Tributes to Suffrage
As a way to commemorate Susan B. Anthony’s birthday on February 15th, I thought I would share a handful of the places I’ve visted which pay tribute to the courageous contributions suffragettes made in the fight for women’s equality in our country. This is just a small sampling as I know there are many more and am always thrilled to hear of places which you have visited - So please send them my way!
"All honor to women, the first disenfranchised class in history who unaided by any political party, won enfranchisement by its own effort alone, and achieved the victory without the shedding of a drop of human blood."
~ Harriet Eaton Stanton Blanch
“Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation.”
~ Abigail Adams (Letter to her husband March 1776)
Seneca Falls, New York
Seneca Falls is home to the Women’s Rights National Historic Park. This location was chosen because of the Seneca Falls Convention, which ocurred on July 19th and 20th in 1848. At this gathering The Declaration of Sentiments was signed by 100 attendees (mostly women). The document was created by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and was stylestically modeled after The Declaration of Independence. The content was a list of sentiments which argue that women do not have equal standing under the law.
There is much to visit in Seneca Falls, the church where the convention was hosted is encircled by a fountain which has enscribed The Declaration of Sentiments. In addition, the National Historic Park has exhibits which go into further detail the women’s equality movements in the United States.
Auburn, New York
The connection between the abolitionist movement and the suffrage movement is clear as many of the leaders were promenent in both causes. Although the seeds of the suffrage movement started long before the Civil War, it gained significant traction during the years of Reconstruction. This connection can be seen in the life of Harriet Tubman who is well known for her courageous efforts to free enslaved people through the Underground Railroad. She became lifelong friends with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Although illiterate, Tubman often spoke at women’s convention sharing beliefs on human rights for all people including the rights for women.
There is a Harriet Tubman National Historic Site - which I have yet to visit. However, in Auburn, New York at the Fort Hill Cemetery, it is worth the time to stop at Tubman’s grave to pay respects and honor all she did for the cause of freedom.
Rochester, New York
About an hour west of Seneca Falls is Rochester, New York which is home to a number of sites commemorating not only leaders in the women’s equality movement but in the abolitionist movement. Rochester became home to some of the country’s most influential and notable abolitionists - namely Frederick Douglas. There is a prominent statue that one can visit to pay tribute to his brilliance on all subjects he addressed. When we visited the statue it happened to be on July 4th so we took the time to listen to Frederick Douglas’ decendents recite “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” which he delivered at Corinithian Hall in Rochester on July 5th 1952. On matters of suffrage, Frederick Douglas was clear and a leader from the beginning. He attended the Seneca Falls Convention and advocated for the right of women to vote eventhough not all attendees of the convention were in agreement on this matter.
Rochester also became the home of Susan B. Anthony and where she and other suffragettes strategized and organized many of the movement’s key events. It was also in Rochester where, in 1872, Anthony illegally voted in the Presidential election and was subsequently arrested and convicted. At the trial she delievered one of her most famous speeches demonstrating that women are not equal with men under the law.
“All of my prosecutors—from the 8th ward corner grocery politician, who entered the complaint, to the United States Marshal, Commissioner, District Attorney, District Judge, your honor on the bench—not one is my peer, but each and all are my political sovereigns;
and had your honor submitted my case to the jury, as was clearly your duty, even then I should have had just cause of protest for not one of those men was my peer; but, native or foreign born, white or black, rich or poor, educated or ignorant, awake or asleep, sober or drunk, each and every man of them was my political superior; hence, in no sense, my peer.”
Anthony’s home is now a museum - however, I have been unable to visit to date, although I have found their online store to be a great resource! Visiting Anthony’s grave is a must as, depending when you visit, you will often find tokens left honoring her legacy as well as many “I Voted” stickers.
Cheyenne, Wyoming
If you ever find yourself on a “Great West Road Trip” or wanting to hit all 50 state capitals, visiting Cheyenne is a must. In front of the state capital is a statue of Esther Hobart Morris, who was appointed the first female justice of the peace in 1870. Wyoming, while still a territory, was the first to allow women the right to vote in 1869. Esther was a lifelong advocate for the equality of women and their right to vote. A statue commemorating her contributions to suffrage is placed in front of the Wyoming State Capital. A replica is also one of the state’s two statues in the United States Capitol building.
Washington, DC
In the United States Capitol building, each state is able to choose two people to be depicted and placed as statues in the building. As mentioned, Esther Horbart Morris is one of the 11 women statues that are included in the collection.
Most recently, the state of Florida replaced a statue of a confederate general with Mary McLeod Berthume who is also the only African American honored in this way. Berthume was an advocate of suffrage and once the 19th Amendment was ratified she fought for the rights of African American women to have voting access. She assisted with paying poll taxes, provided tutoring for voter literacy tests and organized voter drives in African American communtiies. Her life (and friendship with First Lady Eleanor Rosevelt) was recently depicted in the historical fiction novel The First Ladies by Marie Bendict. I loved this book and considered it one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Also in the Capitol rotunda is the Portrait Monument to Locretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. It was a gift from the National Women’s Party and accepted by Congress in 1921. This is a must visit for anyone taking a Capitol tour as, for the longest time, it was the sole statue of women in the Capitol building.
Finally, in 2020, Congress passed a resolution establishing a monument to be built to Women’s Suffrage in Washington, DC on federal land. However, there continues to be debate on where to place the memorial.
Knoxville, Tennesse
Once the 19th Amendment was passed by Congress, 3/4 of states needed to ratify and Tennessee became the final battleground for suffrage. The events in August of 1920 are wonderfully described in the book The Woman’s Hour by Elaine Weiss. Interestingly some of the most compelling events happened in or around the train station - which is now a Mariott Hotel. Sean and I stayed there in 2017 and I highly recommend.
In 2006, the people of Tennessee placed a commemorative statue in Knoxville, Tennessee dedicated to the women who fought in 1920 for the ratification of the 19th Amendment. At the time suffragettes from across the country decended upon Tennesse, but this statue appropriately honors the women of Tennessee who were prominent in the suffrage movement.
Of note, I found The Woman’s Hour, to be a great review of the events in Tennessee leading up to the 19th Amendment being ratified. For a more comprehensive survey of the Suffrage movement, I found the book Suffrage by Ellen Carol Dubois to be a great resource. Interestingly many of the leaders in the suffrage movement chronicled the events through having their memoirs and biographies written. Despite the complexities of the movement, I hope that more books will be written utilizing these primary sources in the coming years for todays readers.
I have not yet read The Women’s March by Jennifer Chiaverini yet, but hope to do so soon as I believe the treatment of Ida Wells during this march is important for people to understand. In addition, I would like to read The Religious History of American Women: Reimagining the Past by Catherine Brekus as many of the leaders were devout in their religious faith. I would like to better understand this aspect of the suffragettes as well.
New York, New York
In New York City, there is a memorial to the prominent New York suffragettes in Central Park. This was installed as part of the centineal commemoration of the 19th Amendment being ratified. In addition, and most appropriately, the statue also includes Sojourner Truth along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
However, one place I would certainly recommend walking by in the location of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. This is a tragedy that occurred in 1911 when over 140 people died in a fire. Resulting investigations showed the lack of basic safety standards and working conditions. The site is on the campus of NYU and in 2023 a memorial was dedicated to those who lost their lives.
I think this event is demonstrative of why women gaining the right to vote was so imperative. Whether outside the home or inside the home, women neededto have equal standing under the law in order to secure proper protections. This is a cause that is still fought today and for those fighting this fight, it is good and right to remember the courage and sacrifice of the women who have blazed the trail. May we continue their legacy.
