Clio Logo
New York Women's Suffrage History Trail

Zone 3 of 4: Hudson Valley

You are viewing item 24 of 33 in this tour.

The First Albany Convention was held at Association Hall by the state's Woman's Rights Convention. Reform leaders met on February 14 and 15, 1854 to discuss the movement for women's rights and prepare resolutions to present to the New York State Legislature. During this convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered her first major speech.


Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1856 with daughter Harriot

Face, Organ, Handwriting, Art

The First Albany Convention was held at Association Hall, home of the Young Men's Association for Mutual Improvement, that used to stand where Hampton Plaza is today.

Building, Window, Font, House

Petition presented to the NYS Legislature by Stanton in 1854

Font, Material property, Publication, Document

Call to convention written by Rev. William Henry Channing and published in newspapers across New York

Font, Paper, Publication, Document

Series of resolutions read by Rev. Antoinette Brown at the First Albany Convention (Printed in the History of Woman Suffrage, Part I)

Font, Publication, Paper product, Paper

Resolutions, page 2

Font, Material property, Publication, Paper product

Resolutions, part 3

Font, Rectangle, Circle, Symmetry

Susan B. Anthony in 1848

Hairstyle, Picture frame, Sleeve, Vintage clothing

Lydia Mott (Massachusetts Historical Society)

Eyebrow, Jaw, Art, Collar

In 1854 Elizabeth Cady Stanton presided over the New York State Woman’s Rights Convention at Albany, NY. Also known as the “Justice to Women” Convention, reform leaders met at Association Hall to discuss the women’s rights movement and present a series of resolutions. During the evening session of the convention, Elizabeth C. Stanton read an address she prepared for the state legislature. This address was then distributed in print form to each state legislator along with 6,000 petitions gathered in support of advancing women’s rights. Stanton’s “Address to the Legislature of New York” is considered her first landmark speech. Her remarks were part of an effort to lobby the New York State Legislature to change the Married Women’s Property Law to allow women more financial and legal freedom and the ability to conduct business and be joint guardians of their children. This change was passed in 1860.

Officers of the Convention:

President: Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Vice-Presidents: Rev. S. J. May, Ernestine L. Rose, Hon. William Hay, William H. Topp, Lydia A. Jenkins, Lydia Mott, Mary F. Love

Business Committee: Rev. Antoinette L. Brown, W. H. Channing, Catherine A. F. Stebbins, Phebe H. Jones

Secretaries: Susan B. Anthony, Anna W. Anthony

Convention presenters: William Henry Channing, Samuel J. May, Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Love, Miss Brown, Miss Anthony, Mrs. Jenkins, Hon. William Hay. And Giles B. Stebbins. 

Skinnell, Ryan. “Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s 1854 ‘Address to the Legislature of New York’ and the Paradox of Social Reform Rhetoric.” Rhetoric Review 29, 2 (2010): 129-144.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage, ed. History of Woman Suffrage: In Three Volumes, Vol 1 (1848-1861). Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1889. Google Books. Accessed July 1, 2021.

"The Story of the Women's Suffrage Movement in Albany--Part I; The Mothers of Invention." Friends of Albany History. January 6, 2018. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/the-story-of-the-womens-suffrage-movement-in-albany-part-i-the-mothers-of-invention/.

“Women’s Suffrage in New York State.” New York Assembly—files of Assemblyman N. Nick Perry. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://nyassembly.gov/member_files/058/20090226/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

"Elizabeth Cady Stanton." Wikipedia. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cady_Stanton.

"The Story of the Women's Suffrage Movement in Albany--Part I; The Mothers of Invention." Friends of Albany History. January 6, 2018. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/the-story-of-the-womens-suffrage-movement-in-albany-part-i-the-mothers-of-invention/.

"The Story of the Women's Suffrage Movement in Albany--Part I; The Mothers of Invention." Friends of Albany History. January 6, 2018. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/the-story-of-the-womens-suffrage-movement-in-albany-part-i-the-mothers-of-invention/.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage, ed. History of Woman Suffrage: In Three Volumes, Vol 1 (1848-1861). Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1889. Google Books. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://books.google.com/books?id=O4kEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage, ed. History of Woman Suffrage: In Three Volumes, Vol 1 (1848-1861). Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1889. Google Books. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://books.google.com/books?id=O4kEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage, ed. History of Woman Suffrage: In Three Volumes, Vol 1 (1848-1861). Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1889. Google Books. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://books.google.com/books?id=O4kEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage, ed. History of Woman Suffrage: In Three Volumes, Vol 1 (1848-1861). Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1889. Google Books. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://books.google.com/books?id=O4kEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.

"Susan B. Anthony." Wikipedia. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony.

"Lydia Mott is probably the most important woman who ever lived in Albany and you probably never heard of her." Friends of Albany History. March 20, 2018. Accessed July 1, 2021. https://friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/2018/03/20/lydia-mott-is-probably-the-most-important-woman-who-ever-lived-in-albany-and-you-probably-never-heard-of-her/.