The movement for Women's' Rights began in Seneca Falls in 1848, at a convention held in this chapel. The chapel has been saved and renovated by the National Park Service to become part of a park documenting the history of the struggle for Women's Rights.
A new building has been constructed just west of the chapel to house the exhibit. Leaders in the Women's Rights movement are depicted in a mural on the side of the park building. Notable, one of the portraits is not of a woman, it is Fredrick Douglas. Douglas is noted in history as an abolitionist, working to end slavery, but he is not thought of in terms of Women's Rights. His participation in the Women's Rights Convention could be argued as the beginning of the Women's Suffrage movement.
In addition to documenting the first Women's Rights Convention and the early struggles, the National Park documents the continuing struggles through current times.
Women's Rights and Civil Rights have some overlap. Sojourner Truth traveled the country bringing recognition to the ravages of slavery with a focus on the disrespect to Motherhood. Most of her 13 children were taken from her to be sold to other slave owners.
Biography at National Park Service
Education in the U.S. for women and minorities was designed to erase their culture and keep them in their proper place, serving the privileged.
One of the exhibits is simply a window on the second floor overlooking the Wesleyan Chapel where the Women's Rights Convention was held.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the women who drafted the Declaration of Sentiments, the document outlining the demand for recognition.
When she was leading the discussion about the Declaration before the convention, most attendees argued that asking for the right to vote was too radical, that if it were included no man would recognize their requests as having any validity. Frederick Douglas, the only African American in attendance, gave an impassioned plea that without a voice in selecting the representatives to government, their voices would never be heard. He changed the minds of enough of the participants that the right to vote was left in the document.
The first link below leads to the speech given by Ernestine Rose at the convention to explain the Declaration of Sentiments to the participants. The second link leads to the wording of the document itself which was signed by 100 of the attendees - 40 men and 60 women.
Declaration of Sentiments Speech
Declaration of Sentiments
Not all of the exhibits in the Park where of a serious nature. There was some humor displayed in a manner to make the point.
To have a National Park dedicated to the 170-year struggle for Women's' Rights is a true privilege of living in the United States. It also points out that 170 years has been insufficient time to accomplish the goals of equality. This one of many reasons to visit Seneca Falls is sufficient reason alone to make the trip. For more information on this National Park, click on the link below.
Women's Rights National Park
