People of the Park

We’re thrilled to launch our new “People Behind the Park” series, spotlighting the people who share and steward the park’s powerful history. To kick things off, we’re talking with Molly Jessup, Education Specialist at Women’s Rights National Historical Park. A lifelong Upstate New Yorker with a PhD in history, Molly joined the park in 2023 to help students and visitors connect with the story of women’s rights—on site, online, and through hands-on learning. Read on to meet Molly and discover how education at the park inspires the next generation of changemakers.

Can you share with us who you are and what you do at the park?

I’m Molly Jessup and I serve as an education specialist at Women’s Rights National Historical Park. In my role, I work with students in different capacities—when they visit our site on field trips, when we visit their class virtually—and at different stages in their education, like when they are part of our team as college interns.

How long have you been at the park? What drew you to this work?

I started at the park in 2023. It’s my first National Park Service job, and I came here specifically because I was interested in sharing this story. I was born and raised in upstate New York and learning local history in elementary school is what inspired me to pursue history as a career. I graduated from SUNY Geneseo and I have a PhD in history from Syracuse University. I was living out of state in 2023 but couldn’t pass up an opportunity to be here. This region has so many incredible stories that have shaped our country’s history in a significant way. I’m honored to have a chance to talk about that history.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Can you share a few of the memorable interactions you have had with visitors?

I am inspired by the students and teachers that visit us. I enjoy their questions and their curiosity. It’s also a good challenge to communicate such a complex and meaningful story into something they can experience during their visit.

One of my most memorable visitor interactions I’ve had was when I was first trying a new activity about women’s suffrage, “From Idea to Amendment.” In the activity, students have cards and put the steps to making a constitutional amendment in order. It’s designed to help them understand the journey of the 19th amendment and voting rights. I thought it could work as an activity, but I was surprised to see how much fun students had. Each time they had a step in the process correct they cheered—another ranger came over to see what was going on because they could hear all the joyful noise.

What have you found to be the unique advantages—and challenges—of teaching history in a physical space where the events actually occurred compared to a traditional classroom?

The biggest advantage in place-based learning (to be where it happened) is the chance to imagine the past and to know you walked in the same place as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass and others.

There’s also the fun of learning to understand historic buildings. With our school groups we sometimes do an activity called “Chapel Detective.” We look for the preservation work and “clues” that show us the original structure. I hope it helps students recognize the effort that was put into preserving these spaces, from community members advocating for preservation to the site becoming a park to maintaining it today. And to help them see that it was done for them and for future generations—for their education, for their enjoyment, for their benefit.

The greatest challenge can also be the spaces themselves, and to make sure we’re encouraging good behavior and stewardship.

What is the most common misconception visitors have about this park’s history? How do you address it through your programming?

Many people have women’s rights advocates who have inspired them and don’t realize that some of those people were not at the 1848 convention. That’s particularly the case with Susan B. Anthony. She didn’t attend the convention but later met Stanton and they became collaborators and close friends for years. As Stanton said, “I forged the thunderbolts and she threw them.” Anthony often visited Elizabeth Cady Stanton in Seneca Falls. Therefore, we discuss her and their collaboration more at the Stanton House than in the Wesleyan Chapel.

Can you tell us about volunteer opportunities at the park? What advice would you have for individuals who want to get involved?

We appreciate people’s time and support, particularly with our biggest event, Convention Days. We typically put out a call on volunteer.gov for event volunteers a couple of months before Convention Days (which is held in July). There’s a range of things to help with. For example, this year we’d like to have a volunteer photographer. My advice is to consider the possibilities. Check volunteer.gov to see our current opportunities or reach out to us. If something sparks your interest or you’re curious to learn more, we’d love to hear from you.

And if volunteering doesn’t fit your life at the moment, another great way to be involved is to attend events at the park. This park has a powerful story, and we’d be so grateful to have you be part of it.

Thank you, Molly!