susan is shivering. She goes into warm up.

EXT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY She walks over to attorney Van Voorhis’s home and KNOCKS on the door. SUSAN Mr. Voorhis? VAN VOORHIS (60) opens the door. VAN How can I help you Miss Anthony? Susan comes closer to him on the steps. SUSAN May I come in?

INT. VAN VOORHIS HOME - DAY VAN Miss Anthony what is the problem? She takes off her coat. SUSAN May I sit? He offers her to sit down as she places her coat on her lap. SUSAN There was three inspectors who now have trouble because they allowed me to vote.

He finally takes a seat across from her. VAN I see. 109

SUSAN I want to take care of their legal troubles and bail. But I need you help. VAN I will do what I can and grant them the bail. Susan gets up and shakes his hand. SUSAN Thank you Mr. Voorhis.

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY FOURTEEN WOMEN who voted bring in one by one meals for the prisoners for a week. The Policeman are jealous as the smells come from the baskets. Mr. Jones and the other Gentleman are grateful as they eat the fried chicken from the basket.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY She sends a telegram to President Grant.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY The telegram by MESSENGER is taken over to Ulysses S. Grant. PRESIDENT GRANT Is this matter not over with Miss Anthony? He reads the telegram further. MESSENGER awaits a response. PRESIDENT GRANT This is the message in it’s reply. This Administration has no reason to persecute good Republicans, so I am pardoning them of this crime. Let us have peace. On the day of the Inspector’s release on bail, the President, with my signature, order a permanent discharge and remission of their fines. 110

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY Susan is in her office. She reads the telegram and gets up. SUSAN Mary I am going out to the police station. Mary peers around the corner. MARY Always running off and never sitting still.

INT. POLICE STATION Susan presents the telegram to the Policeman. Susan goes down to the holding cells. The Policeman opens the cell doors. Mr. Jones and the other Gentleman hug Susan. MR. JONES You are a woman of your word. Susan leaves the precinct with a smile on her face.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY (1873) Susan gets letters from the debt collectors. SUSAN I have paid this debt down considerably. Then she opens another letter. SUSAN Most of the debt is paid off. Mary and Lucy cancel their I.O.U.’s to Susan by ripping it up in front of her.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY

INSERT ON SCREEN: Rochester, NY - 1873 GUELMA Can I have a mirror please? 111

Mary hands her a mirror. Gula looks at herself. GUELMA I certainly have death written all over my face don’t I? She closes her eyes. Guelma passes away. Mary and Aaron and the family is gathered around her. Mary kisses her hand. Aaron kisses her on the lips. AARON Good bye my love. See you in the hereafter. Mary is in tears.

MARY What shall we do now? AARON My brother is a Presbyterian Minister. I can have him at the funeral. MARY I will set it up Aaron. AARON Thank you, Mary. Mary leaves the room as Aaron grabs her hand to hold it close to his face and cries.

EXT. FORT WAYNE PLATFORM - DAY Susan B. Anthony is giving a speech on suffrage. SUSAN For the bread and not the ballot... Then everything goes black. Susan has fallen over. Her “nieces” rush to her side. The REPORTERS are writing that Susan B. Anthony has died at the podium.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE INSERT ON SCREEN: Rochester, NY - 1874 112

TWO WOMEN (their house mates) go into their own rooms. One goes into the ground floor as the other into the upstairs bedroom. SUSAN Mary, I can not believe Aaron. Does he not realize that once married, a man is married forever? MARY You can talk to Aaron about that, Susan. Susan walks out of the room and down the hallway. Aaron is in his room. Susan KNOCKS. AARON Come in.

INT. AARON’S ROOM Susan walks into the room and helps him pack a box. SUSAN To take a new wife seems admission that the former was not the true spiritual mate--else that polygamy is the true theory. AARON What are you talking about Susan? SUSAN I am not a believer in second marriages after one of the parties is dead, so sacred and binding do I consider the marriage relation. AARON I just want to make it pleasant for the girls while they board with us. Aaron grabs Susan by the arm. AARON Let us take a walk to the Depot.

EXT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - NIGHT Susan and Aaron walk, talk and smile with each other. 113

FLASHBACK Susan reflects back to Battenville. AARON Susan will you marry me? SUSAN When I return home from school. BACK TO REALITY AARON Susan are you all right? I know you miss Gula. Susan weeps in her hands as Aaron comforts her.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - OFFICE - NIGHT Susan goes to her desk and writes in her diary. SUSAN Brother Aaron rounds out his 64th year today. And yet he is flirting with a school-marm 30 years his junior. She looks up at her wall with a photo of Gula and Aaron with their children. SUSAN Sleep seems fleeing me. Heaven and the dear spirits help me bear whatever is to come. This is the first time Brother Aaron walked with me in quite some time. She sits back holding her diary and smiles.

