Women's rights historic sites in New York City are locales with historical connections to the women's rights movement. In March, 2008, the Government of New York City published an official map of one hundred and twenty historical sites and monuments in the borough of Manhattan.
Listed sites Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and his office developed the Women's Rights Historic Sites map to celebrate Women's History Month and to provide "a brief introduction to some of the extraordinary women" in the history of New York City who played significant roles in the US women's rights movement. The map was created by the office's Deputy Chief of Staff at the time, Pam Elam; Ken Nemchin provided the map's design. A printable version of the map is available on the Office of the Manhattan Borough President's website. The digital map can be accessed through the OMBP website or on Google Maps.
The following list was compiled by the Office of the Manhattan Borough President:
Emma Warren Roebling Address: Brooklyn Tower on Brooklyn Bridge Emily Warren Roebling, who led the completion of the work on the Brooklyn Bridge when her husband was injured, was honored with a plaque on the Brooklyn Tower of the bridge facing Manhattan. The plaque, donated by the Brooklyn Engineers Club, says: "Back of every great work we can find the self-sacrificing devotion of a woman." Elizabeth Jennings Address: Park Row between Spruce and Beekman Elizabeth Jennings Place honors the woman who was forcibly ejected from a car on the Third Avenue Railway line at the corner of Pearl Street and Chatham Square. In 1854, Elizabeth Jennings became the first African-American woman to bring a successful lawsuit seeking to end discrimination on public transportation in New York City. This case occurred a century before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton Address: 37 Park Row The street sign designating Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton Corner honors these women's rights leaders near the site where the office of their 1868 newspaper, The Revolution, once stood. Anthony said "Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest are willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathies with despised ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences." Barbara Ruckle Heck Address: 44 John Street In 1766, Barbara Ruckle Heck founded what is now the oldest Methodist congregation in United States at the Old John Street United Methodist Church. Louise Nevelson Address: Intersection of Maiden Lane, William Street and Liberty Street Louise Nevelson Plaza with her sculptures entitled "Shadows and Flags" was dedicated on April 14, 1977. Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Clafin Address: Stockbrokerage 44 Broad Street Also see: Woodhull's home: 15 E. 38th Street Victoria Woodhull and her sister Tennessee Clafin became the first women stockbrokers when they opened Woodhull, Clafin and Company in 1869. She also launched a newspaper, Woodhull & Clafin's Weekly, in 1870 and a campaign for President in 1872. Ms. Foundation for Women Address: 120 Wall Street The Ms. Foundation for Women, founded in 1972 to support the efforts of women and girls to govern their own lives and influence the world around them, was the country's first national, multi-issue women's fund. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Address: 7 State Street From 1801 to 1804, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton lived in the James Watson House where her shrine is now located. Mother Seton became the first American-born saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Emma Lazarus Address: Home 18 West 10th Street Also see: Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island The Statue of Liberty was said to be modeled after the mother of French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus," which is inscribed on the statue's base, includes the famous words, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Lazarus is honored with a street sign, Emma Lazarus Place, near this site where she lived. She is also remembered by a plaque at the northwest end of Battery Park which was donated in 1955 by the Federation of Jewish Women's Organizations. Annie Moore Address: Ellis Island The Annie Moore Statue on Ellis Island represents those who came to America looking for a better life. From 1892 to 1954, twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island; more than a hundred million Americans can claim ancestors who came through Ellis Island. There were many Annie Moores and it took historians some time to correctly match the statue with the right biography of the immigrant she represents. Billie Jean King Address: 26 Broadway The Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, honoring the tennis champion and women's rights activist, was opened in Lower Manhattan in 2008 as part of The Sports Museum of America. Gertrude Ederle Address: Broadway near Beaver Street On August 27, 1926, Gertrude Ederle received a ticker tape parade to celebrate her accomplishment of becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel. Amelia Earhart Address: Broadway near Morris Street Pilot Amelia Earhart was honored by two New York City ticker tape parades, the last being on June 20, 1932, to mark her achievement of the first solo transatlantic flight by a woman. Earhart said: "The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." Althea Gibson Address: Broadway near Liberty Street Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win a Wimbledon singles championship, became the first tennis player to be given a ticker tape parade by the City of New York on July 11, 1957, to honor her achievement. Gibson said: "I don't want to be put on a pedestal. I just want to be reasonably successful and live a normal