Event
Past. Present. Powerful.
Celebrating 175 Years Since the First National Women’s Rights Convention
Mechanic’s Hall
Worcester MA
October 22-23, 2025
9:30 AM
Deja Foxx
Keynote Speaker
Worcester Women’s History Project at Museum of Worcester
Welcome
In 1850, over 1,000 people—including Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Lucy Stone—gathered at Brinley Hall in Worcester for the first National Women’s Rights Convention. It was a groundbreaking moment that sparked a global movement.
Now, Worcester Women’s History Project (WWHP) at Museum of Worcester (MOW) is bringing that history to life with a citywide, year-long celebration through October 2025—featuring talks, films, performances, and more. Culminating in the Re-Creation of the 1850 Convention.
Deja Foxx
Featured Speaker
Social Justice Advocate, Digital Creator, Gen Z Thought Leader
More Featured Speakers
Cecelia Blue
President & CEO Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition
Stephanie Gorton
Author, The Icon and the Idealist: Margaret Sanger, Mary Ware Dennett, and the Rivalry That Brought Birth Control to America
John Kowal, ESQ.
Author, The People's Constitution, NYU Brennan Center for Social Justice
Dr. Lauran Star
Company Culture Keynote Speaker & Bestselling Author
Event Highlights
Mechanic's Hall
Re-Creation of the 1850 Convention
A modern two-day convention exploring women’s rights then and now—reproductive freedom, pay equity, inclusion, constitutional protections, and more. Featuring national speakers, workshops, performances, and a youth delegation. Ticket sales begin late June.
From Petticoats to Power Suits
A Historical Fashion Show – With costume experts from Clark University and the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Dessert With the Dead Ladies
Q&A with historical icons like Abby Kelley Foster and Frances Perkins.
Angels and Infidels
A powerful play by Louisa Burns-Bisogno about the 1850 Convention
WWHP Oral History Project
Share your story or hear from 500+ voices
Angels and Infidels
Honoring Harriette Chandler, the first female President of the MA Senate
Tickets
Reserve Your Spot In history
For sponsorship, tickets, or event info:
barbaraguertin@worcesterhistory.net | 508-753-8278 x111
WWHP @ MOW is proud to partner with the League of Women Voters of Worcester Area, Massachusetts Women’s History Center, Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, and others.