Lucy Kennedy Miller

Born into a family of social reformers, Lucy Kennedy Miller and her sister Eliza both attended Winchester Thurston and Vassar College. After returning to Pittsburgh, the sisters joined their parents in advocating for equal rights and women’s suffrage. As a young mother, Lucy Kennedy Miller hosted gatherings of young educated women in Pittsburgh and helped found the Allegheny County Equal Rights Association, later known as the Equal Rights Franchise Federation of Western Pennsylvania. Lucy became president of that group in 1912 and a voice for the cause, often quoted in the newspaper and a leader at public events. Active in statewide efforts, she and Eliza were founding members of the organization that became the League of Women Voters. Lucy served as chairman of Allegheny County’s League and remained an activist against government corruption and for civic causes. She effectively used her talents as a public speaker and organizer to mobilize broad-based support for the cause of suffrage and civic reform.