Background: Centennial Exposition
Lithograph of the Women's Pavilion of the Philadelphia Centennial.
Image courtsey of Centennial Exhibition Digital Collection.
Elizabeth Gillespie, great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, was the head of the Women's Centennial Executive Committee, the group responsible for women's official involvement during the Philadelphia Centennial.
Image courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
A publication of the Women's Centennial Executive Committee.
Image courtesy of Terry Snyder.
In 1876, Philadelphia was the site of the Centennial Exposition, a celebration of 100 years since the creation of the United States of America. In order to raise enough funds for the Exposition, the men in charge of planning it enlisted the help of a group. This committee, headed by Elizabeth Gillespie, raised large amounts of money for the Exposition, as well as gathered exhibitions of women's works to be displayed. When they were denied space in the Main Exhibition Hall, the women had a separate Woman's Pavilion constructed to house the works of women they had collected. [1]
“Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States”, was read by Susan B. Anthony on July 4th 1893.
Image courtesy of the University of Rochester.
Susan B. Anthony read the “Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States” during the Columbian Exposition. The speech outlined the critiques of the Suffragists who demanded radical gender equality. They would go on to influence the proceedings of the Columbian Exposition as well. [1]
[1] Jeanne Weimann. The Fair Women.