INT. TRAIN - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Missouri, March 1879 Elizabeth sits on the train across from Susan. ELIZABETH I feel like a squeezed sponge smiling at everyone. Signing autographs, giving speeches, and traveling from this town to the next. (MORE) 114 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Eating horrible meals and sleeping in the most horrid conditions. SUSAN You get use to it. I am so glad you are finally able to go out with me and canvas the states. Susan takes Mrs. Stanton’s hand and taps it with her other one.

EXT. DIRT TOWN - DAY Elizabeth’s hand is on the podium. She finishes a speech. ELIZABETH Now let’s get to work suffragettes. The WOMEN applaud whilst others wave their handkerchiefs. A MAN (56) top hat and big moustache comes over to her after the speech is completed. MAN Mrs. Stanton, my wife is at home raising eight strapping boys. Isn’t that work? Why aren’t you at home? Elizabeth eyes look the man over up and down. ELIZABETH I know of few men worth repeating eight times. The Man looks at her with a dirty look and waves his arm and hand down...while walking away. LADIES adorn Susan and Elizabeth with gifts.

INT. HENRY HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Johnstown, NY - 1884 Susan (64), Elizabeth (69), and Matilda Joslyn Gage (58) are sitting at a table talking while Gage is taking notes.

SUSAN I have a box of letters that I don’t know what to do with. 115

ELIZABETH So do I. MATILDA What do they contain? ELIZABETH These are letters from Edward Bayard. SUSAN Your older sister, Tryphena’s husband? ELIZABETH Yes. We have been in love for a very long time.

MATILDA Really. SUSAN I have a confession too, Mrs. Stanton. These letters are from Aaron McLean. ELIZABETH Your older sister, Guelma’s husband? SUSAN Yes. He proposed marriage to me once, and he has always been my Prince of Battenville. MATILDA That means you were both in love with your older sister’s husbands. Could that be the reason for your divorce reform laws, Elizabeth? And Susan every time a suffragette had gotten married you had gotten mad? SUSAN/ELIZABETH I never thought about that. Susan and Elizabeth look at each other and smile.

INT. CADY MANSION - DAY Elizabeth places her letters and Susan’s, now tied up with string, into the back of the grandfather clock. 116

ELIZABETH There’s a loose board that my mother use to keep as a secret storage container. SUSAN No one will ever find them in there.

EXT. EUROPE - HARRIET’S HOUSE - DAY (JAN 1887) Various shots of Europe: The London Bridge and Big Ben. The clock moves it’s hand to the next hour and CHIMES. Elizabeth picks up a cablegram and opens it.

ELIZABETH Dear Mother: Father died of pneumonia today. I thought you should know. Henry B. Stanton, Jr. Elizabeth drops the letter to the ground and turns white. Her daughter Harriet rushes to her side. HARRIET What is it, Mom? She picks up the piece of paper and reads it. ELIZABETH Your father passed away. Harriet is in tears. Elizabeth walks away and goes into her room and writes a note. ELIZABETH Dear Susan: Death! We all think we are prepared to hear of the passing away of the aged. But when the news comes, the heart and pulses all seem to stand still. We cannot realize that those we have known in life are suddenly withdrawn, to be seen no more on this earth. When the boundless oceans roll between you and the lost one, and the startling news comes to you without preparation, it is a terrible shock to every nerve and feeling, to body and mind alike. (MORE) 117 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Then well up regrets of every unkind, ungracious word spoken, for every act of coldness and neglect. Ah! If we could only remember in life to be gentle and forbearing with each other, and to strive to serve nobly instead of exacting service, our memories of the past would be more pleasant and profitable. I have lived with my husband for forty-six years, and now he leads the way to another sphere. What the next life is, whether there is one at all. Or we pursue an individual existence in a higher form of development, are the questions not yet answered. Harriet and I have sat together and talked all day long of the mysteries of life and death, speculating on what lies beyond. Love ECS

INT. BAYARD HOME - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: New York City, September - 1889 Tryphena Bayard (85) gets a telephone call. WOMAN Edward passed away in North Yarmouth, Maine. TRYPHENA Immediately ship the body back home. He will be buried in Johnstown, New York.

INT. CADY MANSION - DAY Tryphena wakes up to a KNOCK at the DOOR. She peers out the window to see the MEN delivering the casket. TRYPHENA Just place him in the living room. Elizabeth KNOCKS on the DOOR.

