Author: Victoria Brzustowicz

Victoria Brzustowicz

In Memory of George Floyd

by Deborah L. Hughes, President & CEO, National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

“Whatever faults and failings other nations may have in their dealings with their own subjects or with other people, no other civilized nation stands condemned before the world with a series of crimes so peculiarly national,” wrote journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett in The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the Unites State, 1895.

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House stands in solidarity with those from the past, like Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and those from the present who have called out our nation’s long-standing hypocrisy of waving the banners of “freedom” and “justice for all” while brutally extinguishing life and liberty through our “justice system”” for others, like George Floyd.

In The Red Record, Wells-Barnett published the names of those known to have been lynched in 1893 and 1894, in order to awaken the nation to the depth of the atrocities. In 2018, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice opened in Montgomery, Alabama, listing on 800 monuments thousands of names of those who have been lynched. The sacred memorial was “conceived with the hope of creating a sober, meaningful site where people can gather and reflect on America’s history of racial inequality.”

Today, we remember these women, men, and children who have died in recent years because we, as a nation, have failed to put an end to the racial terror in our communities. We grieve with their families, and we pause to say their names. We know there are many more whose names we do not know.

George Floyd
Breonna Taylor
Ahmaud Arbery
Charleena Chavon Lyles
Michael Brown
Korryn Gaines
Trayvon Martin
Sandra Bland
Eric Garner
Alexia Christian
Philando Castile
Mya Hall
Laquan McDonald
Meagan Hockaday
Tamir Rice
Jordan Davis
Alton Sterling
Janisha Fonville
Freddie Gray
Natasha McKenna
Sean Reed
Tanisha Anderson
Aura Rosser
Walter Scott
Kendrec McDade
Sheneque Proctor
Michelle Cusseaux
Botham Jean
Pearlie Golden
Gabriella Nevarez
Oscar Grant
Kenneth Chamberlain
Yvette Smith
Miriam Carey
Samuel DuBose
Kyam Livingston
Kayla Moore
Shelly Frey
Malissa Williams
Amadou Diallo
Alesia Thomas
Shantel Davis
Sharmel Edwards
Rekia Boyd
Shereese Francis
Aiyana Stanley-Jones
Tarika Wilson
Kathryn Johnston
Alberta Spruill
Kendra James
LaTanya Haggerty
Margaret LaVerne Mitchell
Tyisha Miller
Danette Daniels
Frankie Ann Perkins
Sonji Taylor
Eleanor Bumpurs

In her autobiography, Wells-Barnett shared that, “The very frequent inquiry made after my lectures by interested friends is ‘What can I do to help the cause?’ The answer always is: ‘Tell the world the facts.’”

We are grateful for the witness of Ida B. Wells Barnett, the Equal Justice Initiative, #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, and any person or organization that is committed to exposing the depth and truth of our nation’s racial terrorism. We believe that we must have the courage to face the horrific truth of our past and the painful reality of our present, before we can move toward to healing and reconciliation. We are on our knees in solidarity for a beloved community.

May you be well, may you be safe, may you be courageous.

Victoria Brzustowicz

Update from the Parlor Office June 2, 2020

By Deborah L. Hughes, President & CEO

“The consent of the governed is the sole, legitimate authority of any government! This is the essential, peculiar creed of our republic. That principle is on one side of this war; and the old doctrine of might makes right, the necessary ground-work of all monarchies, is on the other. It is a life-and-death conflict between all those grand, universal, man-respecting principles, which we call by the comprehensive term democracy, and all those partial, person-respecting, class-favoring elements which we group together under that silver-slippered word aristocracy. If this war does not mean that, it means nothing.”
~Antoinette Brown Blackwell, 1863

Susan B. Anthony called us out in 1863, “It is a war to found an empire on the negro in slavery, and shame on us if we do not make it a war to establish the negro in freedom—against whom the whole nation, North and South, East and West, in one mighty conspiracy, has combined from the beginning.”Our nation, supposedly founded on the ideals that all are “created equal” and that the government gets its power and authority from the people, has waged a war against humanity, in direct contradiction to the ideals of liberty, justice, and equality. The Civil War was not a war between the north and the south, nor did it end in 1865. It was a war for the soul of our nation, and we are still in the midst of the battle.

