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Recent News
The American Association of University Women, Buffalo Branch present The Ninth Annual International Women's Day Celebration and Discussion New citizens sworn in at Wesleyan Chapel Twenty foreign-born U.S. residents took an oath of allegiance and became American citizens in a naturalization ceremony at Women's Rights National Historical Park on August 13, 2009. This was the fourth such ceremony held at the Wesleyan Chapel. Friends Finger Lakes chapter executive committee members Adriene Emmo, Fran Wenderlich and Helen Kirker (L-R) with Citizenship Judge Marian W. Payson at the reception following the naturalization ceremony. For the fourth year in a row, Women's Rights National Historical Park was host to a Naturalization Ceremony for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). On August 13, 2009 20 foreign-born residents, representing 11 different countries, swore an oath and took the pledge of allegiance to become American citizens. The ceremony in the Wesleyan Chapel before the Hon. Marian W. Payson of the U.S. District Court of Western New York was followed by a reception sponsored by the Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park. |
Adriene Emmo honored by New York Senate Adriene Emmo (center) was presented with the New York State Liberty Award by Senator Michael Nozzolio (left) for her longtime contributions to Seneca Falls. Mayor Diana Smith (right) was on hand to offer congratulations. Finger Lakes chapter president and national board member Adriene Emmo was recognized for her longtime contributions to Seneca Falls when she was presented with the New York State Liberty Award by Senator Mike Nozzolio on July 17. The Liberty Award recognizes citizens for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts and achievements, and is the highest award bestowed on civilians by the New York State Senate. Emmo has been the driving force behind most of the community programs in Seneca Falls for years, including “Convention Days” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” celebrations. She is president of the Seneca Falls-Waterloo Kiwanis Club, vice-president of the Society for Mutual Assistance (SMS), and a member of the Board of Directors of the Seneca Falls Museum of Waterways and Industry. A Seneca Falls native, Emmo works as a bankruptcy consultant for Logan and Co. and has been serving as Director of the Seneca Falls Heritage Area for the past three years. In making the presentation, which came as a complete surprise to Emmo during this year’s Convention Days, Senator Nozzolio said: "The New York State Senate Liberty Award is the Senate's highest honor. It is presented to citizens who have merited special commendation for their actions on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers and their community."
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Visitor Center to receive lighting makeover As a result of the federal government's economic stimulus program, the National Park Service will receive $750 million for nearly 800 projects, one of which will be the installation of energy efficient lighting in the Park Visitor Center, which opened in 1993. This project is budgeted for $105,000. In making the announcement, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said the NPS projects are "an investment in telling the story of America to future generations through our national parks by conserving our awe-inspiring landscapes, our rich culture, and our great heritage." Acting NPS Director Dan Wenk said funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will make a difference in our national parks. "We will fix trails, invest in energy efficient vehicles, build new visitor facilities, clean up abandoned mine sites, increase our ability to generate power from the sun, and finally complete overdue maintenance on our buildings and roads," he said. There was no indication when the lighting project at Women's Rights National Historical Park will begin. A full list of NPS projects and their progress can be found on line at www.interior.gov/recovery/nps |
Coline Jenkins reflects on Stanton's legacy In the spring issue of the National Parks Conservation Association magazine, Coline Jenkins, Friends member and great, great granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, wrote about Stanton's legacy, and her hopes to pass the story on to future generations . The article can be accessed online at: http://www.npca.org/magazine/2009/spring/american-woman.html Jenkins was a special guest and speaker at last summer's 160th anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls. |
Friends celebrate Susan B. Anthony's birthday Lynn Sherr and Adriene Emmo Adriene Emmo and Doris Meadows Members of Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park attended the celebration of Susan B. Anthony's 189th birthday at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center on February 11, 2009. Guest speaker Lynn Sherr, award-winning journalist and author of two books on Susan B. Anthony, related stories and anecdotes about the suffragist leader and talked about the gains that women have made in recent years and the challenges that still lie ahead. She noted that while there are national holidays celebrating great American men, there is not yet a day dedicated to the memory and contributions of a great American woman. "We have not yet reached the post-racist and post-feminist stages of our history," Sherr said. The Susan B. Anthony Birthday Luncheon is organized each February by the Susan B. Anthony House of Rochester, a National Historic Landmark which offers tours and programs to perpetuate Anthony's vision of women's rights and equality. Learn more about the Susan B. Anthony House at www.susanbanthonyhouse.org.