ELIZABETH Tryphena, it’s Elizabeth. She doesn’t answer. 118

ELIZABETH I know you are in there. Let me help you. It wasn’t that long ago I buried Henry. She OPENS the DOOR and gives her sister a hug. Elizabeth sees the casket. She opens it, as all emotions overcome her. She goes into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Her trembling hands shake uncontrollably. ELIZABETH Tryphena, would you like me to make you something to eat? TRYPHENA No. Elizabeth goes back to the casket. Tryphena turns away. She grabs her sister. ELIZABETH It’s okay to look. She does. TRYPHENA We were married for sixty-three years. My only regret is not having any children with him. Elizabeth looks away and sees her family picture, Henry and their seven children. She looks at the four younger ones closely. Tryphena cries uncontrollably as does Elizabeth.

INT. JOHNSTOWN CEMETERY - DAY The FAMILY has gathered to bury Edward Bayard. The newly dug grave’s dirt pile is on top. Tryphena walks away down the cemetery path as the FATHER finishes.

PRIEST He was a Doctor of Homeopathic medicine and a lawyer. A loving husband for sixty-three years. 119

Tryphena and Elizabeth cry uncontrollably in each other’s arms. The tombstone is placed and it says: Dr. Edward Bayard Born: 3/5/1806 Wilmington, DE and Died 9/281889 in North Yarmouth, Maine.

INT. HALL - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: NATIONAL WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION - 1890 10,000 WOMEN adorn the theatre. REVERAND ANNA HOWARD SHAW Let me now introduce to you one of the founders of the women's suffrage, Miss Susan B. Anthony. THUNDEROUS APPLAUDS come from the crowd as Susan takes the podium. SUSAN Good evening ladies. I am here tonight to finally, after two years of negotiating, the joined union of both the National Women’s Suffrage Association as well as the American Women’s Suffrage Association. United together we will bring about The Revolution before the United States and the rest of the world Women’s Rights! The crowd APPLAUDS SUSAN I see them finally giving us the vote so that we women, daughters, nieces, sisters, mothers, grandmothers can actually have the same rights as the men in this country because “all men and women are created equal.” Our younger suffragettes will have to move the cause forward long after myself and Mrs. Stanton are gone. (MORE) 120 SUSAN (cont'd) For now, Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton who started the First Women’s Rights Convention July of 1848, even before I had personally got involved by going town to town, door to door, state to state spreading Mrs. Stanton’s words of suffrage. It is the power of the man and their politics who are keeping us from achieving our goals. Let us not fight any longer and I beg of you to endorse Mrs. Stanton back as your President and lead us to victory within the ranks of all the rights that women are entitled to have. After all without women men wouldn’t be here!

LAUGHTER and APPLAUDS all around as the women wave their handkerchiefs for Susan. Reverand Anna Howard Shaw gets up from her seat to take the podium. In passing.... SUSAN Joan of Arc has nothing on me. Anna smiles as Susan takes her seat. They lock eyes as Anna shifts her attention to the room. REVERAND ANNA HOWARD SHAW If it may please everyone to take the forms being passed around to elect the next woman president, then we can settle the officers and adopt the resolutions. Thank you. Anna Howard Shaw and Carrie Chapman Catt count up all the ballots. REVERAND ANNA HOWARD SHAW And we have a winner. The President of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association is Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Elizabeth rises and walks over to the podium. ELIZABETH Thank you. Be like Christ and persist in the face of opposition. Be like Joan of Arc in seeing the fruit of our labors in existence. (MORE) 121 ELIZABETH (cont'd) We all have that extraordinary and supernatural power to have your strength and lead women and more importantly to do what I have done and allow women to go from subjugation into equality so that our future daughters may have the same rights that we are fighting for today. REVERAND ANNA HOWARD SHAW And the votes are as follows. Carrie Chapman Catt 178 and Elizabeth Cady Stanton 330.

INT. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT - DAY (1892)

Elizabeth (77) dictates a letter to her SECRETARY (25). ELIZABETH Dear Susan: I denounce my involvement of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. E.C.S. She writes yet another letter. ELIZABETH Dear Elizabeth B. Harbert: To Susan they give thousands of dollars, silks, jewels, laces and satins, and me, criticisms an denunciations for my radical ideas. Love, ECS She throws down a book on the floor.

INT. AARON MC LEAN’S HOME - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: San Diego, CA - July 4, 1895 Susan is visiting with Aaron McLean (84), overweight, hair thinned. SUSAN Aaron I wish you would come back with me to Rochester.

AARON No, my belongings are here and so is my family. 122

SUSAN I am your family too. AARON I’ve been here for ten years now, Susan. Even if I came back, you are not at home, you are constantly traveling for women’s suffrage cause all the time. SUSAN It must be done. AARON I understand your position on this, but what does that offer me back in Rochester? I think if you accepted my proposal way back when, things would have been different. SUSAN But you decided to marry Guelma instead of waiting for me to get out of Deborah Moulson’s school. Susan looks down at a newspaper on the coffee table. AARON Remember how I used to mail you newspaper clippings at the school? SUSAN Yes, I enjoyed that very much. AARON I looked forward to your letters back home at Battenville. SUSAN I kept yours in a safe place. AARON You did? SUSAN Yes. Susan starts to get up.

