Lucy Stone marries Henry Browne Blackwell, retaining her maiden name.
On May 1, 1855, Lucy Stone married Henry Browne Blackwell in Boston in an act that defied societal conventions of the time. Unlike most women of her era, Stone made the radical decision to keep her surname, challenging the prevailing marital norms and asserting the independence of women in marriage. This decision was seen as provocative and instigated public discourse about women's rights and identity. By choosing not to adopt her husband's name, Stone became a symbol of female autonomy, reinforcing her commitment to gender equality and influencing other women to examine and assert their own rights within the institution of marriage. Her bold stance was an early statement in the feminist movement, emphasizing personal agency and equality within matrimonial frameworks.