"That only a few, under any circumstances, protest against the injustice of long-established laws and customs does not disprove the fact of the oppressions, while the satisfaction of the many, if real, only proves their apathy and deeper degradation."
-Elizabeth Cady Stanton
-Elizabeth Cady Stanton
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On July 19, 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and a group of friends held a local meeting, the Seneca Falls Convention, on the question of women's rights. The Convention resulted in the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, a document calling for equality for women, including the right to suffrage. Due to widespread mockery from newspapers, the meeting quickly became a national joke. Yet, in the midst of wild laughter, some Americans began to consider the topic of women's rights seriously. In the aftermath of the media's overreaction to the Convention, the American women's rights movement was born, culminating in the establishment of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote.
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 Original Banner from early 20th century from the fight for Woman Suffrage |