Lucy Stone, one of the organisers.
On the 23rd of October, 1850, America’s first National Women’s Rights Convention began in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Another of the organisers, Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis.
Some 900 people turned up for the first session, and thousands turned up from all over the country – including California – for other events over the two days the convention ran for.
Many more were turned away as the event was a great success.
Amongst the requests the delegates made were for voting rights, the right to education and employment opportunities, and more extensive rights with regards to property ownership. It was also requested that the word “male” was struck from state constitutions. Rights were also requested for women in slavery.
The convention inspired women in other countries to take action.
In Times Gone By... 