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Archived News
Seneca Falls Dialogues provides inspiration for women's rights and human rights issues Seneca Falls Mayor Diana Smith, a member of Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park, served as M.C. for the First Biennial Seneca Falls Dialogues at the New York State Chiropractic College October 11 and 12, 2008. This weekend of "Leadership, Learning and Celebrating Women's Human Rights" was held in conjunction with the 160th anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention, the signing of the Declaration of Sentiments and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The program, which attracted more than 100 participants, featured guest speakers, panel discussions, films and student presentations on a variety of topics related to women's and human rights. Participants also had an opportunity to add their signatures to the book of rededication for the Declaration of Sentiments passed at the 1848 Women's Rights Convention. Conference organizers intend to present this program every two years and establish a Women's Institute for Leadership and Learning as an ongoing educational extension of the Seneca Falls Dialogues. To visit the Seneca Falls Dialogues web site, please click here.
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| Nan Johnson testifies on behalf of Women's History Project Act Nan Johnson, founding President of the Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park, appeared before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands in Washington on September 11, 2008 to advocate on behalf of HR 3114, a bill to authorize the establishment of a "Votes for Women History Trail" in New York State in connection with the WRNHP. To read Nan's testimony, click here. To read a feature on Nan, click here. To learn more about the Women's History Project Act, click here. |
Declaration of Sentiments Rededicated at Women's Rights National Historical Park Coline Jenkins (center), great great granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, is the first to sign the Book of Rededication of the Declaration of Sentiments of 1848 at the 160th anniversary of the Declaration and the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls. Jene Radcliffe-Birch (left), organizier of the ceremony, and Seneca Falls Mayor Diana Smith join in the signing. The Book of Rededication will be on display for members of the public to sign at the Heritage Area Visitor Center, 115 Fall St. (lower level), in Seneca Falls. The Declaration of Sentiments of 1848 were rededicated in a moving ceremony at the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls on Sunday, July 20, 2008 as part of the 160th anniversary celebrations of the first Women's Rights Convention held on that site. Featured speakers included noted women's rights author and advocate Jean Shinoda Bolen, longtime Seneca Falls resident and businesswoman Joyce Sinicropi and Seneca Falls Mayor Diana Smith. The ceremony was preceded by a march of women's rights supporters from the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, principal organizer of the 1848 Convention, past the Ted Aub sculpture "When Anthony Met Stanton" and on to the Wesleyan Chapel at the Women's Rights National Historical Park. The march was led by women's rights historian Dr. Melinda Grube portraying Stanton and Jene Radcliffe-Birch, President of the One Volice Alliance and organizer of the event. To view a slide show of the march and ceremony, click here. To see other Convention Days photos, click here. |
Heroic Girlz receive "In Her Footsteps" award at Friends 10th anniversary celebration
"Heroic Girlz" Emma Parrish Post, Thea Ezinga, Devyn Yurko and Elon Michaud (clockwise from top left) were honored at Friends 10th anniversary celebration July 19, 2008. The four girls who researched and portrayed famous women as 11-year-olds in the stage play and film "Heroic Girlz" were presented with Friends' "In Her Footsteps" award during the celebrations of the 160th anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention July 19, 2008, in Seneca Falls. The ceremony also marked the 10th anniversary of Friends, which was established in 1998 after the 150th anniversary of the Convention. The "In Her Footsteps" award was introduced in 2002 to honor young people who personify the spirit and efforts of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and stand out among their peers as future leaders. The four girls, now 14 and 15, were present with members of their families to accept their awards and an honored page in the "Book of Lives and Legacies" at the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls. "Heroic Girlz" was also featured at the One Voice Alliance film festival in Seneca Falls on July 20. |
Nan Johnson Legacy Project to provide interns for Women's Rights National Historical Park Nan Johnson (center) with members of Friends Finger Lakes Chapter (L-R) Helen Kirker, Adriene Emmo, Mary Luckern and Fran Wenderlich at June 23 kick-off reception. The Nan Johnson Legacy Project was launched at the American Association of University Women House in Rochester, NY on June 23, 2008. The project is an endowment fund established in honor of the founding President of Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park to provide interns year-round at the site of the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, NY. Nan Johnson has been a tireless leader on behalf of political and social causes throughout her career. She served in the Monroe County Legislature from 1976 to 1996, was majority leader in 1978-79, and was the first woman to run for the Monroe County executive. She was founding Director of the Susan B. Anthony University Center at the University of Rochester and in 1998 organized a gala to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, which led to the establishment of the Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park. Nan and her husband Bill, a retired university professor, now live in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. For further information or to donate to the Nan Johnson Legacy Project, please contact Co-chairs Patricia Knapp (pskfpt@yahoo.com) or Lois Niland (lfn5@cornell.edu) or write to: The Nan Johnson Legacy Fund, 494 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. |
