Women's Rights: Frederick Douglass - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Frederick Douglass

Seneca Falls, NY

Fredrick Douglass

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

A statue of Fredrick Douglass is located on the first floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Fredrick Douglass

Long Description:

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland in 1817. In 1838 he escaped and fled to New York City. An eloquent speaker, he joined the abolitionist movement in 1841 where often was a speaker for the American Anti-Slavery Society. In 1847 he moved to Rochester, NY, and published the North Star, a weekly abolitionist newspaper.

Douglass became one of the most famous abolitionist and advocate for and women’s rights. He urged an immediate end to slavery and vigorously supported Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and other leaders of the women’s rights movement.

In July of 1848, James M’Clintock invited Fredrick Douglass to attend the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY, held on July 19-20, 1848. Douglass readily accepted, and his participation at the convention revealed his commitment to woman suffrage. He used his newspaper to press the case for women’s rights. In an issue of the North Star published shortly after the convention, Douglass wrote,

"In respect to political rights, we hold woman to be justly entitled to all we claim for man. We go farther, and express our conviction that all political rights which it is expedient for man to exercise, it is equally so for women. All that distinguishes man as an intelligent and accountable being, is equally true of woman; and if that government is only just which governs by the free consent of the governed, there can be no reason in the world for denying to woman the exercise of the elective franchise, or a hand in making and administering the laws of the land. Our doctrine is, that “Right is of no sex.”

In 1866 Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony, founded the American Equal Rights Association. Douglass was a strong advocate for the cause of championing the cause of equal rights until his death in 1895.

Life size bronze statues of Fredrick Douglass was created by Lloyd Lillie. She stand at ground level on the second from the left side of the front row along with other members of the First Wave, a sculptural grouping of nineteen women's rights activists. He is dressed in period clothing with a suit with knee-length jacket and vest. He has a sports full head of kinky hair. His right hand is bent up to just below waist level.

Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day). All public programs, tours, exhibits, and film are free to the public.

Women's Rights: Martha Coffin Wright - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Martha Coffin Wright

Seneca Falls, NY

Martha Coffin Wright (on right)

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

A statue of Martha Coffin Wright is located on the first floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Martha Coffin Wright 

Long Description:

Martha Coffin was born on December 25, 1806 in Boston, MA. She was the youngest of eight children and the sister of Lucretia Coffin Mott. Her first marriage ended after two years with the death of her husband, Peter Pelham. They had one child. She moved to Auburn, NY, married David Wright, and had six more children.

Martha, like her more famous sister Lucretia, was an ardent abolitionist. Her home in Auburn was a station in the underground railroad. When Martha was pregnant with her seventh child she and her sister Lucretia attended the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY on July 19-20, 1848. Martha went on to participated in many state and national women’s rights conventions. She was secretary of the 1852 and 1856 National Women’s Rights Conventions, served as an officer at the 1853 and 1854 National Women’s Rights Conventions, presided over the National Women’s Rights Convention in 1855 in Ohio, and the 1855 New York State Women’s Rights Convention in Saratoga.

Life size bronze statues of Martha Coffin Wright was created by Lloyd Lillie. She stand at ground level along with other members of the First Wave, a sculptural grouping of nineteen women's rights activists. She is dressed in period clothing with a long dress which is belted high around her waist, a ribbon around her neck, and a bonnet in her hair that has a rose on the left side. She is holding a handkerchief in her left hand. She stands to the left of an unidentified person who has her hand in Martha Wright's arm.

Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day). All public programs, tours, exhibits, and film are free to the public.

Women's Rights: Lucretia Coffin Mott and James Mott - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Lucretia Coffin Mott and James Mott

Seneca Falls, NY

James and Lucretia Mott

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

Statues of Lucretia Coffin Mott and James Mott are located on the first floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Lucretia Mott

James Mott

Long Description:

Lucretia Coffin was born on January 3, 1793 on Nantucket Island, MA as the second child of a Quaker family. James Mott was born on June 20, 1788 in North Hempstead, NY. They met when James was a teacher at the Nine Partners Boarding School in Millbrook, NY. On April 10, 1811, Lucretia and James Mott were married in Philadelphia. Lucretia is an older sister of Martha Coffin Wright.

In 1833 Lucretia Mott and James Mott, along with Mary Ann M’Clintock and many others formed the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. Lucretia and James represented the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society to the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. There Lucretia met Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Mott and Stanton were excluded from participating due to their gender. This inspired the idea of a woman’s rights convention which was held eight years later in Seneca Falls, NY on July 19-20, 1848. The convention was organized by Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Ann M’Clintock, Martha Coffin Wright, and Jane Hunt. James Mott was the chairman of a session of the the convention. Both Lucretia and James signed the convention's Declaration of Sentiments.

Lucretia and James Mott wre very active in both the abolition and women’s rights movements. After the Civil War, in 1866, Lucretia became the first president of the American Equal Rights Association an advocacy group for achieving equality for both African Americans and women.

Life size bronze statues of Lucretia and James Mott were created by Lloyd Lillie. The couple stand at ground level along with other members of the First Wave, a sculptural grouping of nineteen women's rights activists. Lucretia is dressed in period clothing with a long dress and full bonnet covering her hair. She has her arms folded across her waist. James stands to her right. He is wearing a knee length jacket and vest and is standing with his arms by his side.

Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day). All public programs, tours, exhibits, and film are free to the public.

Women's Rights: Jane and Richard Hunt - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Jane and Richard Hunt

Seneca Falls, NY

Jane and Richard Hunt on the left.

