having moved with her family to boston in 1855, caroline severance was active in the years before the civil war in organizations ranging from the boston anti-slavery society to the new england hospital for women and children. attracted by the powerful sermons of theodore parker in boston, the severances joined the unitarian church. caroline remained active in both local and national women’s rights organizations, which had begun to focus on the subject of woman suffrage. after the war was over, along with many other abolitionist/suffragists, caroline severance split from the more radical suffragists such as elizabeth cady stanton and susan b. anthony over the issue of whether woman suffrage should take precedence over suffrage for black men. while still remaining a committed suffragist, caroline severance began to explore other ideas for the advancement of women.