SOURCE: "Susan B. Anthony," in A History and Criticism of American Public Address, edited by Marie Kathryn Hochmuth, Russell & Russell, 1955, pp. 97-130.

In the following essay, Twichell analyzes Anthony's effectiveness as a public speaker.

In view of the fact that Susan B. Anthony was not acclaimed by friends, critics, and contemporary press as a public speaker of the outstanding ability of such women as Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anna E. Dickinson, and Anna Howard Shaw, it may seem strange to find her name listed as a woman representative in a volume on American public address. She was, however, one of the most prominent among women in American history, and as such her career upon the public platform is a subject worthy of study. But just what was her standing as a public speaker? How effective was she? The first step in answering these questions is a brief...