AARON Where are you going? SUSAN I must go to bed now. 123

AARON I feel a little tired too. Susan walks out of the room.

EXT. LAKESIDE, OHIO - CHAUTAUQUA - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: July 26, 1895 Susan is standing at the lyceum and is in the middle of a speech. She is wearing her black silk dress and her red shawl. SUSAN Allow me the reason to fight for the rights that women should be entitled to. Susan’s eyes shifts and then everything goes black. She collapses at the podium. People come rushing by her side and carry her off to the hospital. The newspaper REPORTERS are humming with the news of Susan B. Anthony’s demise.

INT. HOUSE - DAY Susan is laying in bed with a DOCTOR standing over her head. She starts waking up. DOCTOR Miss Anthony are you all right? SUSAN If I pinched myself right, I wouldn’t have fainted. I think the stress of my sister being sick and the trail. DOCTOR Save up your strength. This is not a time for speeches, you need to take care of you. A REPORTER KNOCKS on the door. A SUFFRAGIST answers it.

SUFFRAGIST Yes. 124

REPORTER I would like 5,000 words if Susan B. Anthony is still living, no limit if she died. The next morning the article in the newspaper is 5,000 words by a Rochester newspaper.

INT. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT - DAY (1895) Elizabeth opens “The Woman's Bible”, Chapter II: Comments on Genesis, pages 20-21. ELIZABETH As the account of the creation in the first chapter is in harmony with science, common sense, and the experience of mankind in natural laws, the inquiry naturally arises, why should there be two contradictory accounts in the same book, of the same event? It is fair to infer that the second version, which is found in some form in the different religions of all nations, is a mere allegory, symbolizing some mysterious conception of a highly imaginative editor. The first account dignifies woman as an important factor in the creation, equal in power and glory with man. The second makes her a mere afterthought. The world in good running order without her. The only reason for her advent being the solitude of man. There is something sublime in bringing order out of chaos; light out of darkness; giving each planet its place in the solar system; oceans and lands their limits; wholly inconsistent with a petty surgical operation, to find material for the mother of the, race. It is on this allegory that all the enemies of women rest, their battering rams, to prove her inferiority. (MORE) 125 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Accepting the view that man was prior in the creation, some Scriptural writers say that as the woman was of the man, therefore, her position should be one of subjection. Grant it, then as the historical fact is reversed in our day, and the man is now of the woman, shall his place be one of subjection? The equal position declared in the first account must prove more satisfactory to both sexes; created alike in the image of God -The Heavenly Mother and Father. Thus, the Old Testament, "in the beginning," proclaims the simultaneous creation of man and woman, the eternity and equality of sex; and the New Testament echoes back through the centuries the individual sovereignty of woman growing out of this natural fact. In verse 23 Adam proclaims the eternal oneness of the happy pair, “This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh;” no hint of her subordination. How could men, admitting these words be divine revelation, ever have preached the subjection of women! The naming of the mother race. “She shall be called Woman,” in the ancient form of the word Womb-man. She was man and more than man because of her maternity. LATIN, GREEK AND HEBREW SCHOLARS are gathered at the table as Elizabeth is in the middle receiving and working on the documents. Susan comes in. SUSAN Elizabeth The Woman’s Bible is a work of supererogation, sacrilege, and when woman’s political equality is recognized then the church will hasten to bring her Bibles, prayer books, creeds and discipline up to the same high water mark of liberty. Elizabeth looks at her with disdain. 126

ELIZABETH Miss Anthony women being subservient through fear and superstition. I want to enlighten and free the women as I have been freed by working on this. Susan leaves. Elizabeth takes another sheet of paper out as Susan SLAMS the DOOR. ELIZABETH Mrs. Colby, Miss Anthony has one idea and she has no patience with anyone who has two. I can not sit on the door like Poe’s raven, and sing suffrage evermore.

