Trailblazing women on Wall Street
Dear Everyone,
So many of you are well-versed in history.
Yesterday I shared a “fun fact” about Muriel Siebert, and after hearing from several of you, it feels right to set the record straight.
While Siebert was the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, other important women trailblazed before her.
Back in 1870, women’s rights activist Victoria Woodhull (pictured above) opened a brokerage firm with her sister Tennie Claflin: Woodhull, Claflin & Company.
I think we can agree with historians that Woodhull and Claflin were the first women of Wall Street. Woodhull also was the first American woman to run for president, even though, at the time, she was younger than the constitutionally required age of 35.
Thank you to our reader (and esteemed journalist) Eric for first bringing Victoria to our attention.
Another amazing woman of note is Maggie Walker, the first Black female banker. She opened St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, VA in 1903 to help Black families get mortgages, keep money in the community, and become financially empowered.