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A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull
Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to do many things: the first woman to own a newspaper, to speak before Congress, and to have a seat on the stock exchange. But her boldest act was announcing herself as the first female candidate for the presidency of the United States in 1872-before women even had the right to vote.
Arguably one of the most revolutionary women in American history, she was many years ahead of her time, braking boundaries. But her presidential campaign, and the backlash it sparked, left her in political ruin and bankruptcy. Amazingly, her name has been practically erased from history.
Acclaimed biographer Kathleen Krull and beloved illustrator Jane Dyer combine their talents to bring one of the most fascinating personalities in U.S. history back to life for young readers.
Arguably one of the most revolutionary women in American history, she was many years ahead of her time, braking boundaries. But her presidential campaign, and the backlash it sparked, left her in political ruin and bankruptcy. Amazingly, her name has been practically erased from history.
Acclaimed biographer Kathleen Krull and beloved illustrator Jane Dyer combine their talents to bring one of the most fascinating personalities in U.S. history back to life for young readers.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 22, 2018
Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to ever run for President of the United States, was born to a poor and abusive home. A kind neighbor took pity on young Victoria and helped educate the young mind. Victoria and her sister Tennessee were clever enough to figure out how to earn a living - by somewhat dubious means- using their brains at a time when women were valued for their housekeeping and mothering abilities. Victoria was not one of those domestic goddesses. She dared to be different and clawed her way up in society before randomly deciding to run for President. She didn't have any political or legal experience but started her own political party. Obviously she was unsuccessful but goes down in history books as the first woman to run for president.
Given the age range this book is aimed for (7-10) the author neatly sidesteps exactly what "obscene" pamphlets were. (free love, possibly birth control, legalized prostitution). I take exception to the author's statement that Victoria Woodhull died forgotten and "recently" three historians uncovered some facts about her life. I went to school in the 1990s and certainly have heard of her! NEW information may have been uncovered. I've heard of her sister Tennie as well but not until more recently.
The book does explain the laws governing women at that time and how abuse was perfectly legal. Divorce resulted in scandal, poverty and loss of a woman's children. It also explains generally why Victoria Woodhull objected to Henry Ward Beecher. Good for her for speaking out. She would have started the #MeToo movement more than 100 years ago but was silenced because Henry Ward Beecher was wealthy and well known and had influential sisters.
The illustrations are nice but rather unremarkable.
I'm not sure how interesting this book will be for young readers. It's a decent enough biography and does explain some of the historical context but isn't bold enough to paint a true picture of this remarkable woman.
Given the age range this book is aimed for (7-10) the author neatly sidesteps exactly what "obscene" pamphlets were. (free love, possibly birth control, legalized prostitution). I take exception to the author's statement that Victoria Woodhull died forgotten and "recently" three historians uncovered some facts about her life. I went to school in the 1990s and certainly have heard of her! NEW information may have been uncovered. I've heard of her sister Tennie as well but not until more recently.
The book does explain the laws governing women at that time and how abuse was perfectly legal. Divorce resulted in scandal, poverty and loss of a woman's children. It also explains generally why Victoria Woodhull objected to Henry Ward Beecher. Good for her for speaking out. She would have started the #MeToo movement more than 100 years ago but was silenced because Henry Ward Beecher was wealthy and well known and had influential sisters.
The illustrations are nice but rather unremarkable.
I'm not sure how interesting this book will be for young readers. It's a decent enough biography and does explain some of the historical context but isn't bold enough to paint a true picture of this remarkable woman.
April 11, 2021
If this had been a movie, I would have found it so far-fetched! I think this is definitely one of those cases where truth is stranger than fiction. Woodhull's story is fascinating! She said, "The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age" but that didn't stop her from trying to speed up progress. Decent introduction, author's note and bibliography are included to help round-out the presented story (though, as I learned from QNPoohBear's review, a bit is left out to make this suitable for young readers). The artwork serves the story well enough, though I found some scenes more effective than others (I especially love the cover art!)