INT. METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE, NYC - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: New York City, Metropolitan Opera House - 1895 The THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED PEOPLE is seated in the opera house and it is filled. Red carnations spell out Elizabeth’s name, with white chrysanthemums. A canopy of evergreens is above her head. A red velvet chair is on stage surrounded by dozens of red roses. Many, many tributes to her. (MONTAGE OF SUFFRAGE FACES AT THE PODIUM.) An onyx and a silver ballot box is given to her, and she can not open it...much to her amusement. Elizabeth (80) is present on stage. Susan (75) sits on stage but on the right side of Elizabeth. SUSAN Being that it is Mrs. Stanton’s 80th Birthday...I will let her talk. May I present Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Elizabeth takes out her speech, “Solitude of Self”. With the help of her Two Children and two canes, she hobbles to the podium. ELIZABETH I am well aware that all these public demonstrations are not so much tributes to me as an individual as to the great idea (MORE) 127 ELIZABETH (cont'd) I represent--the enfranchisement of women. The hall explodes with CHEERS. She sits back down as her children assist her. Susan rises to speak at the podium. SUSAN I will now read Mrs. Stanton’s greatest speech, The Solitude of Self. The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul. In discussing the rights of woman, we are to consider, first, what belongs to her as an individual, in a world of her own, the arbiter of her own destiny, an imaginary Robinson Crusoe with her woman Friday on a solitary island. Her rights under such circumstances are to use all her faculties for her own safety and happiness. Secondly, if we consider her as a citizen, according to the fundamental principles of our Government. Thirdly, viewed as a woman, an equal factor in civilization, her rights and duties are still the same-individual happiness and development. Fourthly, it is only the incidental relations of life, such as mother, wife, sister, daughter, that may involve some special duties and training. Uniformly subordinate her rights and duties as an individual, as a citizen, as a woman, to the necessities of these incidental relations, some of which a large class of woman may never assume. In discussing the sphere of man we do not decide his rights as an individual, as a citizen, as a man by his duties as a father, a husband, a brother, or a son, relations some of which he may never fill. (MORE) 128 SUSAN (cont'd) The education that will fit her to discharge the duties in the largest sphere of human usefulness will best fit her for whatever special work she may be compelled to do. The strongest reason why we ask for woman a voice in the government under which she lives; in the religion she is asked to believe; equality in social life, where she is the chief factor; a place in the trades and professions, where she may earn her bread, is because of her birthright to self-sovereignty; because, as an individual, she must rely on herself. No matter how much women prefer to lean, to be protected and supported, nor how much men desire to have them do so, they must make the voyage of life alone, and for safety in an emergency they must know something of the laws of navigation. To guide our own craft, we must be captain, pilot, engineer; with chart and compass to stand at the wheel; to match the wind and waves and know when to take in the sail, and to read the signs in the firmament over all. It matters not whether the solitary voyager is man or woman. Nature having endowed them equally, leaves them to their own skill and judgment in the hour of danger, and, if not equal to the occasion, alike they perish. We come into the world alone, unlike all who have gone before us; we leave it alone under circumstances peculiar to ourselves. Is it not the height of presumption in man to propose to represent her at the ballot box and the throne of grace, do her voting in the state. In the conflicting scenes of life, on the long weary march, each one walks alone. In the tragedies and triumphs of human experience each moral stands alone. (MORE) 129 SUSAN (cont'd) Women are already the equals of men in the whole of ream of thought, in art, science, literature, and government. With telescope vision they explore the starry firmament, and bring back the history of the planetary world. With chart and compass they pilot ships across the mighty deep, and with skillful finger send electric messages around the globe. Our inner being, which we call ourself, no eye nor touch of man or angel has ever pierced. It is more hidden than the caves of the gnome; the sacred adytum of the oracle; the hidden chamber of Eleusinian mystery, for to it only omniscience is permitted to enter. Such is individual life. Who, I ask you, can take, dare take, on himself the rights, the duties, the responsibilities of another human soul? APPLAUDS fills the opera house. Susan points to Elizabeth who is beaming from her success of this speech. People stand up to APPLAUD. Elizabeth shakily stands up and takes a bow.

INT. ANTHONY ROCHESTER HOUSE - NIGHT (1/18/1896) Telegram arrives at the door. SUSAN I hate telegrams, they are usually bad news at my age. She opens the note. SUSAN Dear Aunt Susan: Grandfather died this noon. George L. Baker. Oh my God, Aaron McLean is dead. Susan closes her eyes takes off her glasses, and wipes the tears. SUSAN I told him to come back home. I would have taken care of him. 130

MARY I know you would have Susan. But he knew you would be out on the road, with no time for him. SUSAN I should have tried harder.

