The historic “Spirit of 1776” wagon used in organizing for Votes for Women in New York State will get special attention as the focus of a press conference set for Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 10 a.m. in The Well of the Legislative Office Building, 198 State Street, Albany, NY.
Both houses of the NYS Legislature are expected to pass a special resolution in the closing days of the 2013 session to honor the centennial of the suffrage campaign wagon’s first trip for organizing purposes 100 years ago on July 1, 1913. The resolution makes the connection between economic development, tourism and the upcoming Votes for Women suffrage centennial for NYS in 2017 and the national suffrage centennial in 2020. The resolution designates July 1, 2013 as the “Spirit of 1776” Wagon Day in New York.
Members of the bipartisan NYS Legislative Women’s Caucus who took the lead and sponsored the resolution about the wagon’s centennial will be on hand at the June 19th press conference. This includes the chairs of tourism committees in both houses of the legislature: Senator Betty Little (45th Senate District) and Assembly Member Margaret M. Markey (Assembly District 30). The support of Assembly Member Michele R. Titus, chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus (Assembly District 31), was critical in lining up the resolution’s sponsors.
The legislative resolution cites the “Spirit of 1776” suffrage campaign wagon’s connection to current policies of economic and cultural tourism development, the urgent need for NYS to complete the upstate Women’s Heritage Trail, support and preservation of key historic homes related to the 72-year campaign to win the vote for women. This took from 1848 and the Seneca Falls Convention to the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.
Stated Senator Betty Little, chair of the Senate Cultural affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation Committee: “The ‘Spirit of 1776’ suffrage campaign wagon is a powerful historic symbol reminding us all of the ‘new frontier’ that was traveled and conquered by brave and determined women to whom we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. Many of the suffragists didn’t live to see the destination – the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution – but each and everyone contributed to ensuring a brighter future not only for women, but for our nation and the world. Votes for Women 2020 will be a wonderful celebration and I’m honored to join my colleagues today in this legislative effort to memorialize the wagon ass work progresses on plans for that mission.
Margaret M. Markey, chair of the Assembly Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Committee said:
Michele R. Titus, chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus, emphasized the importance of the participation of the majority of the women elected officials in the NYS Legislature in the support of this resolution.
Susan Zimet, founder of Votes for Women 2020 and New Paltz, NY Town Supervisor, will be in attendance at the press conference, as well as Deborah L. Hughes, President and CEO of the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester, a member of the Votes for Women 2020 advisory board, and Loretta Zolkowski, the president of the board of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Home and Foundation in Fayetteville, NY.
“As New Yorkers we have a special place in history,” said Susan Zimet, founder of Votes for Women 2020, the nonprofit organization planning suffrage centennial events in 1917 and 2020. “New York’s women led the way from Seneca Falls to the Supreme Court. The importance of the work of these brave warriors who paved the way for myself and my daughter are unsung heroes that deserve to have their proper place in history. The passage of this resolution by our NY State elected leaders is a critical step in the recognition of the work ahead of us.”
Deborah L. Hughes, President and CEO of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in Rochester, NY and member of Votes for Women 2020 advisory board, said: “One speech, one march, one wagon at a time…the women of New York have changed the world for all women.”
One hundred years ago on July 1, 1913, Votes for Women activists Edna Kearns, Irene Davvison, and eight-year-old Serena Kearns left Manhattan and headed to Long Island in the horse-drawn wagon call the “Spirit of 1776.” They spent the next month organizing in many communities to gather support for women voting.
Four years later in 1917, New York’s women finally won the franchise. This was followed by the vote being extended to millions of American women nationwide in 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution.
“Having the ‘Spirit of 1776’ honored like this is the dream of our family,” said Marguerite Kearns, granddaughter of Edna Kearns and a member of the advisory board of Votes for Women 2020. Kearns writes and edits a website and log inspired by her grandmother’s “Spirit of 1776” suffrage wagon: http://suffragewagon.org