The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

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Not For Ourselves Alone: The story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
This is a 1999 documentary film that evaluates the movement for women's suffrage through the friendship between two of its leading figures, namely Susan B. Anthony from Rochester and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came from Seneca Falls, NY. Moreover, the documentary analyzes the history of women's suffrage in the US by evaluating the biographies of these two characters. The film provides a good outline of the critical moments in the intimate life of these two American lives and the vital times during the history of women's suffrage. The first part of the film analyses the relationships between the two women with their parents, especially their fathers, who are strong will minded. In addition, the documentary also analyses the religious and economic backgrounds the two women came from and how these circumstances influenced their decision to marry or not. These two women made different choices on marriage as Stanton got married while Anthony never did. Despite the two women making other decisions, both end up suffering because of their choices. By using these aspects, the filmmakers can illustrate the issue of female domestication that was common in the nineteenth century.[Rose, Vivien Ellen, and Julie Corley. "A trademark approach to the past: Ken Burns, the historical profession, and assessing popular presentations of the past." The Public Historian 25, no. 3 (2003): 49-59]
Consequently, the first part of the documentary also analyzes the path taken by Stanton and Anthony in their journey from the abolitionist movement up to their women's rights movement. This includes the journey to the first women's rights convention hosted at Seneca Falls, NY. After the film transitions past the Civil War Era, it provides an overview of voting in general. Furthermore, the film outlines the post-war split between the American Women Suffrage Association by Lucy S. Blackwell and the National Women Suffrage Association (NWSA) thatAnthony and Stanton had formed. The documentary further outlines the dead-end reached in Minor V. Happersett (1875), whereby the Supreme Court declared that women had no right to vote in federal elections. After this court decision, the film outlines the responses of Stanton and Anthony to this decision and the paths they chose to follow to fight for women voting rights.[Rose, Vivien Ellen, and Julie Corley. "A trademark approach to the past: Ken Burns, the historical profession, and assessing popular presentations of the past."] [Rose, Vivien Ellen, and Julie Corley. "A trademark approach to the past: Ken Burns, the historical profession, and assessing popular presentations of the past."]
Therefore, based on the narrative of the women's suffrage elaborated in this film, it is clear that the documentary serves as an essential aspect of public...