INT. NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION HALL-DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: 1890 WOMEN are surrounding the stage listening to CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT speak. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT This association is non-sectarian, being composed of all persons of all shades of religious opinions, and had no official connection with the so-called “Women’s Bible”, or any theological publication. Vote me for the Presidency to finish the battle. SUSAN As I am stepping down from Presidency of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. The AUDIENCE OF LADIES GASPS. SUSAN There are two candidates; Carrie Champman Catt and Lillie Devereux Blake. I endorse Miss Catt, and Elizabeth endorses Miss Blake. The women of this organization can decide who to vote for. To the subject at hand. Who can tell now whether these commentaries about Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton may not prove a great help to woman’s emancipation from old superstitions which have barred the way? Lucretia Mott at first thought Mrs. Stanton had injured the cause of all woman’s other rights by insisting upon the demand for women’s right to vote in 1848. (MORE) 131 SUSAN (cont'd) In 1860, when a bill making drunkenness a ground for divorce, there was a general cry among friends that she had killed the woman’s cause. I shall be pained beyond expression if the delegates are so narrow and illiberal as to adopt this resolution. You would better not begin resolving against individual action, or you will find no limit. This year it is Mrs. Stanton; next year it may be I or one of yourselves who may be the victim. The women go to fill out the ballot boxes near the stage.

INT. SUSAN B. ANTHONY HOUSE - ROCHESTER - DAY (1900) SUSAN Anna I want to cash in my life insurance. ANNA For what? SUSAN I have spoken with the Dean of Rochester University who stated that if we can raise $50,000 then we can get the demanded admission for women in the university. ANNA How are we going to raise fifty thousand dollars? SUSAN I will, trust me. Anna looks at Susan with amazement.

INT. ROCHESTER UNIVERSITY - DAY (1902) Susan and Anna wait outside of the office of the Dean. Another person walks out. The Dean comes out to greet Susan and Anna. DEAN Miss Anthony. 132

SUSAN I have requested this meeting with you for the admission of fifteen women to Rochester University. DEAN Yes we already had this discussion. SUSAN It was fifty thousand dollars, correct? DEAN Yes. She hands him a case and he looks shocked. SUSAN Here it is. The Dean of Rochester looks at her. SUSAN After you close your mouth. I would like a receipt. He counts the money and hands her a written receipt on University stationery. SUSAN Today--I hope will see thirty or forty more than 68--pupils enter the Rochester University. May their numbers increase--until the daughters of the city shall be all thoroughly educated....

EXT. ROCHESTER UNIVERSITY - DAY Susan is leading the 60 GIRLS up to the college admissions office. A REPORTER stops them. REPORTER May I have a picture? They all gather together with Susan in the middle as he snaps it. 133

INT. STANTON’S NYC APARTMENT- DAY (1902) There are many bookcases in the background. HARRIOT STANTON-BLATCH (46) is dressed in a white pomona with blue ribbons and her mother, Elizabeth. SUSAN Mrs. Stanton, shall I ever see you again? ELIZABETH Oh, yes. If not here, then in the hereafter, if there is one, and if there isn’t we shall never know it. Susan gives Elizabeth a very long hug.

SUSAN Good-bye, Mrs. Stanton. Nora. Nora waves in the background. ELIZABETH Good-bye, Susan. Susan leaves in tears, for she knows this is the last time she will see Mrs. Stanton. Elizabeth sits down on the couch. ELIZABETH Harriot can you please write this down in my diary? Harriot gets her diary from her desk drawer, with ink and pen. HARRIOT Yes Queen Mother, what do you wish for me to write? ELIZABETH How I will miss hearing Susan tell me evermore to write another suffrage speech with her words, “Failure Is Impossible”. I will never forget we are sowing winter wheat, which the coming spring will sprout, and other hands than our will reap and enjoy. 134

INT. STANTON’S NYC APARTMENT - DAY (1902) Elizabeth (87) is in her bedroom with her daughter Harriot and her female DOCTOR. She is sitting upright in her bed. ELIZABETH Doctor, if you can’t cure this difficulty of breathing, and if I am not to feel brighter and more like work again, I want you to give me something to send me pack-horse speed to heaven. The next morning Elizabeth is seated in her chair with her hair done. ELIZABETH I want myself dressed to perfection. I will be giving my last speech. Harriet helps her get dressed in her finest clothing. She stands holding herself, at first weak, but then strong. ELIZABETH We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men and women are created equal. If a woman sits in a rowboat in this life, must she not row it herself? We all come into this world alone, we must die alone. Harriet APPLAUDS her mother and she sits back down on the bed. HARRIET Wonderful! Marvelous! The Doctor and Nurse help hold her and place her down in her chair. ELIZABETH Give me the pills with something to drink, Doctor. HARRIET Are you sure Mother?

ELIZABETH Yes, after all it is Sunday. Harriet, make sure you tell Susan. (MORE) 135 ELIZABETH (cont'd) Believe you me, I will give that St. Peter a piece of my mind! Why I shouldn’t have the right to vote after fifty four years of fighting for it? Let him tell it to my face! She takes the pills with the water and closes her eyes.

INT. ROCHESTER HOUSE - DAY The door bell rings. Mary opens the door to receive a telegram. MARY Susan the telegram is for you.