March 26, 2018
Victoria Woodhull lived an interesting (an unusual for that time period) life. She was the 7th of 10 children and her father was abusive. She and her younger sister, Tennessee, began traveling around Ohio doing religious revival meetings (Victoria sang and together they held seances) when Victoria was 8. They supported the entire family.
She married her doctor at a young age. He was an alcoholic. She had two children. She left her husband and she and her sister traveled around as fortune tellers.
Eventually, she became wealthy, remarried, and began to speak out for women's rights. Eventually she even ran for president. She created a new political party, the Equal Rights Party, and was the first woman to run for president. She was not successful; Ulysses S. Grant won by a landslide, but she did open doors.
She married her doctor at a young age. He was an alcoholic. She had two children. She left her husband and she and her sister traveled around as fortune tellers.
Eventually, she became wealthy, remarried, and began to speak out for women's rights. Eventually she even ran for president. She created a new political party, the Equal Rights Party, and was the first woman to run for president. She was not successful; Ulysses S. Grant won by a landslide, but she did open doors.
March 11, 2025
This is the only children's book about Victoria Woodhull I could find, and I waited on hold for the library copy for months. She was the first woman to run for president in the United States, before women even had the right to vote. She was vilified even in her own lifetime...Perhaps you've seen the Thomas Nast caricature of her as "Mrs. Satan"? Her run for president is often omitted or mentioned as a "publicity stunt" but rarely taken seriously. Here finally is a book that presents her story, or at least part of it, so that more people will know her name and a little of what she accomplished: first woman to run for president, first woman to have a seat on the stock exchange, first woman to own a newspaper and to speak before Congress. Highly recommended for Women's History Month (March) or any election year.
September 21, 2021
Well, this is one intensely colorful woman and I am sorry to say that I have not ever heard of her before I found this children's book through the library. I have two more extensive biographies now on the way through inter-library loan since this one really intrigued me and I want to know more. Kathleen Krull really packs a great deal of information into this "children's" book and I am impressed. Victoria Woodhull truly knew how to make the most of her circumstances and overcame all odds to accomplish what she did with her life. While I may not agree with her in some areas, I am truly fascinated by her gumption!
November 7, 2014
This book is about Victoria Woodhull in a time when women were defined by the men in their lives: the 1800's. I wanted to read this in light of the election this week: Woodhull stands up for women's rights and runs for office. The story goes in chronological order and tells of her life as a young child, seventh of ten children. Her family was poor and her father beat her, her brothers and mother. The children were sent every night at dinner time to beg for food. When Victoria was five years old she knocked on the door of a generous women who took her in daily: bathed her, fed her, and taught her to read. As Victoria grew older she found she enjoyed speaking in front of crowds, she became a child preacher. Victoria became sick when she was fourteen, she fell in love with her doctor. She soon married him and found he was an alcoholic and unreliable. She left her husband recused her sister Tennessee from home and traveled. Victoria and her sister traveled around as fortune tellers for money. Victoria predicts a stock tip one day to a wealthy man named Cornelius Vanderbilt in New York. He splits the profits with her next prediction and Victoria became a millionaire overnight. But this was not enough, she wanted to stand against the people who told her she could not eat without a man at a restaurant. She spoke out at women's rights meetings attended by Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Isabella Beecher Hooker. She starts her campaign for president and realizes that this was a difficult task since women could not vote. Victoria and her sister started their own newspaper: Woodhull and Claflin Weekly, and used it as their voice. Woodhull struggled through getting herself on the ballot in each state and giving moving speeches about equal rights for women. She however did not win the 1872 election, Ulysses S. Grant won his second term and Woodhull spent election day in jail.
This book has appealing watercolor paintings on each page that stay true to the time period. I would use this book with middle school to high school students around the time of elections in the beginning of November. This would paint a broader picture of what times during elections were like at different points in history. A great start to a character or book study about the elections in the United States.
This book has appealing watercolor paintings on each page that stay true to the time period. I would use this book with middle school to high school students around the time of elections in the beginning of November. This would paint a broader picture of what times during elections were like at different points in history. A great start to a character or book study about the elections in the United States.