Kate Clifford Larson gives inspirational talk on Harriet Tubman at M'Clintock House Professor Kate Clifford Larson of Simmons College in Boston highlighted the Memorial Day weekend program at Women's Rights National Historical Park with an inspirational talk on Underground Railroad hero Harriet Tubman on May 24, 2008 at M'Clintock House in Waterloo, NY. Author of the 2004 definitive biography, "Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero," Larson pointed out that Tubman has not received the recognition she deserves as a true American patriot and that while there are 60 children's books about the former slave, Larson's is only the third full Tubman biography and the first since 1943. To read comments on Larson's book, click here. |
Author Jill Norgren presentation on Belva Lockwood at WRNHP
In her recently published book "Belva Lockwood: The Woman Who Would be President," prize-winning legal historian Jill Norgren recounts, for the first time, the life story of one of the 19th century's most surprising and accomplished advocates for women's rights. Lockwood was Washington's first prominent female lawyer and ran for President in 1884 and 1888 as the National Equal Rights Party candidate. In celebration of Women's History Month, Norgren talked about Lockwood's life and signed copies of her book on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at the Women's Rights National Historical Park. She also explained the feud that developed over the years between Lockwood and suffragist Susan B. Anthony. Norgren is a writer and professor emerita of government and law at City University of New York. |
When Pross met Stanton Artist Katherine Pfeffer Pross presented her new portrait "Elizabeth Cady Stanton, The Seed of Consciousness," at Elizabeth's Bloomers Gallery in Seneca Falls on March 8, 2008. The 4' x 5' work shows Stanton sitting at the desk where she wrote the Declaration of Sentiments in 1848 with a suffrage banner in the background. The original portrait will be hung permanently in the National Women's Hall of Fame when the hall moves into its new home at the former Seneca Knitting Mill in Seneca Falls. Signed and numbered prints (22" x 27.5") are available for $200 and prints with a personal remarque from the artist for $275, with $150 being tax deductible as a donation to the Hall. Contact the National Women's Hall of Fame at 315-568-8060 or www.greatwomen.org.
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Rights vs. Rights: An Improbable Collision Course In a New York Times feature, Mark Leibovich analyzed the relationship between the women’s rights and civil rights movements in American history and implications for the 2008 Presidential race. Leibovich wrote: “Breakthrough politics can be a zero-sum game, with distinct groups striving for a finite piece of the change pie. It brings to mind that the civil rights movement and the women’s movement have a long, complicated history dating back to abolitionism and the origins of modern feminism. While they have been philosophical allies, sharing goals and ideals, there have also been periodic collisions that could bespeak an inevitable friction as Barack v. Hillary moves forward and, potentially, in directions far less seemly than they have to date.” Quoted in this article is Dr. Sara Evans, a professor of history at the University of Minnesota and a member of Friends National Advisory Council. |
Historic 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse Stabilizied Richard Deys of Macedon carries an old wagon jack down the stairs as he works to stabilize the 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse in Farmington. (Photo courtesy Democrat and Chronicle) The Friends of the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse announced in 2008 that stabilization of the site had been completed and fund-raising would begin to restore the historic structure, which played a significant role in the 19th century abolitionist and women's rights movements. Under the leadership of Judy Wellman and Helen Kirker, both members of the Friends of the Women's Rights National Historical Park, the Meetinghouse Friends raised more than $25,000 to stabilize the building, which had been severely damaged by a storm in 2006 and was in danger of collapsing. The National Park Service will be undertaking a study on the possibility of acquiring the meetinghouse and making it part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park. To read more about this project, click here. To read the Democrat and Chronicle story and view a video of the stabilization, click here. |
Friends Workshop well received by elementary and middle school teachers
Workshop Coordinator Rick Kollins with (L-R) presenters Cindy Parrish, Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Eleanor Stearns), Meg Agnew and Judy Wellman. In photo at right, workshop participants and presenters enjoy an Italian buffet lunch at Buon Amici restaurant in Seneca Falls.
Friends of Women's Rights National Historical Park all-day workshop on Friday, November 2, 2007, was attended by 20 elementary and middle school teachers, who gave high praise to the program designed to provide strategies and resources for integrating women's history into the New York State Social Studies curriculum for Grades 3 through 8.
