Book excerpt: "We the Women" by Norah O'Donnell

Sunday Morning Book excerpt: "We the Women" by Norah O'Donnell February 20, 2026 / 5:42 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article. In "We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America" (to be published Feb. 24 by Ballantine Books), CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, writing with Kate Andersen Brower, reveal the often-overlooked stories of the "hidden heroines" who fought for freedom and equality in all areas of American life, from the courtroom to the battlefield, from male-dominated corridors of power, to protest movements. Read an excerpt below, and don't miss Mo Rocca's interview with Norah O'Donnell on "CBS Sunday Morning" February 22! "We the Women" by Norah O'Donnell $35 at Amazon Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now. Try Audible for free Introduction On July 4, 1876, celebrations of America's centennial were planned all across the country, with the grandest event taking place in Philadelphia. Thousands stood in the blistering sun to hear the reading of the Declaration of Independence, but a small group of women gathered in America's birthplace had their own patriotic message to deliver. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and other suffragists from across America had been denied the right to participate in the day's activities. Elizabeth had been told by the man in charge that the program was already full, so the women decided that they would have to storm the stage to be heard. Outside Independence Hall, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia — whose grandfather had proposed independence from England a century earlier — read from the original Declaration of Independence, which promised equal rights. When he finished, Susan and four other women rose from the audience and marched their way to the front of the platform, which was adorned in red, white and blue for the holiday. The crowd was caught off guard. Susan encountered no resistance, only the stunned, pa...