Anthony had a challenge, “I therefore hail the day when the Government shall recognize that it is a war for freedom. We talk about returning to the old Union—”the Union as it was,” and “the Constitution as it is”—about “restoring our country to peace and prosperity—to the blessed conditions that existed before the war!” I ask you what sort of peace, what sort of prosperity, have we had? Since the first slave-ship sailed up the James River with its human cargo, and there, on the soil of the Old Dominion, sold it to the highest bidder, we have had nothing but war. When that pirate captain landed on the shores of Africa, and there kidnapped the first stalwart negro, and fastened the first manacle, the struggle between that captain and that negro was the commencement of the terrible war in the midst of which we are today. Between the slave and the master there has been war, and war only. This is only a new form of it. No, no; we ask for no return to the old conditions. We ask for something better. We want a Union that is a Union in fact, a Union in spirit, not a sham.”

We put down slavery, but we took up weapons like lynching, Jim Crow, mass incarceration, and racial profiling. We’ve waged war by denying access to businesses, clubs, and board rooms. We’ve waged war by segregating classrooms and separating school districts. We’ve waged war by intimidation. We’ve waged war by creating food deserts and accepting higher infant mortality and disparate health outcomes. We’ve waged war by moving away, or turning away.

Perhaps we have not been personally guilty of these crimes, but we must understand that we are complicit. We’ve paid for this war with our tax dollars and we’ve benefited from this war with our privilege. We must be willing to listen to those who have been under attack for far too long, and together, we can actively engage in ending this war. Then, perhaps, we’ll have a union in fact, not a sham.

Victoria Brzustowicz

A Woman with a Cause

A Woman with a Cause: Meet The Sixteen-Year-Old Anthony Museum Tour Guide

Guest blog by Julia Smith

Editor’s Note: Julia Smith is a recent Nazareth College graduate, and volunteered at the Anthony Museum as a receptionist in the summer of 2018. Her mother, Sue Smith, was one of the Anthony Museum’s beloved docents. This article was originally written as coursework for Julia’s class “Feature Writing.”

At sixteen, you would expect Lola DeAscentiis to be learning TikTok dances in her friend’s basement or haphazardly attempting to hydro dip her sneakers on the driveway. Instead, DeAscentiis commits her time to being one of the youngest tour guides at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in downtown Rochester, NY.

“I’ve always had a passion for women’s history,” said DeAcentiis of becoming a docent. “Being right in Rochester, why wouldn’t I take that opportunity?”

A sophomore at Our Lady of Mercy High School, DeAscentiis began working at the Anthony Museum when she was only in eighth grade. However, because of her age (she was thirteen at the time), she was not allowed to give tours.

Instead, DeAscentiis jumped into working on community outreach initiatives such as the Anthony Museum’s Girl Scouts Program, which aims to connect social justice causes of today to Anthony’s legacy and life’s work. When DeAscentiis began high school last year, she embarked on a rigorous training schedule to finally become a docent at the Anthony Museum.

“I don’t want to say it came naturally since it was a lot of work, but getting to learn from the other docents and doing some reading on my own was something I really enjoyed doing,”she said. On the final tour before she received her certification, she caught the eye of playwright Mark Mobley, who incorporated her story into The Rochester Philharmonic’s bicentennial celebration of Anthony’s work, Women’s Suffrage: Past + Present. Her story was one of a select few featured among the likes of Mayor Lovely A. Warren; Susan B. Anthony Center Director, Dr. Catherine Cerulli; and Tamara Leigh, Director of Operations and Public Relations for the Out Alliance.

But Mobley isn’t the only one who recognized DeAscentiis’ talent.

“I have never in my fifteen years as an educator taught a student like Lola,” said Sarah DeMulder, DeAscentiis’ eighth grade English teacher and mentor. DeMulder describes DeAscentiis the way you would try to explain a once in a lifetime cosmic event, pausing in an attempt to describe a unique occurrence just right.