February 8, 2015
This short biography tells the overlooked and forgotten story of Victoria Woodhull, of woman of many firsts in American history. Victoria was born into poverty in Homer, Ohio in the mid-1800s. Through palm-reading and work in Spiritualism, Victoria and her sister became rich and could finally stand up for something they were passionate about - women's rights. In the 1872 election, Victoria Woodhull eventually became the first woman to run for presidency. Author, Kathleen Krull, tells the struggles that Victoria faced in fight for women's rights. She did not win the 1872 election against Ulysses S. Grant, but through her journey she opened up doors. She gave women a voice - better yet, she showed women that they could have one at all.
I was intrigued by this book because I had never heard of Victoria Woodhull. I enjoyed reading about her life and am interested to know more about her. I would recommend using this book for read aloud in grades 3-5 to help students of any gender to become aware of the struggles women in history have faced to attain the rights they have today. This book allows children to see that women are just as capable as men of being successful and doing things such as becoming president of the United State.
I was intrigued by this book because I had never heard of Victoria Woodhull. I enjoyed reading about her life and am interested to know more about her. I would recommend using this book for read aloud in grades 3-5 to help students of any gender to become aware of the struggles women in history have faced to attain the rights they have today. This book allows children to see that women are just as capable as men of being successful and doing things such as becoming president of the United State.
March 8, 2016
A short biography about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President.
I hadn't heard of Victoria Woodhull before, but it seems that she was almost forgotten. I'm grateful to those who saved her story by writing books about her. She is really a fascinating woman and this book is a good start to learn about her.
I hadn't heard of Victoria Woodhull before, but it seems that she was almost forgotten. I'm grateful to those who saved her story by writing books about her. She is really a fascinating woman and this book is a good start to learn about her.
March 7, 2022
Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for president. I never knew of her, but I'm grateful she helped pave the way for women's sufferage. In a time when women were suppressed, Woodhull did much to be an example of standing up to society in a world that would never fully accept her.
I didn't so much care for some aspects of her life (the mystic/spiritualism she claimed to make money, her divorcing (although the book doesn't go into details and there might be more to the story) two husbands, marrying a third, a rich English man.
This is written by Kathleen Krull, who recently passed away. She was an excellent author of children's biographies.
***
"The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age." -Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927)
There were wild women in the Wild West... and throughout most of history.
But the America of the mid-1800s laced itself up tight. Personal ambition in a woman was thought to be evil. Childbearing and housekeeping were her duties. No college was open to her. Respectable jobs were mostly dreary, and any wages paid to a married woman went straight to her husband. If she divorced, she could lose her children, property, and reputation.
Heavy dresses dragged her down, with waists cinched tight enough to cause serious health problems. Many male doctors believed all women were diseased and wouldn't examine them. The quieter and more sickly she was, the more attractive. A woman could not vote, serve on juries, or testify in court. No law stopped a husband or father from hitting her—though some laws spelled out how big an object could be used. Law, medicine, business, education, religion, politics, and even fashion all reined women in. It would take someone wild to break free.
A woman named Victoria Woodhull tried. (from the introduction)
***
"To be perfectly frank," she once told reporters, "I hardly expected to be elected. The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age... and the unenlightened mind of the average man."
But she did open doors. "If my political campaign for the Presidency is not successful," she proposed, "it will be educational." She sincerely believed that all women benefited from seeing one of their gender enter a male arena. In taking on the business world, publishing, religion, and politics, all the male-dominated institutions of her day, she broke many boundaries. Society punished her harshly. Indeed, it all but succeeded in erasing her name from history. (from the author's note at the end)
I didn't so much care for some aspects of her life (the mystic/spiritualism she claimed to make money, her divorcing (although the book doesn't go into details and there might be more to the story) two husbands, marrying a third, a rich English man.
This is written by Kathleen Krull, who recently passed away. She was an excellent author of children's biographies.
***
"The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age." -Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927)
There were wild women in the Wild West... and throughout most of history.
