In the Allies’ first major offensive in the Pacific theatre during World War II, U.S. Marines on this day in 1942 landed on Guadalcanal and captured the airfield from Japan, sparking a battle that lasted some six months.

TODAY’S PATRIOT

Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906) – A pioneer of the women’s suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony dedicated her life to the fight for equality. She co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association and tirelessly advocated for women’s right to vote, work, and own property. Though she did not live to see the passage of the 19th Amendment, her efforts laid the groundwork for future generations. She was also an abolitionist and a supporter of temperance reform. Anthony’s image now appears on U.S. currency as a tribute to her role in American history.

In 1872, Anthony was arrested for voting illegally in the presidential election. She refused to pay the fine and famously declared in court, “I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty.” She used the trial as a platform, touring the country and using her arrest as evidence that women deserved the right to vote. Her bold act of civil disobedience inspired suffragists for generations to come.