Durand-Hedden salutes suffragists, presents exhibit on fight for votes for women

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — American women won the right to vote only 100 years ago — and only after a struggle lasting more than 70 years. On Sunday, March 15, from 1 to 4pm, visit Durand-Hedden’s new exhibit honoring the hard-won fight for votes for women to learn about the origins of women’s suffrage and modern feminism — an outgrowth of women’s critical involvement in the anti-slavery movement before the Civil War. Both white and black abolitionists saw the need to expand the push for freedom for black people with a movement to enable all women to exercise their rights as citizens. A live interpretation of suffragist Alice Stokes Paul will begin at 2 p.m.

Some of the most prominent women’s suffrage activists lived in New Jersey, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Florence Spearing Randolph and Paul. Stanton helped found the movement; Stone cited the original American protest against England of “taxation without representation” in refusing to pay her taxes; Randolph, who served on the executive board of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association, organized the New Jersey Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, and became the first black woman to enroll at Drew University; and Paul was a vocal leader of the 20th century suffrage movement, advocating for and helping to secure passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. At 2 p.m., hear Paul vividly share how the right to vote for women was finally achieved, as interpreted by Alisa Dupuy of The Ladies of History.

Durand-Hedden House is located in Grasmere Park at 523 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood. For more information or to arrange group tours, call 973-763-7712 or visit www.durandhedden.org.

  Durand-Hedden