But the America of the mid-1800s laced itself up tight. Personal ambition in a woman was thought to be evil. Childbearing and housekeeping were her duties. No college was open to her. Respectable jobs were mostly dreary, and any wages paid to a married woman went straight to her husband. If she divorced, she could lose her children, property, and reputation.
Heavy dresses dragged her down, with waists cinched tight enough to cause serious health problems. Many male doctors believed all women were diseased and wouldn't examine them. The quieter and more sickly she was, the more attractive. A woman could not vote, serve on juries, or testify in court. No law stopped a husband or father from hitting her—though some laws spelled out how big an object could be used. Law, medicine, business, education, religion, politics, and even fashion all reined women in. It would take someone wild to break free.
A woman named Victoria Woodhull tried. (from the introduction)
***
"To be perfectly frank," she once told reporters, "I hardly expected to be elected. The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age... and the unenlightened mind of the average man."
But she did open doors. "If my political campaign for the Presidency is not successful," she proposed, "it will be educational." She sincerely believed that all women benefited from seeing one of their gender enter a male arena. In taking on the business world, publishing, religion, and politics, all the male-dominated institutions of her day, she broke many boundaries. Society punished her harshly. Indeed, it all but succeeded in erasing her name from history. (from the author's note at the end)
February 27, 2026
This is a woman that I never knew existed....and I have read about many woman that sought equal rights for all women.
"The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age" Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927)
Women during the time period in which Victoria lived had no rights...personal ambition was considered "evil". Colleges would not accept women, and if a woman had a job, her salary went directly to her husband if she was married. If she divorced, she lost everything, including her children, property, and reputation.
Victoria saw more in the future for women.
Her father was abusive, and she and her sister, Tennessee, ran away and went place to place preaching and staging se'ances. at 14 she became ill, fell in love with her doctor, Canning Woodhull, and married him.
At one time she was a millionaire. She eventually went broke. She married several times. She had 2 children.
She and her sister owned the first female-owned American company in the business of buying and selling stocks. She began speaking out at women's rights meetings, attracting the attention of many famous suffragettes. She and her sister formed their own newspaper. She worked on getting her name on every state ballot to run for president in the election of 1872, she lost to Ulysses Grant.
She tried to set up The Equal Rights Party. She even spent some time in jail.
Society was not accepting of her ideas, was harsh toward her, and she became an unknown. Until now.
"The truth is I am too many years ahead of this age" Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927)
Women during the time period in which Victoria lived had no rights...personal ambition was considered "evil". Colleges would not accept women, and if a woman had a job, her salary went directly to her husband if she was married. If she divorced, she lost everything, including her children, property, and reputation.
Victoria saw more in the future for women.
Her father was abusive, and she and her sister, Tennessee, ran away and went place to place preaching and staging se'ances. at 14 she became ill, fell in love with her doctor, Canning Woodhull, and married him.
At one time she was a millionaire. She eventually went broke. She married several times. She had 2 children.
She and her sister owned the first female-owned American company in the business of buying and selling stocks. She began speaking out at women's rights meetings, attracting the attention of many famous suffragettes. She and her sister formed their own newspaper. She worked on getting her name on every state ballot to run for president in the election of 1872, she lost to Ulysses Grant.
She tried to set up The Equal Rights Party. She even spent some time in jail.
Society was not accepting of her ideas, was harsh toward her, and she became an unknown. Until now.
May 11, 2021
This was a wonderful short biography with appealing watercolor art.
I personally have not heard of Victoria Woodhull or her achievements. This book was a great stepping off place to learn about her, elections during the time period, and the lack of women's rights. This book would be a great read aloud for more advanced readers in higher grades, and I think it would make for some good historical discussions and beginner discussions on feminism.
I personally have not heard of Victoria Woodhull or her achievements. This book was a great stepping off place to learn about her, elections during the time period, and the lack of women's rights. This book would be a great read aloud for more advanced readers in higher grades, and I think it would make for some good historical discussions and beginner discussions on feminism.