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

Statues of Jane and Richard Hunt are located on the first floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Jane Hunt

Richard Hunt

Long Description:

Jane Clothier Master was born in Philadelphia, PA, on June 26, 1812 into a Quaker family. Richard Pell Hunt, also a Quaker, was born September 2, 1797 Pelham, NY. He came to Waterloo, NY in 1821 and became the richest resident. Jane married Richard in 1845 and moved to Waterloo, NY. Jane was Richard's fourth wife after the previous three died. Richard brought three children into the marriage. Jane gave birth to a son on June 23, 1848.

Both Jane and Richard attended the Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls that took place on July 19-20, 1848. Jane, along with Mary Ann M'Clintock, Martha Wright, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was an organizer of the convention. One of the planning sessions was held on July 9, 1848 in the Hunt's home. Both Jane and Richard signed the the convention's Declaration of Sentiments. Richard's adult children also signed the Declaration. Richard Pell Hunt died November 7, 1856. Jane, now a wealthy widow with six children, remained active in community affairs and gave generously to the town of Waterloo. She died while in Chicago on November 28, 1889 at aged 77. Richard and Jane are buried together in Maple Grove Cemetery in Waterloo.

Life size bronze statues of Jane and Richard Hunt were created by Lloyd Lillie. The couple stand at ground level along with one unidentified member (possibly one of Hunt's children) of the First Wave, a sculptural grouping of nineteen women's rights activists. Jane is dressed in period clothing with a long dress that has over sized sleeves, a belt at the waist, and a medallion at the neckline. She has her right hand near her stomach and carries a fan by her side in her left hand. Richard stands to her left in the middle of the grouping. He is wearing a jacket. His left hand is on his lapel.

Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day). All public programs, tours, exhibits, and film are free to the public.

Women's Rights: Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights 

Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock

Seneca Falls, NY

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

Statues of Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock located on the first floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Thomas M'Clintock

Mary Ann M'Clintock

Long Description:

Statues of Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock are part of the sculptural group "The First Wave" that contains sculptures of 19 early supporters of women's rights movement.

Mary Ann M’Clintock and her husband Thomas M'Clintock were Quakers living in Philadelphia early in the 19th century. They had four daughters and a son. By 1833, Mary Ann M’Clintock, along with Lucretia Mott became founding members of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society.

In 1836 the family moved to Waterloo, New York, where her half-sister lived. They became joined other local Quaker abolitionists, including Richard and Jane Hunt and George and Margaret Pryor.

In 1842, they attended the annual convention of the American Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, NY where Both Thomas and Mary Ann became founding members of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society along with Frederick Douglass, Jane and Richard Hunt, Isaac and Amy Post, George and Margaret Pryor.

On July 9, 1848, Mary Ann became an organizer of the First Woman’s Rights Convention. She, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, drafted the Declaration of Sentiments that was read, discussed, and ratified in the Wesleyan Chapel. The couple also founded the Progressive Friends also known as the Friends of Human Progress.

Life size bronze statues of Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock were sculpted by Lloyd Lillie. They stand at ground level along with other members of the First Wave. Both are dressed in period clothing. Thomas is standing to the right of Mary Ann. he is wearing a long frock coat, vest, and top hat. He is supporting himself with a cane in his right hand. Mary Ann has her right hand in Thomas' left arm and looking up at him. She is wearing a hair bonnet, shawl, high collared blouse, and a long dress with a belt around her waist.

Women's Rights: Sojourner Truth - Seneca Falls, NY

Women's Rights

Sojourner Truth

Seneca Falls, NY

N 42° 54.637 W 076° 48.010

Short Description: 

A statue of African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist is located in the Women's Rights National Historic Park at 136 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY.

Long Description:

Sojourner Truth was was an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. In 1797, she was born a slave in Ulster County New York and given the name Isabella . She worked for a series of five masters while raising five children. When slavery ended in New York in 1827, she settled in New York City.

A deeply religious woman, Isabella took the name Sojourner Truth after God spoke to her. She was 46 years old when she set out walking and preaching through Long Island and Connecticut. Eventually she reached Massachusetts and joined the Northampton Association of Education and Industry. There she began speaking out for the abolition of slavery and for women's rights.

After the disbandment of the Northampton Association, Samuel L. Hill and others founded the factory village of Florence. With Hill's help, Sojourner Truth bought her own home on Park Street. Unable to read or write, Truth dictated her story to a neighbor. The Narrative of Sojourner Truth was published in 1850. She became well-known as an orator, singer, evangelist, abolitionist and reformer, selling her Narrative and photographs of herself throughout the nation. Her best-known speech on gender inequalities, "Ain't I a Woman?", was delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention.

In 1857, she moved to Harmonia, MI. During the Civil War she helped recruit black troops for the Union Army. In 1867 she moved to Battle Creek, MI and continued her mission as an advocate for women's rights. She died on November 26, 1883. A life size bronze statue of Sojourner Truth is part of an exhibit about her life on the second floor of the Women's Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls. Sojourner Truth is wearing a long dress, buttoned waistcoat, a shawl and a bonnet. She is leaning on a cane held in her right hand. In front of the statue is a panel with the inscription:

Ain't I a Woman?

One of the most powerful antislavery and women's rights speakers, Sojourner Truth, was born a slave in New York. Profoundly Christian, she adopted her name when visions guided her to travel and testify for the Lord.

In a speech before the women's rights convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851, she pointed out the problem with true womanhood: it did not describe the experience of most women. Although a powerful ideal, it was only an ideal.

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