CINXE.COM
Twenty-Eighth NY State Suffrage Convention - Freethought Trail - New York
<!doctype html> <html lang="en"> <head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-Y49RKSZGSG"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)}; gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-Y49RKSZGSG'); </script> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"> <title>Twenty-Eighth NY State Suffrage Convention - Freethought Trail - New York</title> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/assets/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/assets/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/assets/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"> <link rel="manifest" href="/assets/manifest.json"> <link rel="mask-icon" href="/assets/safari-pinned-tab.svg" color="#800d0d"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/assets/favicon.ico"> <meta name="msapplication-config" content="/assets/browserconfig.xml"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"> <link href="/assets/css/combined.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <nav class="navbar fixed-top app-navbar app-red-bg-gradient"> <a class="sr-only sr-only-focusable" href="#app-page">Skip to main content</a> <div class="container"> <a class="navbar-brand" href="/" title="Freethought Trail" aria-roll="button" aria-label="Freethought Trail"><i class="sprite-logo "></i></a> <button class="navbar-toggler " type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#navbarNavDropdown" aria-controls="navbarNavDropdown" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation"> <span class="navbar-toggler-icon "></span> </button> <div class="w-100 mt-auto app-nav"> <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="navbarNavDropdown"> <div class="text-center text-uppercase app-secondary-font-stack app-styled-nav"> <div class="px-3"> <img class="img-fluid mb-3" src="/assets/img/default/nav-line-top.png" srcset="/assets/img/default/nav-line-top.png 1x,/assets/img/default/nav-line-top@2x.png 2x" alt=""><br /> <a href="/trail-map/" class="app-styled-font-size-1">Trail Map</a><br /> <a href="/plan-your-journey/" class="app-styled-font-size-2">Plan Your Journey</a><br /> <a href="/our-history/" class="app-styled-font-size-3">Our History</a><br /> <a href="/latest-news/" class="app-styled-font-size-4">Latest News</a><br /> <a href="/partner-links-and-credits" class="app-styled-font-size-5">Partner Links & Credits</a><br /> <img class="img-fluid mt-3" src="/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom.png" srcset="/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom.png 1x,/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom@2x.png 2x" alt=""> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="app-page"> <div class="app-red-bg"> <div class="container"> <div id="carousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel"> <div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <img class="d-block d-md-none img-fluid" src="/cache/images/a57c0b67125ab1b2533b2b793d240b9f.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/a57c0b67125ab1b2533b2b793d240b9f.jpg 1x, /cache/images/55e5142e7b8ef8d750dc010231256503.jpg 2x" alt="Twenty-Eighth NY State Suffrage Convention"> <img class="d-none d-md-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/3cc52359e5acb0bf6ec4bd366725577c.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/3cc52359e5acb0bf6ec4bd366725577c.jpg 1x, /cache/images/4e95550561fecf7aad54653adb866a3d.jpg 2x" alt="Twenty-Eighth NY State Suffrage Convention"> <div class="carousel-image-overlay app-red-carousel-gradient"></div> <div class="carousel-caption carousel-caption-internal"> <div class="app-center"> <h1 class="mt-5 mt-sm-0">Twenty-Eighth NY State Suffrage Convention</h1> <p>November 17–19, 1896</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-white-bg "> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12 app-links"> <p>The twenty-eighth annual convention of the <a href="/profiles/profile:new-york-state-woman-suffrage-association-nyswsa/">New York State Woman Suffrage Association</a> (NYSWSA) was held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, November 17–19, 1896, in <a href="/regions/region:rochester/">Rochester</a>. (Nineteenth-century practice was to use the singular, <em>woman's</em>; later practice was to use the plural, <em>women's</em>.) <a href="/trail-map/location:ymca-music-hall/">Music Hall</a>, a large upstairs auditorium in what was then Rochester's YMCA headquarters, was the site of the convention's plenary sessions. At those meetings suffrage leader <a href="/profiles/profile:mills-harriet-may/">Harriet May Mills</a> of <a href="/regions/region:syracuse/">Syracuse</a> served as recording secretary for the convention. In addition, <a href="/profiles/profile:howland-isabel/">Isabel Howland</a> of <a href="/regions/region:sherwood-now-aurora/">Sherwood</a> was elected recording secretary of NYSWSA for the coming year.</p> <p>The convention began on Tuesday, November 17, with an afternoon business meeting and an evening reception honoring nationally prominent <a href="/causes/cause:womans-rights-suffrage/">suffragist</a> <a href="/profiles/profile:anthony-susan-b/">Susan B. Anthony</a>. Both were held at the <a href="/trail-map/location:whitcomb-house-hotel/">Whitcomb House</a>, the hotel that served as the convention's headquarters, as it had for a previous convention in 1890.