Victoria California Claflin Woodhull Blood Martin is truly an unsung Ohio hero. Born in Homer, Ohio in 1838, she rose from poverty and a dysfunctional family to become one of the most influential advocates for women in history. Victoria’s story has includes politics and also reveals to us as lessons of American values, humanitarian concerns, and fortitude. Dr. Judith Dann, Ph.D., has created a compelling presentation about the life of this remarkable woman. As a virtually self-educated woman, she and her sister Tennessee became the first women stockbrokers on Wall St. and were two of the first women to own and publish a newspaper.

She became the first woman to speak before a congressional committee (advocating women’s right to vote) and was a wildly popular public lecturer, giving speeches advocating marriage reform, legalization of prostitution, and sex education. Her ideas about prenatal care and the role of genetics were groundbreaking. She also advocated an 8-hour workday, graduated income tax, vegetarianism, and through her newspaper, truth in journalism. Her ideals resonate closely with issues in society today. She was far ahead of her time and very open about “private” issues in the very staid Victorian era and this caused her to become vilified and ultimately, written out of American history.

It is time for Victoria Woodhull to rise again to teach us lessons of truth, merit, and the grit of what it means to be American! Dr. Dann will examine Woodhull’s courageous life, focusing on the relevance of her social reforms today as well as the many current projects in place honoring this American hero.

Dr. Judith Dann is a Professor of Ancient History and Lead Instructor in the Classics in the Humanities Department at Columbus State Community College. She received her A.B. in Classics from Miami University (Ohio), her M.A. in Classics, and her Ph.D. in Ancient History from The Ohio State University. Her specialty areas include comparative religion, mythology, ancient art, and archaeology. During graduate school, she worked as a staff member at the OSU Excavations at Isthmia, Greece where a Roman bathhouse is being excavated. She lives in Homer, Ohio (Victoria Woodhull’s birthplace) with her husband and has been lecturing about Victoria’s life for nearly 25 years.

Victoria Woodhall- An Unsung Ohio Hero

A Women's History Month Program