life with all the conveniences to make it so. I think I've already got the main thing I've always wanted, which is to be somebody, to have identity. I'm Althea Gibson, the tennis champion. I hope it makes me happy." Women's eNews Address: 6 Barclay Street Women's eNews, launched as an independent, international media outlet on January 1, 2002, is a primary source of news of particular concern to women and also provides women's perspectives on public policy issues. Founder and Editor-in-chief Rita Henley Jensen leads this nonprofit, Internet-based news service. Mary Church Terrell and the National Association of Colored Women Address: 9 Murray Street Founded in 1896, the National Association of Colored Women worked for women's equality and helped women find employment. Mary Church Terrell, the Association's first National President, also played an important role in the fight for woman suffrage. Diana Reyna Address: Office 250 Broadway New York City Council Member Diana Reyna was selected by the voters in 2001, thus becoming the first woman of Dominican heritage elected in New York City. Carol Bellamy Address: Office City Hall Carol Bellamy was the first woman elected to citywide office in New York City when she became City Council President in 1977. After changes in the City Charter, the City Council President's position became known as Public Advocate. Christine Quinn Address: Office City Hall Christine Quinn became the first woman, first openly Gay and first Irish- American Speaker of the New York City Council in January 2006. Marie Sklowdowska Curie Address: City Hall Park Marie Sklodowska Curie, scientist and winner of two Nobel Prizes (Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911), was honored by a stone in City Hall Park dedicated on November 7, 1934, on the 67th anniversary of her birth and donated by the Polish American Children of New York City. Marie Curie had died on July 4, 1934, of a blood disease which resulted from exposure during her research to large amounts of radiation. Jane Addams Address: City Hall Park Jane Addams, leader of the settlement house movement and, in 1931, the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace prize, was honored by a stone in City Hall Park dedicated on Sept. 6, 1935. The stone was donated by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom to commemorate the 75th birthday of its founder. African Burial Ground National Monument Address: corner of Elk and Duane Streets It is estimated that 15,000 – 20,000 enslaved Africans were buried in the area around where City Hall now stands. In 1991, that cemetery was discovered, becoming one of America's most significant archeological finds of the 20th Century. In 2007, the African Burial Ground National Monument was dedicated. It is estimated that 40% of the adults buried there were women. Constance Baker Motley Address: Office Municipal Building 1 Centre Street Constance Baker Motley became the first woman Borough President of Manhattan in 1965. She was also the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate (1964), the first African-American woman judge on the federal bench (Southern District of New York, 1966), and the first African-American woman to serve as Chief Judge (1982). Elizabeth Holtzman Address: Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street Elizabeth Holtzman became the first woman Comptroller of New York City in 1990. She was also the youngest woman elected to Congress (1973) and the first woman to serve as Brooklyn's District Attorney. Maya Lin Address: United States Courthouse, Foley Square In 1996, architect and sculptor Maya Lin created "Sounding Stones," four sequentially placed granite blocks, which mark the Worth and Pearl Street entrances to the United States Courthouse. Jane Bolin Address: Domestic Relations Court, 60 Lafayette Street Jane Bolin was the first African-American woman in the United States to serve as a judge. On July 22, 1939, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia appointed her to serve on the New York City Domestic Relations Court, later renamed Family Court. Doris Ling-Cohan Address: New York Supreme Court 60 Centre Street First elected to the New York Supreme Court in 2002, Doris Ling-Cohan, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, is the first Asian-American woman to serve as a Justice. Sojourner Truth Address: 340-344 Broadway On September 7, 1853, at a Woman's Rights Convention at the now demolished Broadway Tabernacle, abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth silenced hecklers by saying: "But we'll have our rights; see if we don't. And you can't stop us from them; see if you can. You may hiss as much as you like, but it is coming. Women don't get half as much rights as they ought to. We want more and we will have it." Underground Railroad Station Address: 36 Lispenard Street The Underground Railroad Station at 36 Lispenard Street (plaque), one of the stops on the escape route to freedom, was where many found help from the New York City abolitionist community. Women comprised a major part of the abolitionist movement. Catherine Ferguson Address: School 51 Warren Street Also see: Home 74 Thompson Street Catherine Ferguson, a former slave, established an interracial Sunday school for poor and neglected children around 1793. Ferguson provided for the children with money she earned from baking cakes. Women's Committee of the Gee How Oak Tin Association Address: 62-64 Bayard Street The Women's Committee of the Gee How Oak Tin Association was organized by Margaret Chin in Chinatown in March 2002. While the Association itself was formed in the 1920s, women who are daughters of Chin, Woo and Yuan families were only allowed to join the Association and vote in 2002 when the Women's Committee was formed. Lillian Wald Address: Settlement 263-267 Henry Street