Spartanburg in Spartanburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Dr. Rosa H. Gantt

Road to the 19th Amendment

— National Votes for Women Trail —

Dr. Rosa H. Gantt Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 7, 2022

1. Dr. Rosa H. Gantt Marker

Inscription. Suffrage leader & physician. A founding member of SC Equal Suffrage League in 1914. Medical offices located on Morgan Square.

Erected 2021 by William G. Pomeroy Foundation. (Marker Number 86.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Science & Medicine • Women. In addition, it is included in the National Votes for Women Trail, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 34° 56.969′ N, 81° 55.916′ W. Marker is in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in Spartanburg County. It is on West Main Street just west of South Church Street (U.S. 221), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 West Main Street, Spartanburg SC 29306, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western

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Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pink Anderson/The Marshall Tucker Band (a few steps from this marker); 101 East Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Buck Trent/David Ball (within shouting distance of this marker); Palmetto Building (within shouting distance of this marker); 135 West Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); To Honor the Memory of These Men (within shouting distance of this marker); Chaser the Border Collie (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Woolworth's Sit In (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spartanburg.

Also see . . .
1. Dr. Love Rosa Hirschmann Gantt.

Dr. Love Rosa Hirschmann Gantt (1874–1935) is thought to be the first woman physician in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She graduated from
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 7, 2022

2. Dr. Rosa H. Gantt Marker
(looking east along Main Street • Church Street in background)
the Medical College of South Carolina in 1901. Gantt established a private practice working as an ear, nose, and throat specialist in Spartanburg, and was also involved in public health initiatives throughout the state.
She was a leader in the fight for suffrage, having been appointed Legislative Chairman of the South Carolina Equal Suffrage League. In 1915, Gantt spoke before the South Carolina House Judiciary Committee to garner support for the submission of a women’s suffrage amendment to the state constitution.

(Submitted on October 7, 2022.)

2. Rosa Hirschmann Gantt: Pioneering Doctor and Suffragette.

In the 33 years she practiced medicine, she left an indelible mark on the health and well-being of Spartanburg County. Along with her private practice, Dr. Gantt pioneered work in public health by dispatching mobile health clinics to rural areas of the state with a dearth of physicians. A highly respected doctor, Gantt served as an officer for the all-male Spartanburg County Medical Society from 1909 to 1918 and was one of the first female members of the Southern Medical Association.
Dr. Rosa Gantt illustrates how Jewish women of her era blended traditional Jewish values with prevailing social and religious ideas. As a member of the South Carolina Equal Suffrage League when it was organized in 1914, Gantt was on the cutting edge of suffragist activity. She was one of the few educated women who became both professionally and politically active—balancing her medical career and her duties as legislative chair of the South Carolina Equal Suffrage League.

(Submitted on October 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 17, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 472 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.