On July 9, 1848, Jane Hunt invited over a few ladies over for tea; little did she know that she was setting the stage for the next big step in women’s rights. Lucretia Mott, Martha C. Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came to her house just expecting a normal social afternoon among friends. The conversation soon turned into an airing of grievances about the current status of women in society, but these ladies were not the kind of people who just complained—they were women of action.
As the tea brewed, so did the idea of having a woman’s rights convention with Lucretia Mott as the key speaker. She was only in town for a short time, so it had to happen quickly, and none of them were experienced at organizing a convention—let alone on a topic that had never been done before. They got to work drafting an agenda and making arrangements, and planned a two-day event in a mere ten days.
On July 14th they placed an announcement in the Seneca County Courier that stated “A Convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women will be held in the Wesleyan Chapel, at Seneca Falls, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 19th and 20th of July current; commencing at 10 o’clock A.M. During the first day, the meeting will be exclusively for women, who are earnestly invited to attend. The public generally are invited to be present on the second day, when Lucretia Mott, of Philadelphia, and other ladies and gentlemen, will address the Convention.”
Despite only having a week for the news to circulate and for people to make travel arrangements, approximately 300 men and women of all ages and backgrounds would show up at Seneca Falls.
This week’s song pick:
“Salute” by Little Mix (Multifemale fan compilation) https://youtu.be/AcAz--WI4Gk
#SuffragetteCity100 #SufferingForSuffrage
Episode 07 Sources: