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STATUE FINALLY MOVED
TO THE ROTUNDA!
UPDATE:
AFTER 75 YEARS, THEY ACTUALLY
GOT IT UP
Thanks to all the activists who
wrote, called, e-mailed and contributed
money to moving the suffrage statue
from the Capitol basement to the rotunda.
The marble statue of Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan
B. Anthony was moved on Mother's Day.
The move will be commemorated at a
rededication ceremony on June 26.
Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) has introduced
a bill (HR52) to commission a statue
of Sojourner Truth to join the other
suffragists in the rotunda (out of
197 statues in the Capitol, 5 are
of women). Right-wing talk radio
has played up the absence of Truth
to the point that members of Congress
report receiving only negative calls
about the move. They need to hear
from women who know how important
this symbol is particularly those
who worked hard to overcome obstacles:
Sen. John Warner (202-224-2023; fax
202-224-6295,
E-mail) and Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun
(202-224-2854; fax: 202-228-1318;
E-mail), Rep. Connie Morella (202-225-5341;
fax 202-225-1389;
E-mail ) and Rep. Cynthia McKinney
(202-225-1605; fax 202-226-0691;
E-mail ). Thank 'em for finally
getting it up and urge support for
Hastings' bill. (WFF
6/13/97)
The following is a news release
reprinted from Abigail's List.
WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Just in time
for Mothers' Day, a statue of three
suffragettes who fought for women's
right to vote was moved to a prominent
spot in the Capitol Sunday after 75
years in a basement crypt.
Contrary to reports late Saturday
night, the 7 1/2-ton work was still
being moved into place in the Capitol
Rotunda Sunday afternoon, according
to a spokeswoman for the umbrella
group that spearheaded the move.
"Our foremothers will join our forefathers
on Mothers' Day," said Lori Rivera
of the Woman Suffrage Statue Campaign.
The statue of Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott will
be the first to feature women in the
statue-lined Rotunda. Women won the
right to vote in the United States
in 1920 after passage of the 19th
Amendment to the Constitution.
A coalition of women's groups won
congressional approval to move the
statue to a more prominent location
in the Capitol earlier this year.
But black women's groups have protested
the move, arguing that the statue
should include black abolitionist
Sojourner Truth.
*****
For more on this story, see CNN's
article "Even
in stone, suffragettes cause a stir
on Capitol Hill" at the CNN
web site. In addition to background
on the statue and the suffragettes
being honored, the article links to
other Related Sites, including the
information featured here at FEMINIST.COM.
FOR BACKGROUND ON THIS STORY, SEE
OUT
OF THE BROOM CLOSET, INTO THE ROTUNDA
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