Women's Rights: Amelia Bloomer - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Amelia Bloomer

Seneca Falls, NY

N 42° 54.537 W 076° 48.096

Short Description: 

A statue of American advocate for women's rights, Amelia Bloomer, is located in the Ludivico Sculpture Trail in Seneca Falls, NY.

Long Description:

Amelia Jenks was born May 27, 1818 in Homer, NY. She married Dexter Bloomer when she was 22 years old. Her husband encouraged her to write for the local newspaper, the Seneca County Courier. One year after attending the Seneca Falls Convention women's rights convention in 1848, she became to first woman to own and edit the first newspaper for women, The Lily. Her publication promoted less restrictive clothing standards for women. The result was a style of women's dress that to this day are called bloomers.

In May 1851, by chance on the streets of Seneca Falls, Amelia Bloomer had the opportunity to introduced Susan B. Anthony to Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The resulting friendship forever changed to course of women's rights in America which resulted in passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution on August 26, 1920.

In 1852, Amelia Bloomer moved to Council Bluffs, IA. There she was a leader in the suffrage movement, in Nebraska and Iowa. She and served as president of the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association from 1871 to 1873. She died in Iowa on December 30, 1894.

A life size bronze statue of Amelia Bloomer stand on a bronze plinth set on a 4' square concrete base. Amelia Bloomer is wearing a round broad brimmed hat with a strap around her chin, a long jacket, scarf, blouse with ruffled cuffs, and a knee length dress. She is standing with both hands by her sides.

The the base contains a plaque which identifies the subject, artist, and date. It is inscribed:

AMELIA BLOOMER

BY CHERRY RAHN

2001