When we think of Massachusetts women who led the Woman Suffrage Movement, names like Abby Kelley Foster, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton come to mind. But another name should join them: Lucy Stone.
Studies on resilience demonstrate the power of strong social bonds on an individual's ability to cope. Empathy serves this function effectively, as does building a community around shared interests and values.
Untold Stories: Forgotten Women of Massachusetts
Massachusetts residents typically associate its history with iconic events and figures like Granary Burying Ground, Boston Tea Party, and Kennedy political dynasty - but Massachusetts also boasts stories of many remarkable women throughout its long and storied past.
Historians and museum curators across the state are using archival research to reintroduce forgotten women back into our historical narrative, highlighting their contributions and providing new ways for the public to learn about our past.
Sally McMillen asserts in her new book that many forgotten women deserved recognition for their contributions during the early feminist movement for women's rights, such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony - among them Lucretia Mott. However, McMillen argues that many more must also be acknowledged.
Hanna Porn was a midwife in rural North Shore, Massachusetts who provided working-class women and immigrants access to high-quality healthcare. While her work could be risky at times, Hanna never abandoned her patients; she provided medical advice as well as treatment for various health conditions they had been diagnosed with - her infant mortality rates were four times lower than those delivered by physicians!
Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos has spent years conducting extensive research into the lives of eighteenth-century pirates and their wives from archives worldwide, such as London, Washington D.C., New York, and Virginia. She has written about them for New York Times, Southern Living, Christian Science Monitor as well as her first book entitled 'The Pirate Next Door."
Abby Kelly became the first woman in Massachusetts to address mixed audiences of men and women with antislavery speeches in 1850, following in Angelina Grimke's footsteps and speaking out in schools and churches against slavery.
After this momentous milestone, nine women met together at an anti-slavery meeting anteroom to plan the establishment of the National Convention for Women. Among these women were:
Hidden Figures: Shaping Massachusetts History
People often think of Susan B. Anthony or Rosa Parks when considering influential women of history, but there are so many more worth remembering today who continue to shape Massachusetts history like Elizabeth Peabody (first woman on the board of directors) or Lucy Stone (suffragist). These Massachusetts women have made significant impacts both within their communities and internationally.
But these women and other individuals have been mostly forgotten about in history; thus historians are striving to bring them back into focus by using archival records as sources.
Deborah Sampson was one such example. She stitched herself a uniform and pretended to be male so she could serve in the Continental Army for at least 17 months during the American Revolution, according to researchers who recently obtained details from an 1830 diary that provided details about her life.
Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson exemplify how one individual's efforts can shift our perceptions of history. Their story was captured in the movie Hidden Figures as human computers at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory during both the Space Race and Civil Rights Movements in Virginia. This example serves as proof that individual actions can have far-reaching repercussions for our understanding of past events.
Jaimie Crumley, a religious studies professor, discovered an old book in Annisquam Church's archives with a short entry about Kate Smith as an abolitionist; although other notable female abolitionists, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Sojourner Truth, and Lucretia Mott have received greater consideration by historians, Smith remains underappreciated by historians.
LexSeeHer, a local nonprofit, has also done amazing work to bring women's histories into Gloucester. Part of a larger project to build a monument honoring those women who have left an impactful mark in town will hopefully ensure they remain seen by future generations.
Forgotten Pioneers: Women in Massachusetts
No matter your interest in history or just learning more about Massachusetts, there have been many notable women who have contributed to our state's unique history and heritage. From pioneering Lucy Stone to tireless activists like suffragettes - each has left their mark and opened paths for future generations.
Massachusetts is known for producing many notable literary figures such as poets Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, authors Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and political leaders Horace Mann and John F. Kennedy. Massachusetts also boasts many innovative inventions like cotton gins and cotton linters as well as medical breakthroughs like blood transfusions and birth control pills which were first invented or introduced here.
Women have long been active participants in Massachusetts politics despite not gaining voting rights until 1869. Beginning in the early 1900s, Massachusetts women joined national suffrage associations and local suffrage groups advocating for their suffrage rights - often wife/mother professionals such as Mary Livermore Barrows were leaders within these movements as they led civic discussions and lectured on citizenship law and parliamentary procedures; Mary also established the Civil War Army Nurses Memorial while remaining an active member of Girl Scouts of America.
Lucy Stone was one of the most influential suffragists. Born and raised in rural Massachusetts to a Quaker family dedicated to social equality, Lucy became one of the founding members of both NAACP and the American Woman Suffrage Association - as well as editor for their publication AWSA Journal.
Stone dedicated herself to fighting inequality throughout her life. She fought tirelessly for women's suffrage despite falling out with fellow abolitionists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony over the 14th Amendment, which granted voting rights only to black men but not female abolitionists.
Reviving the Past: Marginalized Women in MA History
Women have made numerous contributions to American politics over time. Unfortunately, however, too often their achievements remain forgotten in historical records; and some women may even face repression or discrimination because of their work in politics. It is essential that we acknowledge these women and celebrate their accomplishments while simultaneously learning from past marginalization experiences and working to change reoccurring patterns throughout our history.
History shows us that when people encounter hardship, their responses may result in feelings of depression or anxiety. But it is essential to remember that resilience is a skill anyone can develop - according to experts, resilience can be formed from both internal and external factors such as effective emotional regulation; a sense of control; strong relationships; problem-solving skills - helping individuals cope more quickly in stressful situations and overcome adversities more swiftly.
For greater resilience, aim to build supportive and healthy relationships with family and friends. Involve yourself in community activities like volunteering and joining spiritual or faith-based groups; staying physically active is another excellent way of increasing both your physical and emotional well-being and building resilience.
Finally, it is vital that we learn from our past struggles for women in America and don't forget them. Reading or watching books and films that address marginalized women throughout American history can teach us of past injustices while inspiring future leaders who continue the fight for equal treatment across all aspects of life.
While many would see a lack of diversity as something to worry about, others see an opportunity for growth and development in this space. Since 1923, American politics have undergone a dramatic change: from female suffrage winning in the 1920s; through World War II's devastating impact during the forties; McCarthyism peaking during the fifties; students protesting Viet Nam during the sixties and finally birthing the modern women's movement during the seventies. Each decade presented Massachusetts women with new challenges and opportunities as they entered public service. Some of the fifty-four women elected to the General Court were elite, philanthropic Seven Sister-educated ladies who expanded their volunteer work into elective politics; others like Mary Livermore Barrows and Susan Walker Fitzgerald listed their professions as housewife and "lecturer of citizenship and parliamentary law," thus broadening future women's participation in state government.
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