December 19, 2017
i was reading an article and found out about this lady! how cool was she. every lil girl should learn about her. she was very brave and hardworking. i am amazed that she did what she did in her day and age. she was quite a woman.
February 1, 2019
This book tells the educational but bittersweet story of the first woman who ran for president in the 1872 election. Although Woodhull lost to Grant, her story is nonetheless moving and powerful. This is a great book for children, especially little girls, to read.
August 17, 2018
I'd never heard of this woman! Well written picture book biography.
September 21, 2019
This was fascinating!
October 4, 2013
I had never heard of Victoria Woodhull before reading this book. I was amazed that this courageous woman's story was not passed down at all. I thought that Sarah Palin was the first woman to run for presidency, but Victoria Woodhull really made a great effort. I was so eager to spread the word of this with my fourth graders for empowerment. Woodhull ran for presidency before women could even vote and gathered many supporters. I am just so impressed with this woman and have already passed it on to a girl in my class who was reading a fiction story about a girl running for presidency. My hope is to introduce biographies that are very interesting, such as this one, in order to turn at least some of my 28 fourth graders on to biographies. In library time, they all stay away from biographies unless they book is about a current celebrity. However, this, along with many other biographies about people from the past are just so well written and about courageous or absolutely crazy events. I really think this is one book that will help in my goal!
October 28, 2014
Krull’s story about the first women who ran for president was interesting. Her name was Victoria Woodhull and this book talks about the struggles that Victoria went through to be the first women to run for presidency. She started out by forming the first-female owned American company in business then one day while at lunch was thinking about how it was unfair that women had no rights and decided to change that mentality. One day Victoria is speaking at a women’s rights meeting and found out that there were no laws that kept women out of public office and decided to run for presidency and that’s pretty much how the story ends. This nonfiction book is in the form of a biography, traditional narrative history that is intended for children in grades first through third grade. According to the checklist this book covers all aspects three out of four in the illustrations section, five out of seven in the story section and six out of eight in cultural considerations. This relates to my topic because it is women’s rights and women activist.
April 1, 2013
Krull, K. (2004). A Women for President. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company Inc.
Sub group: Discrimination
Genre: Biography
Topics: laws, voting, women’s rights
Synopsis:
This is a great biography about a women who wanted to make a difference for women’s rights. Victoria was the first woman to do a lot of things in her time. One day, the sisters decided to have dinner at a fancy restaurant and were escorted out because they did not have a man at their table, so the waiter and manger refused to serve them. Victoria wanted change and started to speak at conferences and women’s right movements. Although women could not vote, Victoria sent a notice to congress announcing herself as a presidential candidate.
Sub group: Discrimination
Genre: Biography
Topics: laws, voting, women’s rights
Synopsis:
This is a great biography about a women who wanted to make a difference for women’s rights. Victoria was the first woman to do a lot of things in her time. One day, the sisters decided to have dinner at a fancy restaurant and were escorted out because they did not have a man at their table, so the waiter and manger refused to serve them. Victoria wanted change and started to speak at conferences and women’s right movements. Although women could not vote, Victoria sent a notice to congress announcing herself as a presidential candidate.
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August 29, 2014Victoria Woodhull pushed the boundaries of the traditional roles for women. As a young child, she supported her family as a child preacher. She traveled with her sister, telling fortunes and connecting with the spirits. After giving good advice to The Vanderbilts, she became rich. She opened the first female-owned American company in the business of buying and selling stocks. later she began speaking on women's rights and even ran for president of the United States.
This book had a good balance of information and pictures for students who are becoming acquainted with the biography genre. Since the subject matter is so unusual, I think most readers would find this biography very interesting.
This book had a good balance of information and pictures for students who are becoming acquainted with the biography genre. Since the subject matter is so unusual, I think most readers would find this biography very interesting.
November 4, 2012
Another terrific picture book biography from Kathleen Krull. Have you heard the story of Victoria Woodhull, a woman "...too many years ahead of this age" ? I hadn't, and was amazed by her story. She fought her way up from abject poverty to become a wealthy, successful woman: successful channel to the spirit world, publisher, and presidential candidate. All in the late 19th century before woman could vote!