“We were reading Edgar Allen Poe and we did a few of his prose pieces and a handful of poems,” said DeMulder. “Lola’s response to that was to go out and get an entire anthology of Poe’s work and dig through it. She’s just constantly wanting more.”

When faculty members at Mercy decided to plan a centennial celebration for the ratification of the 19th Amendment, DeAscentiis was immediately added to the committee.

“I felt like it was necessary to bring Lola on board,” said DeMulder. “Lola’s depth of knowledge on the subject matter supersedes any of our knowledge. She doesn’t just know about it. She lives it and believes in it.”

Linda Lopata, Director of Interpretation & Visitor Services at the Anthony Museum, agrees.

“She’s very unusual for her age,” Lopata said. “She’s thinking about things deeply but she’s also incredibly engaging.”

“When people are waiting for their tour and then she comes out, you can see in their face they’re kind of like ‘what is this?’” said Lopata. “But by the end, they’re like ‘she was phenomenal.’ And that’s not because she’s fifteen— it’s because she’s really, really good.”

Even at her young age, DeAscentiis is already inspiring young women and girls through her work at the Anthony Museum.

“Having [tours with] children is really fun,” DeAscentiis said of giving tours to little kids. “They take what they’ve learned in school and they’re actually so excited…I just love their energy.”

DeMulder’s two elementary school aged daughters both look up to Lola as a role model. “I asked my now eight-year-old what she would like to do to celebrate her eighth birthday and she wanted to go back to the Anthony Museum,” said DeMulder.

“Her email starts with ‘futureprez,’” Lopata said. “I don’t doubt it.”

In her time away from the Anthony Museum, DeAscentiis tries to keep herself busy. She’s currently on the editorial board of her school’s newspaper, participates in diversity club, and even started a TikTok account called HERstory focused on educating the public about women who were often overlooked or under-appreciated in history.

“It’s been a really great way to connect and reach out to people,” DeAscentiis says of the account, which has accumulated over three thousand likes on the platform.

Even though the Susan B. Anthony House is more than ten times older than she is, DeAscentiis finds Anthony’s life of service more powerful and relevant than ever.

“My favorite part of the tour to give is probably the very last room: her bedroom,” said DeAscentiis. “At that point people definitely start to tear up a little bit at the end of her story. That just means a lot to me because her story really was that moving and if I’m able to convey that in the hour I have with those people, it makes me feel pretty accomplished.”

“If I’m able to inspire people through her story, I think that’s a really great start at carrying on her legacy.”

Victoria Brzustowicz

An Open Letter to Nurses from the Nursing Friends of the Anthony Museum

An Open Letter to Nurses from

#susanbthanksnurses

Dear Nurses:

We are an ad hoc group of leaders in nursing education, research, and practice who are thinking of you.

We appreciate the stresses you are experiencing as you care for persons who are victims of Covid-19. We praise your life-sustaining care and support.

You are dedicated nurses who are tireless in preventing further deleterious effects during patients’ struggles to survive. We know so many are recovering, thanks to your care. We also understand that it is heartbreaking when someone does not survive, despite your excellent care.

We admire the nursing care you are giving to patients, and we appreciate that you are providing a caring presence for those who cannot have family members or loved ones at their bedside during this pandemic.

We are thinking of you. We appreciate you. We thank you.

Sincerely, the Nursing Friends of the Anthony Museum

Calls to Action

Nurses: Amidst this this historic health crisis, we encourage you to record or share your stories using #susanbthanksnurses, to forward them to the Rochester Medical Museum and Archives, attention Kathleen Britton, curator, here.

Friends of Nurses: We encourage you to express your support by lighting a candle in honor of nurses and midwives, and post an image to social media using #susanbthanksnurses

*The Nursing Friends of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House was formed in 2009 to create and promote the connections between nursing, Susan B. Anthony, and Rochester’s history. Learn more about this group here.

Victoria Brzustowicz

Museum Shop Mother’s Day Specials

Mother’s Day Specials! 

