Anne Henrietta Martin, daughter of a very traditional Bavarian mother and an exceptionally open-minded Irish father, was born Sept. 30, 1875, in Empire City, Nev. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Nevada at 19 and received an M.A. in history from Stanford University, where she founded the history department and became its first head. She was a tennis champion, excellent horseback rider, golfer and mountain climber.
She resigned in 1891, when an inheritance resulting from the death of her father allowed her extensive travel in Europe and Asia. While in England, she joined a group of militant suffragettes and was arrested several times for demonstrating.
Upon her return to the United States in 1912, she was elected president of the Nevada Equal Franchise Society, and within two years she saw her state suffrage amendment win at the polls to become law.
Next, she turned her energy toward the national suffrage movement, serving on many committees, attending numerous conventions and became the vice chairwoman of the National Women's Party. In 1917, she was again arrested, this time for picketing the White House. In 1918, she became the first Nevada woman to run for state Senate, resigning all other positions to concentrate on her campaign. Although losing two elections, she became a role model for other women. She ignored the established, male-dominated political parties and ran as an independent. Her platform supported aid to mothers and children, farmers, miners and other oppressed laborers.
In 1921, she moved to California, where she wrote feminist essays for both American and British magazines, and urged women to challenge men's control, run for office themselves or support other women who were running.
She was very impatient with the inequality between the sexes.
Midge Kirk writes "Herstory," relating the stories of women who have been important in the development of the nation.
