The Long and Winding Road, a four-part Zoom webinar with Dr. Shaw, was offered on Wednesdays, September 9, 16, 23, 30, from 6 to 7 pm.
This four-week mini-course focused on the women of Seneca Falls, NY and the first Women’s Rights Convention, the work of Ridgefield’s own Alice Paul, her strategic march on Washington, DC, and her lobbying in front of the White House to get the women’s vote. The course will also feature Ridgefield residents who knew Alice, and other area suffragettes such as Elsie Hill, Mary Louise Olcott, and Laura Curie Allee Shields. A list of suggested readings and films will be given prior to the beginning of the series. The course will relate to women’s issues of today and the status of the Equal Rights Amendment.
This program was presented in partnership with the Ridgefield Library.
Course Contents
- Session 1: Discussion of what came prior to Wave I in the Suffrage Movement and then a focus on Seneca Falls Conference, the Declaration of Sentiments, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Lucretia Mott.
- Session 2: Discussion of transition between Wave I and Wave II of the Suffrage Movement and then a focus on Carrie Chapman Catt (started LWV), Ridgefielders Alice Paul, Laura Curie Allee Shields, Mary Louise Olcott, and the Hill Sisters from Redding/Norwalk.
- Session 3: Discussion of Alice Paul by people in the community who knew her later in her life; Josette Williams, a reporter from Ridgefield, Debbie Ahle, Alice’s private duty nursing aid at Altna Craig, and anyone else who knew Alice personally.
- Session 4: Open Discussion of Iron Jawed Angels and other movies and videos that were watched prior to this session. A set of questions will be sent ahead of time. Concluding remarks and summary.
All sessions included a Q&A section. This program is supported by the CT Humanities and Fairfield County Bank.
