NAWA History

by Jen Haefeli

In July 1848, abolitionists, suffragists, those who assisted enslaved people via the Underground Railroad, Freemen, and education advocates, convened in Seneca Falls, New York, for what is now referred to as The Women’s Rights Convention. In July 2024, Women’s Rights National Park celebrated Convention Days to mark the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Sentiments and the three-day Convention at Seneca Falls. The Convention occurred at Women’s Rights National Historical Park and featured leaders Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, abolitionist Martha Coffin Wright, Thomas M’Clintock and Mary Ann M’Clintock (Co-founder of Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society). More than 300 men and women assembled at the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls to discuss and debate, and 100 of them ultimately signed the Declaration of Sentiments at the end of the session.

Wesleyan Church, Seneca Falls, New York

The Declaration of Sentiments was a proclamation to chastise men for how women were treated, stating that “all men and women are created equal.” It was read aloud in the Wesleyan Chapel. The Declaration contained 16 demands intended to improve the lives of women. The declaration included principally the rights to education, property ownership, and the right to vote in public elections.

Bronze Sculptures, by Artist Lloyd Lillie, Women’s Rights National Park Museum, Seneca Falls, New York

Another 72 years would elapse before ratification of the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. In 1919, white women were given the right to vote in 36 states at the local and national levels. First Nations women were not allowed to vote until 1957, and Asian, Black, and Latina American women’s rights to vote were withheld until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

Visitors to the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District will find a peaceful space akin to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. There is a wall and fountain with the names of each signer of The Declaration of Sentiments near a modern museum for visitors. The site is managed by the National Park Service. The museum contains a plethora of photos and physical elements charting the progression of women’s rights throughout time. A short film can be seen in the theater. Gallery space on the second floor offers group and special exhibitions curated by National Park Service curators.

“The First Wave,” a set of sculptures dedicated to the leaders of the Convention, created by Lloyd Lillie, resides on the ground floor near the bookstore. Bronze casts with incredible period-appropriate detail, created in life to nearly life-size, allow visitors to walk among the leaders and stand with them for photo opportunities.

The Historic District offers the Storm Center for Reformers, which houses the Howland Stone Store Museum. This museum is the original home of educator, abolitionist, philanthropist, and suffragist pioneer Emily Howland and houses possibly the nation’s largest collection of suffragist posters.

Author at the Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls, New York

Situated directly across the water from the museum, The Women’s Hall of Fame houses a collection of items symbolizing the fight and process women have faced to secure our rights. Located in a historic mill, the Hall of Fame engages with visitors to celebrate the accomplishments of women who change our world. They do this by telling the stories of their honorees and with educational outreach. Upon entering the building, visitors see the Official Torch of the 1977 National Women’s Conference, carried through 14 states across 2,600 miles from Seneca Falls to Houston, Texas, symbolizing the “Torch of Freedom” by hundreds of women. The Hall of Fame has more than 300 inductees, and visitors can become members, nominate someone they feel is deserving, and subscribe to e-blasts for up-to-date information from The Hall. The Women’s Hall of Fame offers exhibition space for solo and group exhibitions via curatorial staff.

A recent exhibition at The Women’s Hall of Fame was “Co-Crafting Democracy: Fiber Arts and Activism”. The exhibition was curated by Better Bayer, Tamar Carroll, Juilee Decker, Hinda Mandell, and Samaya Nasr in conjunction with representative colleagues from The Women’s Hall of Fame. It was installed by RIT students from the College of Liberal Arts and Museum Studies Programs, Dr. James Hall and RIT’s School of Individualized Study, Brandon Brooks and Peter Wisbey of Genesee Country Village & Museum, and Jill Johnson and Izzy Moyer. The collection of works represents 30 artists, exploring and probing the vulnerabilities of citizenship status and challenging the creators to consider positive social change. The collection toured for two years and was seen in several locations. It opened opportunities for dialogue. The exhibition concluded at The Women’s Hall of Fame on August 31, 2024.

Artists Debra Calhoun, Carole Loeffler, Kimberly Rouleau, and Sarah Marsom exhibited their work as part of the Co-Crafting Democracy Exhibition, Women’s Hall of Fame, Seneca Falls, New York

Debra Calhoun