SUSAN Bring it up, will you dear? Mary goes up the stairs to the museum room and hands Susan the letter. Susan (82) opens it and reads it aloud. SUSAN Mother passed at 3 o’clock. Harriet Stanton Blatch. She stares up at Mrs. Stanton’s portrait is above her on the wall. Susan gasps for breath. She can not contain herself as the tears fall down her face. MARY I am so sorry Susan. Why don’t you come downstairs? SUSAN I feel like I can’t breathe. She is nearly fallen over in the chair as Mary rushes to her side. MARY Let me help you into your bedroom so that you could lie down.

SUSAN Okay. Susan gasps for air. 136

The two women walk hand in hand. Mary is holding up Susan to stand. SUSAN Mary, can you get me some water? A paper and inkwell set? MARY Absolutely. SUSAN I must write to Elizabeth’s family and send my sympathies about their loss. Mary just looks at Susan in amazement. MARY It’s your loss too. Susan sits on her bed with a wooden lap desk in hand. SUSAN There’s an awful hush that rang out today across these United States of America. The very woman who started the First Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. My dear friend and colleague for over fifty years. I cannot express myself at all as I feel, I am too crushed to speak. If I had died first she would have found beautiful phrases to describe our friendship, but I can not put it into words. She always said she wanted to outlive me so that she could give her tribute to the world. As the sun slowly sets and she goes over to her desk. SUSAN Even at the age of eighty-seven Mrs. Stanton was still a wonderful woman. As a speaker and a writer she was unsurpassed. Readers of history will find that nearly all of what may be termed State documents in the movement for the rights of women--legal and constitutional appeals and arguments before Legislatures and Congress--were prepared by her. (MORE) 137 SUSAN (cont'd) She combined herself a marvelous trinity--reformer, philosopher, states-woman. Had she been of the orthodox sex, she would have been United States Senator or Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but, belonging to the alleged inferior half of the human family, she died without having her opinions weighted in either political or judicial scales of the Government. She sits and writes another letter to Ida Harper. SUSAN Dear Mrs. Harper: It seems impossible that the voice is stilled which I have longed to hear for fifty years. Always I have felt that I must have Mrs. Stanton’s opinion of things before I knew where I stood myself. I am all at sea--but the laws of nature are still going on with no shadow turning. What a world it is, it goes on and on just the same no matter who lives or who dies! The papers, I believe, have good editorials. I have read them but, I do not know, I can think of nothing. The reporters have been to see me--but, oh, the lack of knowledge! I wish the History was finished so we could give it to everyone who asks a question. How shall we ever make the world intelligent on our movement?

INT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Washington D.C., White House, November 1905 Susan is sitting in the Oval Office with PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT with glasses, hair parted to the middle and bangs to the side, with a brown vest suit. Miss Anthony wore a black dress with white ruffles down the front and a bonnet. President Roosevelt opens the DOOR and shows her over to the sitting area. Susan sits down. 138

THEODORE ROOSEVELT Miss Anthony, you called this meeting. What can I do for you? SUSAN Mr. Roosevelt, this is my principle request. It is almost the last request I shall ever make of anybody. Before you leave the Presidential chair recommend to Congress to enfranchise women, and thus take your place in history with Lincoln, the great emancipator. I beg of you not to close your term of office within doing this. He doesn’t respond. SUSAN Mr. President, your influence is so great that just one word from you in favor of woman suffrage would give our cause a tremendous impetus. THEODORE ROOSEVELT The public knows my attitude on this subject. I recommended it when I was Governor of New York. SUSAN True but that was a long time ago. Our enemies say that was the opinion of your younger years and that since you have been President you have never uttered one world that could be construed as an endorsement. THEODORE ROOSEVELT They have no cause to think I’ve changed my mind. I thank you for coming in Miss Anthony. Have a good day. He leads her out of his office and CLOSES THE DOOR.

INT. SUSAN B. ANTHONY HOUSE - ROCHESTER - NIGHT INSERT ON SCREEN: Rochester, NY - March 13, 1906 Mary comes down the stairs. 139

MARY Send for Anna. LUCY E. Are you sure? MARY Susan requested her. She’s been on her way. MARY Good. Anna comes in all bundled up from the harsh winter outside. ANNA Is Susan upstairs? MARY Yes. She has been fading in and out. She has been requesting to see you Anna. Anna rushes up the stairs, down the hallway, and through Mary’s room to Susan. She KNOCKS, of course no answer. She OPENS THE DOOR ever so carefully. ANNA Susan, I am here. She sits at the head of her bed and takes her hand in hers. Susan is very weak, but she comes to. SUSAN Anna. Anna moves the chair next to Susan’s bed. ANNA Yes, it’s me Susan. SUSAN Anna, promise me that you will go on with the movement.

