On May 1, 1855 Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell were married, but it was far from traditional.
"While we acknowledge our mutual affection by publicly assuming the relationship of husband and wife, yet in justice to ourselves and a great principle, we deem it a duty to declare that this act on our part implies no sanction of, nor promise of voluntary obedience to such of the present laws of marriage, as refuse to recognize the wife as an independent, rational being, while they confer upon the husband an injurious and unnatural superiority, investing him with legal powers which no honorable man would exercise, and which no man should possess." -Lucy Stone
This marriage is significant due to Stone's refusal to take her husband's name or bend to the social constructs of marriage. This was practically unheard of at the time. Suffragists took influence from this, and adopted these same positions, dubbing themselves "Lucy Stoners." Pictured below, Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell are surrounded by family.
via {women's rights national historical park}
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