March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the women who have helped shape society throughout history. While many people may be more familiar with national figures in the women’s suffrage movement, there is one local icon who played an important role in advancing equality.
This trailblazer is Naomi Anderson, a Michigan City native who used her voice to fight for women’s rights and racial justice in the nineteenth century. Her work as a writer, speaker, and activist, although not as widely recognized as that of other suffragettes, helped push the movement forward for equal rights.
As a woman-owned business rooted in Michigan City, it’s important to honor and recognize historic figures such as Naomi Anderson this month and every month. Her service is a powerful reminder that our community has long been home to strong, courageous women who challenged injustice and demanded change.
A Michigan City Local
Naomi Anderson was born on March 1, 1843, in Michigan City, Indiana. At the time, Michigan City only had two black families, the Andersons being one of the two families. Naomi grew up in an environment where racial barriers were a constant reality. She was denied access to public schools. Determined to ensure her daughter received an education, her mother hired a private tutor, where Naomi gained her writing skills.
Her skills as a talented writer and poet caught the attention of the Michigan City community, and at just twelve years old, she was admitted to a previously all-white school. Her foundation of education would shape her future as a powerful advocate for justice.
Her Voice As An Activist
Naomi married William Talbert at the age of twenty, and eventually moved to Chicago. There, she emerged as a powerful voice in the fight for women’s rights and racial equality. She began speaking about women’s suffrage. Anderson delivered a speech at the first Women’s Rights Convention in 1869. The Fifteenth Amendment had just granted black men voting rights, but women of all races were still denied the right to vote. Her speech highlighted the oppression black women faced because they had no political voice. Anderson’s strong words and powerful writing led her to become a recognized figure within the women’s suffrage movement.
A Nationally Recognized Lecturer
Following her powerful speech, Naomi traveled throughout the Midwest and beyond. She delivered lectures on women’s suffrage, temperance, and civil rights. She wrote for newspapers, publishing pieces and poetry that explored the experiences of black women in America. Her work was based on the perspective that denying women the right to vote was a continuation of the injustice that many African Americans had only recently begun to escape after slavery.
Her activism, including authoring more than 100 articles in national publications, earned recognition from suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Anderson’s writing influenced readers across the country, and she was one of the few black female voices appearing in mainstream newspapers in the 19th century.
Activism Beyond Suffrage
Naomi fought for equality in more ways than one. She even helped establish a home for black children after learning that a local orphanage wouldn’t take children of color. Her activism was an example of lifelong commitment to ensuring every community had the support and resources it needed.
A Michigan City Legacy
Naomi passed away more than two decades before the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920. In recent years, our community has begun to reclaim her legacy and celebrate the role she played in the women’s rights movement. Today, she is honored with a public art installation in Michigan City.
The art installation celebrates the life and legacy of Naomi Anderson and was unveiled on March 19th, 2022. The multi-piece steel sculpture was designed by nationally noted artist Bernard Williams. He is known for large works that have hidden narratives and symbols, and he has pieces in multiple cities, including Chicago, Dallas, and Indianapolis. The Naomi Anderson Sculpture lives in Charles R. Westcott Park in Michigan City.
Celebrating Women’s History Month
This Women’s History Month, honoring Naomi’s legacy isn’t just about remembering her contributions, but about recognizing her resilience, strength, and leadership that the women in our community carry with them every day.
For communities like Michigan City and for women-owned businesses that continue to shape our local culture, her story is especially meaningful. Her mission proves that powerful change often begins at the local level, with individuals who care deeply about justice and are willing to stand up for it.
Work Cited:
Hughes, A. S. (2025, February 26). Michigan City celebrates local suffragist Naomi Anderson’s birthday with book, film. South Bend Tribune. https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/local/2025/02/26/suffragist-naomi-anderson-celebrated-in-hometown-of-michigan-city/80276440007/
Library guides: Celebrating Naomi Anderson: Home. Home – Celebrating Naomi Anderson – Library Guides at Purdue University Northwest. (n.d.). https://guides.pnw.edu/celebratingnaomianderson
About the project – Michigan City Public Library. (n.d.). https://www.mclib.org/explore-topics/local-history/naomi-anderson/about-the-project/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, December 19). Naomi Anderson. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomi_Anderson