</p> <p>Plenary sessions in Music Hall began on Wednesday, November 18. Some 300 persons attended, mostly women, with representatives from nearly every county of New York State. The day was given over to a public business meeting, approval of committee rosters, and the presentation of committee reports. At the evening session, convention-goers were formally greeted by Rochester Mayor George Warner, after which Anthony and nationally prominent suffrage activist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Devereux_Blake">Lillie Devereaux Blake</a> delivered addresses.</p> <p>Plenary sessions continued on Thursday, November 19. The morning session was called to order by Rochester suffrage leader <a href="https://rrlc.org/winningthevote/biographies/jean-brooks-greenleaf/">Jean Brooks Greenleaf</a>. Greenleaf had been elected president of NYSWSA at the previous convention held in Rochester in 1890 and announced that she was stepping down from the post at the 1896 convention. (She remained active in the suffrage cause for the rest of her life.) Various business was conducted, including the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting by convention recording secretary Mills and the election of officers. After presentation of a treasurer's report, the plenary session adjourned at midday.</p> <p>On the evening of Friday, November 20, the <a href="/trail-map/location:livingston-hotel/">Livingston Hotel</a> was the site of a banquet in honor of Anthony, who attended. An estimated 300 persons were present. This banquet was the final event of the 1896 convention.</p> <p>The convention concluded with a private executive board meeting, presumably held at the Whitcomb House.</p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-white-bg app-box-shadow"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/c4b9865f574276b1af2552a7642407b4.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Susan B. Anthony"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/5ba72813687c0220ea87baf52ab9d17b.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/5ba72813687c0220ea87baf52ab9d17b.jpg 1x, /cache/images/e074e5ce87250260992632fe23c8c6b5.jpg 2x" alt="Susan B. Anthony"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Susan B. Anthony</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Susan B. Anthony.</p></div> </div> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/f0bce5fee636e51f95ee774b5f7f069e.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Harriet May Mills"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/50a30a6f50b9d5b00e56c9a2fe6fb30e.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/50a30a6f50b9d5b00e56c9a2fe6fb30e.jpg 1x, /cache/images/b9bfc19cb0871836ef79cdfd947f7689.jpg 2x" alt="Harriet May Mills"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Harriet May Mills</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Harriet May Mills.</p></div> </div> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/fef0f0692d51578639886b6740b37dd3.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Isabel Howland"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/5fe9d3607eae86bda202929f1aee3c76.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/5fe9d3607eae86bda202929f1aee3c76.jpg 1x, /cache/images/14b4b4ec9107d6c927d2ca30d1c6a00a.jpg 2x" alt="Isabel Howland"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Isabel Howland</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Isabel Howland.</p></div> </div> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/285083c7661b8398cee646ca63a81dfe.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Lillie Devereux Blake"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/7e1305d372e37380e992939bc2c882db.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/7e1305d372e37380e992939bc2c882db.jpg 1x, /cache/images/422da00baa00d57bf0442f29faa42aa7.jpg 2x" alt="Lillie Devereux Blake"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Lillie Devereux Blake</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Lillie Devereux Blake.</p></div> </div> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/c8a9d1a03e7502473c7fae294f5dcd67.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Jean Brooks Greenleaf"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/7cb356813f957934502a456495809e42.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/7cb356813f957934502a456495809e42.jpg 1x, /cache/images/75dd677f6ea4954276a231a90f65303a.jpg 2x" alt="Jean Brooks Greenleaf"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Jean Brooks Greenleaf</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Jean Brooks Greenleaf.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Associated Causes</h4> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/causes/cause:womans-rights-suffrage/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/788c323869eaf86a7c38522d12a6d156.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/788c323869eaf86a7c38522d12a6d156.jpg 1x, /cache/images/d57f592355fd1ed7c0143690a0c1cc33.jpg 2x" alt="Woman's Rights / Suffrage"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Woman's Rights / Suffrage</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Associated Sites</h4> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/trail-map/location:ymca-music-hall/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/c0a8415eddd67449c0ea797d7f020b4d.