The Lorton Connection to Susan B. Anthony Day

Susan B. Anthony Day has been commemorated every Feb. 15 since 1920. 

Lorton, in fact, has quite a history with women's rights. More than 70 women were jailed, beaten and force-fed at the Occoquan Workhouse in 1917. Passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, was largely influenced by reports that the imprisoned women were severely treated. 

The stories are incredible: Lucy Burns spent the infamous "Night of Terror" at the Occoquan Workhouse with her hands cuffed above her head. Burns, a designated leader, was on the receiving end of the most vicious treatment, including force feedings administered through her nose. 

In honor of the suffragist movement, read Patch's local stories about Lorton women who played a role in it.