From Camping to Glamping: Seneca Falls/Waterloo NY Women's Rights National Park

May 19, 2017
Seneca Falls and Waterloo, NY
Women's Rights National Historical Park

We drove through New York last year and didn't really have a plan, so we drove right past the turn for Seneca Falls and the memorials to the early women's rights movement. We decided then to come back this year and learn more. Our first stop on this mission was the Women's Rights National Historical Park.

The Wesleyan Chapel... Where the First Women's Rights Convention met. The church was a local haven for antislavery activity, political rallies, and free speech events.

In the lobby of the visitor's center is a bronze statue exhibit called, "The First Wave." We are Standing next to Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglas.

The exhibit without us.
This exhibit was sculpted in clay by Lloyd Lillie and two assistants from Boston University, using photographs and live models to create the movement, facial expressions, and size. It was then cast in bronze at a foundry owned and operated by a woman.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton
She spearheaded the call for the Woman's Rights Convention and wrote the first draft of the "Declaration of Sentiments." Now she is known as one of the most important and persistent leaders of human rights in US history.
Frederick Douglass
He was a former slave and abolitionist. He published the "North Star" newspaper, one of only a few African American anti-slavery newspapers in the US. He was a prominent orator and seconded Elizabeth's controversial motion for the right of women to vote. He was also the most photographed American of the 19th century.

Lucretia and James Mott
They were influential Quaker abolitionists and merchants from Philadelphia. The Motts refused to sell slave made products, including cotton and sugar, in their store. Lucretia was also a respected Quaker minister and presented a lecture at the Convention

Mary Ann and Thomas M'Clintock
They were Quaker leaders in reform and abolition who moved to Waterloo in 1836. Mary Anne and Lucretia Mott wrote the Female Anti-Slavery Society's appeal in 1832. The M'Clintock's hosted a meeting in their home where the "Declaration of Sentiments" was written for the Convention. They also refused to sell slave made products in their stores.

Statues representative of other attendees

I got these next two photos from the internet, because somehow, I didn't take any pics of these important people.

Jane and Richard Hunt
They were Waterloo philanthropists who supported human rights. They hosted a tea party which led to the call for the Convention.

Martha Wright
She participated in the Convention while pregnant with her seventh child. She later had a distinguished career in human rights, held offices in women's rights associations, and presided over several conventions. She was Lucretia Mott's sister.

Could have been a cartoon in the early 1800's, still holds true in the 2000's

Sojourner Truth

Taken from http://www.voicesofyouth.org
DECLARATION OF EQUALITIES FOR MUSLIM WOMEN
O humanity! Be God fearing of your Lord Who created you from a single soul and, from it, created its spouse and from them both disseminated many men and women. And be God fearing of God through Whom you demand rights of one another and the wombs, the rights of blood relations. Truly, God had been watching over you. (4:1) Qur’an When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of society to assume among the people of the earth a legally different position from that which they have hitherto been afforded under the laws of many nations, but one to which the passage of time, the nature of equality and equity entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of the legal, scholarly society requires that they should insist upon the rights that will impel them to such a course. We hold these truths to be indisputable: that all society is equal, and all women as members of society are worthy of the rights we here demand. Whenever any system of law becomes destructive to these ends, it is the responsibility of those in the legal and scholarly community to refuse allegiance to an unjust system, and insist upon the institution of a new framework, laying its foundations on such principles that will affect equality and just treatment for all of society. Tradition and caution, indeed, will dictate that laws long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly, history has shown that society will continue on as it always has, and the quiet voices of those oppressed will continue to be drowned out by the loud voices of their oppressors, and become accustomed to it. But it is the duty of those who hear all voices, who are dedicated to representing the rights of all as individuals, to initiate a new dialogue. We here speak for women who’s voices have not been heard. Such has been the patient suffering of women under this legal system, and it is now our responsibility, the voices of impartial law, to demand equal station to which women are entitled. We insist upon the right of self determination for all women, to ensure her rights as an individual to make decisions for her own life are paramount. For from this right, all other rights can grow; and We insist that women have the opportunity to gain permanent custody of children subsequent to divorce, and to ensure the mother is considered an equally suitable option to create a stable family unit; and We insist that prosecution of crimes against women be swift and neutral, to ensure that woman shall no longer be harmed or killed in the name of “honor” at the hands of their male community members; and We insist that crimes such as stoning, burning, acid pouring, and mutilation not only be illegal and punishable, but the perpetrators be publicly prosecuted by the courts; and We insist that women and girls gain greater access to education and all attacks directed at blocking female children from attending school are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure women have the opportunity to achieve intellectual growth and fulfillment; and We insist that restrictions on women’s employment be removed, to ensure woman the opportunity to participate freely in their nation’s economy and be afforded economic independence; and We insist upon gender neutral inheritance rights, to ensure that women no longer statutorily inherit less than their male family members from their common ancestors; and We insist that women gain equal rights to citizenship and nationality, to ensure that their status as citizens of their nation is protected as an independent individual; and We insist that women have equal rights and opportunity to end the marital relationship; and We insist that women do not require permission to travel; and Now, in view of this legal disfranchisement of millions of Muslim women of this world—in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because these Muslim women are systematically aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their human rights by their governments, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as members of humanity. In entering this great work before us, we anticipate no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every instrumentality within our power to obtain our objective. We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions, embracing every part of the Muslim world. Firmly relying upon the final triumph of the Right and the True, we do this day affix our signatures to this declaration. O humanity! Truly, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and types that you recognize one another. Truly, the most generous of you with God is the most devout. Truly, God is Knowing, Aware. (49:13) Qur’an

I'm glad corsets like these are not in use today. It makes me hurt, just to look at a consumptive waist. God bless the bloomer generation.

As the 19th amendment made its way through the approval process, the National Woman's Party sewed a star on their "ratification banner" after each state ratified the amendment. They needed 36.

The suffrage banner was created by the National Woman's Party during the campaign for the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. This amendment was ratified in 1920 and gave women the right to vote.

The colors used were: Purple for Justice, White for Purity of Intent, and Gold for Courage. The Stars represent the 36 states that ratified the amendment.

The banner served as a symbol for the woman's suffrage movement.