Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution

Synopsis

Eliza Harriot Barons O’Connor, an English-born lecturer, made history in the 1780s as the first woman to deliver a public lecture at the University of Pennsylvania, attended by George Washington and other delegates of the Constitutional Convention. Her work contributed to the gender-neutral language of the United States Constitution and inspired many young American women to pursue higher education and political engagement. By 1792, Harriot's experiences highlighted the growing backlash against women and people of color amid the new political frameworks established by written constitutions.