Elsie Lincoln (Vandergrift) Benedict (1885-1970) stands as a luminary in American history, her eloquence and influence in the suffrage movement and as one of the most popular speakers of the 1920s leaving an indelible mark on over three million people. Her insights into human potential predate and parallel the works of Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie, positioning her as a pioneer in personal development and psychology.Raised in Montrose, Colorado, Elsie's academic excellence at Denver University and the University of Boulder led her to study psychology, anthropology, and law, becoming a lawyer by the age of nineteen-a rare feat for a woman of her time. Her unmatched skill in public speaking made her the first woman on an intercollegiate debate team, earning twelve gold medals for eloquence and intellect.Elsie's early career included being appointed by Governor John F. Shafroth as official reporter for the Colorado Senate before she rose to become the Political Editor of the Denver Post. During this period, she met her future husband and intellectual partner, Ralph Paine Benedict, with whom she shared a profound, four-year long-distance courtship.Her unwavering commitment to women's rights led her to cut short her honeymoon in 1914 to rejoin the suffrage movement, addressing crowds of over 10,000 with such power that she earned national recognition and the endorsement of Carrie Chapman Catt.In the years leading up to World War II, Elsie delivered influential lectures on the law of attraction and founded Brainology, one of the earliest scientific mind training courses. Her leadership in the Benedict School of Opportunity and the International Opportunity League helped shape modern education and motivational practices. Before the age of thirty, Elsie had become a self-made millionaire, traveling to fifty-five countries, experiences that inspired her book Our Trip Around the World and led to building her cobblestone cottage in Carmel Highlands. A pivotal moment came in 1932 during a lecture tour in Australia, where she adopted an eleven-year-old boy, "Elson" (Elsie's Son), and retired from public speaking to dedicate herself to motherhood, guiding Elson to become the youngest student admitted to CalTech.Elsie Lincoln Benedict's enduring legacy lives on through her writings and the Elsie Lincoln Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship at Denver University. Today, her work is republished and shared by the fourth-generation Benedict family, ensuring her inspirational influence continues to reach and empower new generations, a beacon of enlightenment for those seeking to unlock their potential.
