Lucretia MottCivil Rights Activist

Abolitionist

Lucretia Mott was a remarkable advocator for the abolishment of slavery and for the rights of freed slaves.

She believed in pacifism, or nonviolence.

Boycotted goods produced using slave labor

Against the Civil War’s violence, because she believed slavery could be rid of without bloodshed

Home part of Underground Railroad

Founded the First Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women, where she began to intertwine the antislavery movement with the women’s rights movement

Created the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society because she was not allowed into other abolitionist societies

Elected delegate to the World Anti-Slave Convention, but was not allowed to formally attend because she was a woman

Location of the first meeting between Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

During this encounter, the two discussed the idea of a convention addressing women’s rights. When they met again, years afterwards, they made that idea into a reality.

“I long for the day when my sisters will rise, and occupy the sphere to which they are called by their high nature and destiny”

“The world has never yet seen a truly great and virtuous nation, because in the degradation of women, the very fountains of life are poisoned at their source.”

The Battle for Women’s Rights

Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and a few other women organized

First day-only women allowed

Second day- all allowed

Declaration of Sentiments

Created at the Seneca Falls Convention

Based on Declaration of Independence18 grievances: how men discriminated against women

13 resolutionsWomen’s suffrage resolution not immediately accepted, but Frederick Douglass convinced the Convention to agree

Written partly by Lucretia Mott, but mostly by Elizabeth Cady Stanton

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html

List of attendees to the Seneca Falls Convention.

Frederick Douglass

Seneca Falls Convention led to many other women’s rights conventions and organizations.

Also made the idea of women’s suffrage more acceptable.

Years later, Stanton, Mott, and Susan B. Anthony created the National Woman Suffrage Association.

http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/suffrage.html

http://www.wright-brothers.org/Information_Desk/Help_with_Homework/Wright_Timeline/Wright_Timeline_1860_1869.htm

Lucretia Mott’s Involvement in Education

Taught at a Quaker school

Mott recognized how unfair education was to women, so she decided to help create a coeducational university called Swarthmore College.

Swarthmore was a Quaker institution that gave equal educational opportunities to women.

swarthmore.edu

The Power of Words

Lucretia Mott was known for her way with words and powerful, unrehearsed, and spontaneous speeches.

Traveled the country preaching against slavery and for women’s rights

Her most famous speech was Discourse on Woman, which targeted the need for women to have equality in the workplace.

She was such an extraordinary speaker that she was given the opportunity to speak to Congress and President John Tyler.

Monument recognizing Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony.

http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/other-statues/portrait-monument

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johntyler

“Weep not for me. Rather let your tears flow for the sorrows of the multitude. My work is done. Like a ripe fruit I admit the gathering. Death has no terrors for it is a wise law of nature. I am ready whenever the summons may come” –Lucretia Mott shortly before her death

Works Cited

Palmer, Beverly Wilson, ed. About Lucretia Coffin Mott. Pomona College. March 1998. http://www.mott.pomona.edu/mott1.htm (accessed November 22, 2013).

Aubrey, Leah. Seneca Falls Convention. February 23, 2001. http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/htallant/courses/his338/students/laubrey/mottsenecafalls.htm (accessed November 22, 2013).

National Women's History Museum. The Seneca Falls Convention and the Early Suffrage Movement. National Women's History Museum. 2007. http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/SenecaFalls.html (accessed November 20, 2013).

Neiderer, Sarah K. Mott, Lucretia Coffin. Pennsylvania State University. 2011. http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Mott__Lucretia.html (accessed November 24, 2013).

The Seneca Falls Convention. National Portrait Gallery. http://www.npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm (accessed November 20, 2013).

Works Cited cont.Today in History: January 3. Library of Congress. February 14, 2007. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan03.html (accessed November 23, 2013).

Today in History: July 19. Library of Congress. January 5, 2011. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul19.html#firstsenecafalls (accessed November 20, 2013).

Today in History: July 20. Library of Congress. January 5, 2011. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul20.html#secondsenecafalls (accessed November 20, 2013).

Unger, Nancy C. Mott, Lucretia Coffin. Oxford University Press. February 2000. http://www.anb.org/articles/15/15-00494.html (accessed November 14, 2013).

Zink-Sawyer, Beverly A. "From Preachers to Suffragists: Enlisting the Pulpit in the Early Movement for Woman's Rights." Literature Resource Center. University of Rhode Island. 2000. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=viva2_vccs&tabID=T001&searchId=R2&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=1&contentSet=GALE%7CA66279065&&docId=GALE|A66279065&docType=GALE&role=LitRC (accessed November 20, 2013).