US Treasury Announces Addition of Women to $5, $10, & $20

Harriet Tubman (photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)
Harriet Tubman (photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)

Rochester, NY – Last summer, the United States Treasury announced plans to redesign the ten dollar bill, incorporating the theme of “democracy” and the portrait of woman for the first time in over a century. The Treasury launched a social media campaign, using #TheNew10, and solicited public nominations on which woman to feature.

Now, almost a year of robust and thought-provoking discussions later, Secretary Jack Lew has announced plans to redesign not only the ten dollar bill, but also the five and twenty dollar bills. The announcement, made on April 20, also revealed plans to incorporate several women on all three bills.

Most notably, Harriet Tubman will be featured on the face of the twenty dollar bill. Alexander Hamilton, originally slated to be removed from the face of the ten dollar bill, will now remain, joined by images, on the reverse, of celebrated women’s rights advocates: Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and our own, Susan B Anthony. President Abraham Lincoln will remain on the face of the five dollar bill, while the reverse will feature a collage of images honoring the historic events, which took place at the Lincoln Memorial in DC.

“We are very pleased with the selection of Harriet Tubman,” said Anthony Museum president and CEO, Deborah L. Hughes. “Tubman gave her entire life and sacrificed much in the fight for equal rights.” Harriet Tubman was mentioned by several attendees at a town hall meeting held at the Anthony Museum last July.

The U.S. Treasury expects to unveil the new designs by 2020, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted American women the right to vote.  More information can be found at their website: https://modernmoney.treasury.gov/

Annual Susan B. Anthony Festival set for August 16

Votes for Women portrayers
Photo Credit: Ellen Wheeler/National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

Rochester, NY – The 2015 Susan B. Anthony Festival will take place on Sunday, August 16, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Susan B. Anthony Square Park between Madison & King Streets. This annual event celebrates the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women throughout the country the right to vote. The amendment is commonly known as the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment”.

Live music and entertainment will be provided throughout the afternoon in the Park. Food vendors and unique artisans will also be on hand. Free walking tours of this 19th century Historic Preservation District will also be offered, highlighting recent neighborhood developments including the Carriage Factory Apartments and public art murals. Tours of the Susan B. Anthony House will be available at a discounted cost from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Festival day.

This event is presented by the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association and the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House. “This year’s festival kicks off an exciting time for the Museum with women’s suffrage centennials upcoming in 2017 for New York State and 2020 nationally,” said Anthony Museum President & CEO, Deborah L. Hughes. “With the national spotlight on this incredibly important period of our history, we continue our mission to inspire and challenge individuals to make a positive difference in their lives and communities.”

Dawn Noto, President of the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association, said, “The Susan B. Anthony Festival will celebrate the 95th anniversary of the vote this year. We are thrilled to showcase our community’s growth each year at this important celebration.”

Anthony Museum to host illustrator Nicole Tadgell

Nicole Tadgell
Photo courtesy of Nicole Tadgell

Rochester, NY – The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House is pleased to welcome Nicole Tadgell, illustrator of Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, as our featured speaker for this year’s intergenerational Family Tea event.

Tadgell will lead guests on a special tour of 17 Madison Street, as seen through the eyes of a children’s book illustrator. Activities, refreshments, and a reading of the book will be held in our Carriage House following the tour.

“I was delighted to be able to visit the Susan B. Anthony House while doing research for the book, and enjoyed the tour very much,” says Tadgell. “It was wonderful to see Susan B. Anthony’s dress, work area, and see what her daily life was like.”

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, April 26, from 2pm to 4pm. The cost to attend is $25 per person. This price includes a signed copy of the book for each child. Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.

Space is strictly limited for this special event. Reservations may be made online or by calling 585/279-7490 x 10. If you any questions about this event, please contact Program Director, Annie Callanan, by email or by calling 585-235-6124 x 19.

Anthony Artifact Returns to Madison Street

Rochester, NY – A cross-stitch sampler created by Susan B. Anthony over a three-year period beginning in 1831 will be returned to the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House on Thursday, March 5, 2015, at 1pm. The artifact has been in the care of conservator Sarah Stevens of Zephyr Preservation Studios.

The conservation work was made possible through a 2014 Museum Conservation Treatment Grant by the Greater Hudson Heritage Network, in association with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

Deborah L. Hughes, President & CEO of the Anthony Museum, noted, “Susan B. Anthony had this sampler prominently displayed in her office when she was in her eighties, so we know that it was important to her. It is precious today because it connects us personally to young Susan and her family. This was her handiwork, long before she was the Great Reformer”.

A second artifact, a pair of kid gloves belonging to Susan B. Anthony and said to have been worn at her 50th birthday party, has been on display at the Museum of the City of New York since December 2014. Initially set to return to the Anthony Museum this month, the gloves will now be on display through August 2015.

National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Receives Greater Hudson Heritage Network Grant

Credit: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
Credit: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

Rochester, NY – The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House has been awarded a 2014 Museum Conservation Treatment Grant by the Greater Hudson Heritage Network, in association with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The $1,856.84 grant will be used to conserve a cross-stitch sampler created by Susan B. Anthony over a three-year period beginning in 1831. Conservation work will be completed by Sarah Stevens of Zephyr Preservation Studios.

Deborah L. Hughes, President & CEO of the Anthony Museum, noted, “Susan B. Anthony had this sampler prominently displayed in her office when she was in her eighties, so we know that it was important to her. It is precious today because it connects us personally to young Susan and her family. This was her handiwork, long before she was the Great Reformer. We are most grateful for this conservation grant from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network, and we are pleased that Sarah C. Stevens will be the conservator for this important project”.

Greater Hudson Heritage Network’s grant programs recognize “excellent stewardship of New York State’s cultural heritage”, according to its Executive Director, Priscilla Brendler, and are highly competitive. The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House sincerely thanks the Greater Hudson Heritage Network for this generous grant.

Upcoming Event: 2014 Susan B. Anthony Festival

The 2014 Susan B. Anthony Festival will take place on Sunday, August 17, from noon to 5pm in the Susan B. Anthony Park between Madison & King Streets. This annual event celebrates the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women throughout the country the right to vote. The amendment is better known as the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment”.

ChetCatallo2Live music & entertainment will be provided throughout the afternoon in the Park. Local artists include 6-time Grammy nominee and 2012 Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester “Artist of the Year”, Chet Catallo & the Cats, who will perform at 3pm. Also performing are Cammy Enharo, the Raging Grannies, and the Spiritus Christi Choir. Food vendors and unique artisans will also be on hand.

tours (3)Free walking tours of this 19th century Historic Preservation District will also be offered, beginning in the Park. Tours of the Anthony House will be available at a discounted cost for the event.

This event is presented by the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association and the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House. Deborah L. Hughes, President & CEO of the Anthony Museum, said, “Susan B. Anthony worked all her life to give women a voice. Considering the events of the past year, her work is as relevant today as it was when she was living.”

Dawn Noto, President of the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association, said, “We are very excited for the annual Susan B. Anthony Festival. Our Historic Preservation District is looking fantastic and this festival gives us an opportunity to share the collaborative work this community has done.”