ANNA I promise. What will I do without you, Susan? You have been my mentor, advisor. 140

Anna’s eyes well up with tears. Susan measures a little space on her pointer finger. SUSAN Just think of it, I have been striving for over sixty years for a little bit of justice no bigger than that, and yet I must die without obtaining it. Oh, it seems so cruel. Anna is in tears as a single tear comes from Susan’s eye. Anna removes Susan’s glasses and wipes her face with a napkin. ANNA But remember what you have done for other women in all these years. Your grand struggle has changed the life for women everywhere. Think of all the splendid opportunities open to the young women today, largely through your efforts. SUSAN Oh yes it is very different now, and most of the young women benefitting by it haven’t the least idea how it came about. They do not realize the change, they don’t know what it has cost other women to get it for them, but some day they will learn. Anna takes Susan’s hand. ANNA Aunt Susan, as you look on the past, if you had to live it over again, would you do the same? SUSAN Oh, yes, I’d do it again; the spirit willing yet; I feel the same desire to do the work, but the flesh is weak. It’s too bad that our bodies wear out while our interests are just as strong as ever.

ANNA I don’t know how I can live and do this work without you. (MORE) 141 ANNA (cont'd) I have been so accustomed to come to you for advice and help that I shall be utterly lost without your council. For nearly twenty years we have been together in every campaign and in all the great meetings and I have not learned to walk alone. You have always been at my hand whenever I needed you. She drifts again out of consciousness. It’s three thirty, Sunday afternoon. Anna kneels at Susan’s bedside. The Nurse rushes to call the doctor. Anna takes her hand and places it on Susan’s forehead. She reaches up and puts her hand on it. DOCTOR I think she knows you. Anna clasps her hand and places it on her face. ANNA If you know me press my hand. Susan presses her hand. ANNA Do you want me to promise to you again that I will never give up the work as long as I live? Susan places her hand on her head as if in benediction. Then Susan takes Anna’s hand to her lips and tries to kiss it. SUSAN Failure Is Impossible! The clock now reads 12:40 am. Susan dies. Mary stands there seemingly lost. The Doctor confirms and pulls the sheet over her face. The candle is next to the bed. With one blow from the lips from a woman…blew out the candle that was the foremother of us all…Susan B. Anthony. The door closes. 142

EXT. BATTENVILLE HOUSE - DAY Another door opens outside as water can be seen running from a water pump. Dripping out of its basin into the sink. One drip at a time.

EXT. ROCHESTER STREET CORNER - DAY The newspapers are stacked on a newsstand as it rains from above. Each drip wetting the newspaper below. All of the newspapers are dated March 13, 1906. The front headlines read: SUSAN B. ANTHONY DIED.

INT. ALICE PAUL’S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS- DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Washington D.C. August 18, 1920 ALICE I just got the call. We finally passed the 19th Amendment for Women’s Right to Vote! Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s work finally came to light. I just wish they could have seen it before their deaths.

EXT. LAKE - DAY A WOMAN sits out in her rowboat. The oars are in the boat as well as a bucket. The woman rows and comes onto shore. She gets out and starts walking away.

INT. CONFERENCE HALL - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Present Day- Inauguration Day - Washington, D.C. Nora Johnston stands at the podium giving her Inauguration Speech. NORA JOHNSTON I stand before you as President of the United States of America. Thank you all for electing me and allowing a woman to break through that cement ceiling! (MORE) 143 NORA JOHNSTON (cont'd) I will do all that I can for the United States of America by bringing jobs here, and using alternative fuel sources, which will make this country a strong nation once again! I am sure that the foremothers of our country Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are very proud at this moment. The CROWDS OF PEOPLE ARE CHEERING holding up signs “FIRST WOMAN ELECTED PRESIDENT”. Nora smiles and waves with her HUSBAND (”The First Gentleman”) and their TWO GROWN CHILDREN at the crowds of people.

FADE OUT.

EXT. THE WHITE HOUSE - PRESENT DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: these words on screen. SUSAN We shall some day be heeded, and everybody will think it was always so, just exactly as many young people think that all the privileges, all the freedom, all the enjoyments which women possesses always were here. They have no idea of how every single inch of ground that she stands upon today has been gained by the hard work of some little handful of women of the past.

FADE IN:

INT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY INSERT ON SCREEN: Present Day Nora Johnston sits in the Oval Office of the White House.

NORA JOHNSTON (to the screen) Now it’s your turn to change the world as we see it today! (MORE) 144 NORA JOHNSTON (cont'd) One person can make a difference. (pause) And don’t forget to vote!

FADE OUT.

WORDS WRITTEN ON THE SCREEN IN WHITE WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND: “FAILURE IS IMPOSSIBLE.” Susan B. Anthony THE END