Belva Lockwood (1830-1917) was the first American female attorney and the first woman to run for president of the United States. She refused to accept discriminatory laws and asserted her right as a woman to plead cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Lockwood waged a lifelong battle to attain equal rights for women, Native Americans, African Americans, and immigrants.

Belva Lockwood was born Belva Ann Bennet on October 24, 1830 in Royalton, New York. She was the daughter of farmers, Lewis and Hannah Bennet, and was raised in the hills of western New York. As a child, she loved history and dreamed of becoming a teacher. At the age of 14, Lockwood graduated from the local public school and spent the summer teaching for $7 a week. She saved her money and used it to pay tuition at the Girls Academy in Royalton, New York. She graduated at 18 and married Uriah...