Editing Susan B. Anthony (section)

====World's Congress of Representative Women====
[[File:Woman's Building (closeup) designed by Sophia Hayden.png|thumb|Woman's Building at the World's Columbian Exposition]]

The [[World's Columbian Exposition]], also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was held in 1893. It hosted several world congresses, each dealing with a specialized topic, such as religion, medicine and science.<ref>[https://www.chipublib.org/fa-worlds-congress-auxiliary-pre-publications-programs-and-circulars-collection/  World’s Congress Auxiliary Pre-Publications, Programs and Circulars Collection], Chicago Public Library.</ref> At almost the last moment, the U.S. Congress decided that the Exposition should also recognize the role of women. After it was over, one of the organizers of the Exposition's congress of women revealed that Anthony had played a pivotal but hidden role in that last-minute decision. Fearing that a public campaign would rouse opposition, Anthony had worked quietly to organize support for this project among women of the political elite. Anthony increased the pressure by covertly initiating a petition that was signed by wives and daughters of Supreme Court judges, senators, cabinet members and other dignitaries.<ref>Stanton, Anthony, Gage, Harper (1881–1922), Vol. 4, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofwomansu04stanuoft#page/232/mode/2up pp. 232–233]. The official who revealed this information was Rachel Foster Avery, an associate of Anthony who served on the organizing committee for the women's congress.</ref>

A large structure called the Woman's Building, designed by [[Sophia Hayden Bennett]], was constructed to provide meeting and exhibition spaces for women at the Exposition. Two of Anthony's closest associates were appointed to organize the women's congress. They arranged for the [[International Council of Women]] to make its upcoming meeting part of the Exposition by expanding its scope and calling itself the [[World's Congress of Representative Women]].<ref>Sewall, May Wright, editor (1894). ''The World's Congress of Representative Women''. New York: Rand, McNally, [https://books.google.com/books?id=VjspAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA46 pp. 46–48] [[Bertha Palmer]] was in charge of women's activities at the Exposition. She appointed [[May Wright Sewall]] as chair and [[Rachel Foster Avery]] as secretary of the organizing committee for the women's congress; both were associates of Anthony.</ref> This week-long congress seated delegates from 27 countries. Its 81 sessions, many held simultaneously, were attended by over 150,000 people, and women's suffrage was discussed at almost every session.<ref>Harper (1898–1908), Vol. 1, [https://archive.org/stream/lifeandworksusa01harpgoog#page/n279/mode/2up p. 748].</ref> Anthony spoke to large crowds at the Exposition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecssba.rutgers.edu/docs/sbaexpo.html|title= Speeches by Susan B. Anthony at Columbian Exposition, 1893|date=May 1893|work=The Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Papers Project|publisher=Rutgers University|access-date=November 18, 2013}}</ref>

[[Buffalo Bill|"Buffalo Bill" Cody]] invited her as a guest to his Wild West Show, located just outside the Exposition.<ref>Larson, Eric (2003). ''Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America'', New York: Random House, p. 133.</ref> When the show opened, he rode his horse directly to her and greeted her with dramatic flair. According to a co-worker, Anthony, "for the moment as enthusiastic as a girl, waved her handkerchief at him, while the big audience, catching the spirit of the scene, wildly applauded."<ref>Shaw, Anna Howard (1915). ''The Story of a Pioneer'', [https://archive.org/details/storyapioneer01jordgoog/page/n242 p. 207]. New York: Harper and Brothers. Instead of applauding, women of that era sometimes waved white handkerchiefs to show approval, a practice known as the [[Chautauqua Institute|Chautauqua]] salute. See Sherr (1995), p. 308.</ref>