Seneca Falls, NY and Women's Rights National Historical Park Site

Frederick Douglass, center, a freed Maryland slave, attended many women's rights rallies, believing that “Right is of no sex, truth is of no color,” Douglass urged an immediate end to slavery and supported Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and other women’s rights activists in their crusade for woman suffrage.

Visited the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York. Was a fascinating visit, loaded with bits of information that made it more than just an ordinary historic site. Be sure to explain to the kids that before these rallies-- and for many years after-- women didn't own property, couldn't vote and had little legal power. See if they can fathom that.

 If you can't visit the numerous sites throughout  the Red Lion-sized town at the north end of  New York's Cayuga Lake, check out the historic park's website. It's loaded with biographies of men and women involved with the movement, a timeline and interesting stories. For example, only Charlotte Woodward attended the convention in 1848 and lived long enough to vote in 1920.

The Women's Rights Movement was closely tied to the anti-slavery movement at the time, but  in 1870 the Fifteenth Amendment passed, saying: The right of citizens of the United States to vote and hold office shall not be denied or abridged by any State on the account of race, color, nativity, property, creed or previous condition of servitude.

Women didn't get the vote until 50 years later. The trip to equality is, indeed, a long and slow journey. And we continue to walk it.

 From the website-- In 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and four other women invited the public to the First Women's Rights Convention to discuss expanding the role of women in America. At the end of the two days, 100 people made a public commitment to work together to improve women’s quality of life. Photo above left--During a recent wind and rain storm, the Stanton House, a part of the historic site, was narrowly missed by downed limbs from a massive chestnut tree in the front yard. Stanton owned the house, something not usually done by females in the mid-1800's.
 
Somewhat overshadowed in popular memory by her long time colleague Susan B. Anthony, Stanton was for many years the architect and author of the movement's most important strategies and documents.

Martha C. Wright wrote: …We have been expending our sympathies, as well as congratulations, on seven newly arrived slaves that Harriet Tubman has just pioneered safely from the Southern Part of Maryland.--One woman carried a baby all the way and bro’t [sic] two other chld’n that Harriet and the men helped along.

Tubman's home is in Auburn, New York, about 15 miles from Seneca Falls.