Historian Judy Wellman, author of "The Road to Seneca Falls" and project supervisor of a new web site of women's history curriculum resources for teachers and students, was keynote speaker. The other plenary session was presented by teacher/ filmmakers Cindy Parrish and Meg Agnew, who recently won the award for best children's short film at the prestigious Moondance International Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The workshop was part of Friends' "Elizabeth and Me" program, which connects school-aged children to the issues faced by Elizabeth Cady Stanton when she organized the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls in 1848.
To view a photo album of this event, click here.
To visit the Heroic Girlz web site, please click here.
To read more about the "Roads From Seneca Falls" web site, click here.
Sandra Day O'Connor visits WRNHP Friends President Marilyn Tedeschi makes presentation to Sandra Day O'Connor. | O'Connor and Superintendent Tina Orcutt examine documents. |
Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and 20 other women attorneys visited the Women's Rights National Historical Park on October 21, 2007. O'Connor, first female Supreme Court Justice (1981-2006), was presented with copies of Judith Wellman's book "The Road to Seneca Falls" and Melina Mara's photographic collection "Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate" by Friends President MarilynTedeschi and the visitors signed a copy of the Declaration of Sentiments and toured the Wesleyan Chapel, the Declaration of Sentiments Waterwall and Stanton House. Justice O'Connor also made her first visit to the National Women's Hall of Fame, into which she was inducted in 1995. The visit was arranged by Norma Schwab, wife of the current Dean of the Cornell University Law School, Stewart Schwab, who served as O'Connor's law clerk in 1982-83.
To view a photo gallery of Justice O'Connor's visit, click here.
To read the news story of this event, click here.
.jpg) | Women's Hall of Fame Induction Friends were in attendance at the New York Chiropractic College on October 7, 2007, for the induction of nine new members into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls. Among the inductees was Martha Coffin Wright, one of the five organizers of the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls in 1848, who was represented at the ceremony by her great-great grandson James Livingston. In 2004, Livingston and his wife Sherry Penney published their biography of Wright, entitled "A Very Dangerous Woman." To read about all the inductees, click here. To view a photo album of Friends at the induction ceremony, please click here. |
Photo courtesy of Deborah Lutjen, Project Coordinator, World Services of La Crosse, Wisconsin. | Friends welcome Russian visitors to Seneca Falls Four historical site administrators from Russia were guests of Friends and the Rochester chapter of the American Association of University Women in Seneca Falls on September 24, 2007. The delegation visited the Women's Rights National Historical Park and the National Women's Hall of Fame and were given a tour of Seneca Falls by Richard Burtless. One of the visitors made a presentation of her work site in northern Russia during a lunch meeting at Buon Amici restaurant. |
Votes for Women's History Trail Legislation in Congress Louise Slaughter Hillary Clinton Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rep. LouiseSlaughter have introduced the National Women's Rights History Project Act to create a Votes for Women's History Trail linking sites in New York State significant in the struggle for women's suffrage and civil rights. The auto route would be part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park and would include signage, exhibits and interpretive programs. The Act would also expand the National Register of Historic Places online database dedicated to women's history. For more information on the Votes for Women's History Trail, click here |
"Roads From Seneca Falls" Website established to provide educational resources for teaching women's history Historian and Friends member Judy Wellman (center) announced the establishment of "Roads From Seneca Falls" at the Women's Rights Historical National Park on July 19, 2007, the 159th anniversary of the nation's first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls. The website was developed by SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University's School of Information Studies to make web-based materials related to women's history and leadership easily accessible for K-12 teachers and students. Pictured with Wellman are Park Superintendent Tina Orcutt and Billie Luisi-Potts, retired Director of the National Women's Hall of Fame. |
Author Fergus Bordewich with Helen Kirker, Coordinator of Park Volunteers for Friends Finger Lakes Chapter. | Fergus Bordewich at WRNHP Noted journalist and author Fergus Bordewich discussed his recently published book "Bound for Canaan" at the Women's Rights National Historical Park on July 28, 2007. The book has been critically acclaimed as the first comprehensive work on the Underground Railroad in more than a century and reveals much previously unknown historical information about the efforts of Quakers, women's rights advocates, reformers and abolitionists to help black Americans escape slavery. According to Bordewich, the Underground Railroad was not as "underground" or "clandestine" as previously believed. |
Proposal for Wesleyan Chapel Preservation The National Park Service has released the results of its environmental assessment and preferred alternative for the preservation of the Wesleyan Chapel, site of the First Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. The complete document is available at htttp://parkplanning.nps.gov/ and to receive a written copy of the report, please call 315-568-2262. |
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