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The extraordinary fight to end enslavement also opened doors for women in activism, public speaking, education, and organizing. Beginning in an era where educating women was rare and public life was considered the sole province of men, the region soon developed organizers, male and female, for a number of social causes including abolition, prison reform, temperance, and voting rights. We will explore the roles of prominent New England Black families including the Haydens of Boston, the Remonds of Salem, the Cuffes and Wainers of Westport, and Attorney Robert Morris along with Quakers, black and white, who helped to transform the legal, educational, and religious landscape of New England and paved the way for women’s suffrage.
Instructor: Susan Franz holds a master's degree from Clark University and has taught at several local colleges. She has taught several courses on the abolition and Underground Railroad periods for WISE and lectures frequently around the Commonwealth. She played a key role in gaining National Park Service recognition for Underground Railroad locations in the Blackstone River Valley and designed an exhibit on the Underground Railroad for state parks. She has served on the Uxbridge Select Board, Finance Committee, and Historical Commission and has edited a book on French artist Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun titled Moments of Joy.
Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE)Assumption University, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester MA 01609 wise@assumption.edu 508-767-7513
