The President’s Commission on Susan B. Elizabeth the Celebration of Anthony Cady Women in Stanton American History March 1, 1999 Sojourner Lucretia Ida B. Truth Mott Wells “Because we must tell and retell, learn and relearn, these women’s stories, and we must make it our personal mission, in our everyday lives, to pass these stories on to our daughters and sons. Because we cannot—we must not—ever forget that the rights and opportunities we enjoy as women today were not just bestowed upon us by some benevolent ruler. They were fought for, agonized over, marched for, jailed for and even died for by brave and persistent women and men who came before us.... That is one of the great joys and beauties of the American experiment. We are always striving to build and move toward a more perfect union, that we on every occasion keep faith with our founding ideas and translate them into reality.” Hillary Rodham Clinton On the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the First Women’s Rights Convention Seneca Falls, NY July 16, 1998 Celebrating Women’s History Recommendations to President William Jefferson Clinton from the President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History Commission Co-Chairs: Ann Lewis and Beth Newburger Commission Members: Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, J. Michael Cook, Dr. Barbara Goldsmith, LaDonna Harris, Gloria Johnson, Dr. Elaine Kim, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Irene Wurtzel March 1, 1999 Table of Contents Executive Order 13090 ................................................................................1 Meeting Overview........................................................................................2 Findings ........................................................................................................3 Recommendations........................................................................................4 The National Agenda ..............................................................................4 The Community Agenda .........................................................................6 Women's History in the Nation's Capital .............................................12 Federal Government Activities ...................................................................14 A Challenge and an Opportunity for Popular Culture................................17 We Recognize ............................................................................................18 Appendix ....................................................................................................20 Commissioners’ Biographies.................................................................20 Meeting Venues.....................................................................................21 Speakers List..........................................................................................21 Acknowledgements ..............................................................................26 “The Commission shall make recommendations to the President, through the Co-Chairs of the Commission, on ways to best acknowledge and celebrate the roles and accomplishments of women in American history. Recommendations may include, among other things, the feasibility of a focal point for women’s history located in Washington, D.C., and the use of the latest technology to connect existing and planned women’s history sites, museums, and libraries. The Commission shall meet to carry out its work concerning the celebration of women in American history.” xecutive Order 13090 estab- —Executive Order 13090: Establishing the President’s Commission received in the open meetings of the lished a Presidential Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History Commission, by letter and through our E to recommend how America July 2, 1998 website. We hope this report will also should recognize the contributions of convey the enthusiasm with which the women to our nation’s history. In itself, Commission was greeted as we traveled the Executive Order was a historical of Women in 1961. William Jefferson when he established the President’s around the country, and the apprecia- document. John F. Kennedy raised the Clinton became the first President to rec- Commission on the Celebration of tion expressed everywhere for the issues affecting women in contempo- ognize the importance of women’s Women in American History. leadership of President William Jefferson rary society when he authorized the historical contributions to the creation The recommendations offered in this Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham President’s Commission on the Status and development of our country report are based on the suggestions Clinton in making this work possible. PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 1 “We have spanned the arc of history. Our first meeting was in a courtroom where Susan B. Anthony was convicted of voting. Now we meet in the same building MEETINGS OVERVIEW where Madeleine Albright is Secretary of State.” meeting was the need for inclusiveness and diversity. Again and again, speakers o develop the recommendations Ann Lewis urged the Commission to speak for and included in this report and Commission Co-Chair to some of the oft-forgotten. T required by Executive Order 13090, the President’s Commission on the Chicago, Illinois Celebration of Women in American History Canandaigua, New York addressing the need to include women’s The Chicago meeting was held in the traveled to every region of the country. In Our first meeting was held at the Ontario history in our lives and revolved around Claudia Cassidy Auditorium at the each, the Commission held open meetings County Courthouse in Canandaigua, the lack of women’s history in school cur- Chicago Cultural Center. Hosted and solicited ideas from historians, New York. Commission Co-Chairs Ann ricula. A high school student made an by Commissioner Anna Eleanor archivists, activists, academics, business Lewis and Beth Newburger called the eloquent plea for including in her history Roosevelt, the meeting was expanded leaders, students and many others. We meeting to order in the very courtroom book the Declaration of Rights and to two days to accommodate the also heard testimony from other people where Susan B. Anthony was convicted Sentiments, the document endorsed in number of speakers who asked to who came to present their ideas. of voting in the 1872 presidential 1848 to specifically declare the equal- be heard. The themes that emerged The response to our efforts was posi- election. The meeting was held ity of all citizens including women. from members of the public, as well tive and constructive. Not only were there in conjunction with First Lady as from invited speakers, were the tremendous excitement and enthusiasm Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Albuquerque, New Mexico needs to focus on the work of local for the work of the Commission, but many visit to Seneca Falls to The Albuquerque meeting communities and ways to empower invited speakers and members of the pub- celebrate the 150th anniversary was held in the Albuquerque and recognize local programs. lic also noted that the Commission itself of the first Women’s Rights Museum, where an exhibit of was making history. Convention of 1848. Hispanic women at work was on Washington, DC Each of our meetings was held in a The public participation in the first display. Hosted by Commissioner At the meeting in the East Auditorium, historic venue to inspire the dialogue. All meeting was impressive because of the LaDonna Harris, the Commissioners Department of State, speakers meetings were publicized and well enormous attention focused on neigh- heard from distinguished American introduced a macro approach to attended by the public. The invited speak- boring Seneca Falls that day. Each of the Indian scholars and prominent Latinas. women’s history recommendations. ers represented the full range of diverse Commissioners presented his or her vision They also heard testimony from Molly The Commission heard from respected cultural backgrounds and issues of impor- for the work we would do as we devel- Murphy MacGregor, co-founder and women’s leaders including Betty tance to women. oped our recommendations. The public president of the National Women’s Friedan, Eleanor Smeal, the Honorable discussion revealed an intense interest in History Project. A recurring theme at this Pat Schroeder and the Honorable 2PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY “As a working grandmother, as a trade unionist, as a woman of color I want two things to come from this Commission. First, I want the voices of all women to be Louise Slaughter. The women gave the colleges talked about the need to reach heard at this celebration. Well known women and meeting a modern historical context, young people. Georgia was recognized linking the work of our foremothers to unknown women, women from the inner cities, farm for its leadership in establishing the first the more recent professional and women, migrant women, educated and uneducated, state historical initiative to memorialize political struggles. National groups, women in the fields and the mines as well as the the lives of women, i.e, the Georgia such as the General Federation of schoolrooms, hospitals and offices. Second, I hope the Commission on the Preservation of Women’s Clubs, National Woman’s information that is being documented and collected all Women’s Historical Landmarks. Party Sewall-Belmont House and the across the country will be shared with today’s