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/c0a8415eddd67449c0ea797d7f020b4d.jpg 1x, /cache/images/83d13fe9dc90cd2dc74423600e174bf3.jpg 2x" alt="YMCA Music Hall"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">YMCA Music Hall</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/trail-map/location:livingston-hotel/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/a6ad37c9d73625966e145c2dfbc5ee62.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/a6ad37c9d73625966e145c2dfbc5ee62.jpg 1x, /cache/images/d883f3d7a0a9e68e11c1fbd6c3857a29.jpg 2x" alt="Livingston Hotel"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Livingston Hotel</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/trail-map/location:whitcomb-house-hotel/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/3fbe8a789f1b9edc6053859ddb474a40.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/3fbe8a789f1b9edc6053859ddb474a40.jpg 1x, /cache/images/57d002dc1d4f0caa6cd3493c9ce7a66a.jpg 2x" alt="Whitcomb House Hotel"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Whitcomb House Hotel</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Those Involved</h4> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:anthony-susan-b/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/0c18df5be24b0b445514571a4daa97a3.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/0c18df5be24b0b445514571a4daa97a3.jpg 1x, /cache/images/789929ac2594d395675188b04b119d94.jpg 2x" alt="Anthony, Susan B."> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Anthony, Susan B.</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:howland-isabel/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/164a15044c595152d62f607c33ea2c65.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/164a15044c595152d62f607c33ea2c65.jpg 1x, /cache/images/43bee77c64c86f79450e610d339f0fea.jpg 2x" alt="Howland, Isabel"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Howland, Isabel</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:mills-harriet-may/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/10ffb5531ee404f946f52f7751ecbf62.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/10ffb5531ee404f946f52f7751ecbf62.jpg 1x, /cache/images/a1c9f60505dbd526d42a035ed91c4a4c.jpg 2x" alt="Mills, Harriet May"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Mills, Harriet May</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:new-york-state-woman-suffrage-association-nyswsa/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/c0df89c015c108a678dc3aab10679d74.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/c0df89c015c108a678dc3aab10679d74.jpg 1x, /cache/images/f8ba91dbfb8e9ddbc10d35010a4e1e4f.jpg 2x" alt="New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA)"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA)</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-red-bg app-white-text"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12 col-md-8"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-12 mb-3"> <h3>Browse Historical Sites</h3> </div> </div> <div class="row text-uppercase"> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/causes/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom app-border-top">By Cause <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/profiles/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom app-border-top app-no-border-top">By Those Involved <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/regions/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom">By Location <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/historical-events/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom">By Event <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/types/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom">By Type <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-12 col-md-4 mt-5 mt-md-0"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-12 mb-3"> <h3>Sign Up for our Newsletter</h3> </div> <div class="col-12 mb-3"> <p><a href="https://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php/store_example/product/become-a-friend-of-the-ingersoll-birthplace-museum" class="btn btn-lg btn-block rounded-0 app-white-bg app-red-text">Sign Up</a></p> </div> <div class="col-12 mb-3"> <h3 class="">Follow our sponsor on</h3> </div> <div class="col-6"> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/centerforinquiry/" class="mr-3 app-white-text"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-facebook-f"></i> Facebook</a></p> </div> <div class="col-6"> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/center4inquiry" class="mr-3 app-white-text"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-twitter"></i> Twitter</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="app-dark-gray-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6 app-gray-text"> <p class="m-0">© 2025 Freethought Trail. All Rights Reserved.</p> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6 text-sm-right app-gray-text"> <p class="m-0">Site by <a href="https://ingenious.org/" class="app-gray-text">Ingenious, Inc.</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script async src="/assets/js/combined.min.js"></script> </body> </html>