A early proponent of equal rights, she stood up for what she believed in and it cost her. She served time in jail and eventually left the country.
This would be a good one to include in any study of suffrage or civil rights.
A early proponent of equal rights, she stood up for what she believed in and it cost her. She served time in jail and eventually left the country.
This would be a good one to include in any study of suffrage or civil rights.
October 17, 2013
I think this is an awesome book and definitely informational to read to the students. I was not aware of Victoria Woodhull before this book and now I am so inspired and wish that I could have known her. She ran for president before women could even vote, she did not let anything hold her back. This is a good lesson of being determined and not letting anything keep you from going after what you want. I think she is a strong woman, and one that females can look up to. I really enjoyed the illustrations as well, they brought the book together well.
April 29, 2016
Victoria Woodhull lived during the late 1800's and early 1900's. She had a tough childhood but soon was able to get out of it by marrying a doctor. She eventually finds her self in New York as a stock broker with millions of dollars. She is very passionate about women's rights and even though women didn't have the right to vote at this time, she decided to run for president.
I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of Victoria Woodhull before and I thought it was a very interesting story. I would put this book in my classroom.
I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of Victoria Woodhull before and I thought it was a very interesting story. I would put this book in my classroom.
March 9, 2008
An inspirational biography on Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president. Woodhull was a fascinating woman who lived in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. She grew up dirt poor and as a child supported her parents and nine brothers and sisters as a travelling preacher and psychic. She was an instrumental suffragist, a clairvoyant, a journalist, and a stockbroker. She lived her life carpe diem and died in England at age 89.
December 1, 2008
grades 2-6
fluent
independent/guided reading
non-fiction biographical
civil or human rights,poverty, death, gender, abuse,religion
strong character/female pioneer
based on victoria woodhull,mid to late 1800's to early 1900's
she ran for president in 1870, women's equal rights, female politician & business owner. She was a feminist, suffragist, child preacher, owned newspaper, seat in stock exchange, address congress
fluent
independent/guided reading
non-fiction biographical
civil or human rights,poverty, death, gender, abuse,religion
strong character/female pioneer
based on victoria woodhull,mid to late 1800's to early 1900's
she ran for president in 1870, women's equal rights, female politician & business owner. She was a feminist, suffragist, child preacher, owned newspaper, seat in stock exchange, address congress
May 19, 2011
My fourth graders were fascinated by the life of this woman who believed so passionately in equal rights that she put her name on the presidential ballot almost 50 years before women could even legally vote. Kathleen Krull does a wonderful job of making life stories of little-known heroes accessible to kids.
December 5, 2014
This book was a great read for someone wanting to understand more about the early years in women's rights. Little is talked about Victoria Woodhull, so this book is very informing and interesting. This book is for older grades, possibly 5th grade and up. The illustrations are not very strong and I don't believe they help the story come alive.
November 20, 2015
"Go where we may in the land, we see inequality and justice." What a fantastic book! If only Victoria Woodhull was running in the upcoming election--she'd have my vote by a landslide. Very interesting to read about how times were like in the 1800s. We've truly come such a long way. This book made my belief in equal rights even stronger.
July 29, 2016
Pulled this off the shelf today in advance of the party acceptance speech of what may well be our first woman president ...maybe a timely read-aloud. It is a curious story, but I think students will like it. I certainly enjoy finding out and sharing all these (not so accidentally) hidden parts of our history. Large format and beautiful illustrations will give it enough presence for a group.
May 14, 2008
What a neat story! Victoria Woodhull not only was the first woman to run for president (sorry Hilary), she also ran her own company selling and buying stocks. A powerful woman with ideas way ahead of her time. She is from Ohio too, so a great biography for kids who need famous Ohioans.
November 10, 2014
The story of Victoria Woodhull and her strive for women's rights in the United States. It was written in a strange way; kind of boring. It would be good to use when discussing inequality in the United States, and/or Women's Rights in the United States.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews