Antoinette Blackwell

Antoinette Brown Blackwell was a notable American suffragist, abolitionist, and the first woman to be ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister in the United States. 

She was born Antoinette Louisa Brown on May 20, 1825, in Henrietta, New York. She grew up in a progressive, abolitionist household and was raised with a strong emphasis on education. Her father encouraged her to pursue her intellectual interests, and she received a thorough education at home.

Antoinette attended the Monroe County Academy and eventually enrolled at Oberlin College in Ohio.

Inspired by the preaching of evangelist Charles Finney, Brown enrolled at the Presbyterian Oberlin College to study theology in 1847. After three years of poverty, ridicule and discrimination because of her gender she graduated, but as a woman was refused a degree and ordination.

After lecturing on women's rights and occasionally preaching at progressive churches, Brown was eventually given a license to preach by the Congregational Church in 1851. On September 15, 1853, Blackwell was offered a position as Minister of a Congregationalist church in South Butler, New York, becoming the first woman in the United States to be ordained a minister. Antoinette Brown served the members of the Congregational Church of South Butler until June 1854, when due to theological disagreements she resigned.

Antoinette Brown Blackwell was an ardent advocate for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement. She participated in the 1850 National Women's Rights Convention and went on to become a prominent speaker and writer on female issues. Blackwell also co-founded the American Woman Suffrage Association in 1869.

At the age of thirty, she married Samuel Blackwell, a prominent abolitionist and physician, on January 24, 1856. He was the brother of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first British woman doctor and the first woman to gain a medical degree anywhere. Their nuptials took place, at the fieldstone house in Henrietta where she had spent her childhood.

They both respected each other's work and shared a commitment to social reform. Samuel actively supported Antoinette's endeavors, including her ministry and her involvement in the suffrage movement.

They had six children together. Antoinette Brown Blackwell faced the challenge of balancing her family responsibilities with her activism. She was a devoted mother, and her children were an important part of her life. However, she also maintained a significant presence in the public sphere, delivering lectures and engaging in various reform movements.

Antoinette Blackwell's personal experiences, including her own difficult pregnancies, led her to advocate for women's health issues. She wrote and spoke about topics such as childbirth practices, reproductive rights, and women's access to medical care. Her advocacy in this area reflected her dedication to improving the lives of women and promoting gender equality.

Throughout her life, Antoinette Brown Blackwell continued to be involved in various social causes, including temperance, education reform, and women's health. Blackwell published several books, including her autobiography, The Physical Basis of Immortality.

Antoinette Brown Blackwell lived a long and fulfilling life. She continued to be involved in activism and writing well into her later years. She passed away on November 5, 1921, at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy as a trailblazer for women's rights and religious equality.