We know this upcoming Holiday might be particularly difficult while physical distancing. We want to help show Moms how important they are in our lives, so our Museum Shop has created some special offers for Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day Gift Membership

Mother’s Day Gift Bundles

A few of the options include:

The Inspires Me Bundle

The 200 Years Gift Bundle

The Museum Gift Bundle

UPDATE: Thank you to all who supported the Anthony Museum with your Mother’s Day purchases. Many of these bundles will be available until sold out. Scheduled curbside pickup has been added as a regular feature )in addition to our usual shipping). Read all about it here .

Victoria Brzustowicz

Update from the Parlor Office March 20, 2020

So much has happened since our emails on Sunday. We hope that you and those dear to you are well, but we know that some of you have been directly affected by the virus.
Almost everyone is affected by current events in some way, whether in the form of threat to health and well-being, changes in income or assets, job loss or new ways of working, more people in living spaces, dear ones out of reach, or the anxiety fueled  by constant updates coming through on various communication channels. We have never travelled this path together.
At the Anthony Museum, we will remain closed to the public for tours, programs, and in-person meetings until further notice.
As we scramble to adjust our programs and schedules, we are more keenly aware of the disappointment of those who are not able to celebrate a graduation, present a concert, musical, or play, complete a “once-in-a-lifetime” excursion, or share wedding vows with friends. Our hearts go out to those who cannot be surrounded by friends and family in times of illness, anxiety, or grief.
Most of our staff are now working remotely, so the best way to reach us may be by email. We are finding new ways connect and work with each other, and we are planning new ways to connect with you. Some staff are attending to necessary functions on the Museum campus, like making sure all is safe and secure at our historic buildings, processing incoming gifts, and paying bills. We are following all recommended protocols to reduce the risk of exposure or transmission.
Although our admissions and museum shop revenue stream has stopped, we have been able to continue paying our dedicated staff, thanks to your generous support through gifts and memberships. On their behalf and mine, thank you.
As before, we will continue to keep you informed, and as Susan B. Anthony closed, we “will be anxious to hear how you get along–“
Be well,
Deborah
Deborah L. Hughes
President & CEO
National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
17 Madison Street
Rochester, NY  14608
Victoria Brzustowicz

Temporary Closing

Effective today, March 15, the Anthony Museum will be closing to the public through Sunday, March 22. In addition, we will be cancelling all group tours and programs through March 29.  We believe this is a wise precaution to protect our volunteers, staff, and visitors.  We thank you for your support and patience.

Update: The Anthony Museum campus is closed to the public until further notice. We support the strategy of physical distancing to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 exposure for our volunteers, staff, and visitors. We are developing new ways to connect and inspire our community virtually. We thank you for your ongoing support and patience. Please take care and be well.  We look forward to a time when we can again welcome guests into Susan B. Anthony’s home.

Victoria Brzustowicz

Ceremony Commemorating Susan B. Anthony’s Death

 

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House will host a ceremonial wreath hanging on the front steps of 17 Madison Street, the National Historic Landmark that was Susan B. Anthony’s home and headquarters, on Friday, March 13, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

The brief ceremony commemorates the 114th anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s death and will include remarks by Anthony Museum President & CEO, Deborah L. Hughes.

2020 marks the anniversary year of Susan B. Anthony’s 200th birthday, the centennial of the 19th Amendment ratification, and the Anthony Museum’s 75th Anniversary.

This event is free and open to the public.

 

Victoria Brzustowicz

Congressman Morelle announces Hughes as guest for State of the Union Address

CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE ANNOUNCES SUSAN B. ANTHONY HOUSE CEO DEBORAH L. HUGHES AS GUEST FOR 2020 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

February 4, 2020 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced that his guest for President Trump’s State of the Union Address will be Deborah L. Hughes, President and CEO of the Susan B. Anthony House and Museum in Rochester, NY and a staunch advocate for women’s rights.

“This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Susan B. Anthony, a pioneer of the women’s rights movement who made her home in my district of Rochester, New York,” said Rep. Morelle. “We’ve come so far in the fight for equality—but we continue to face new barriers that threaten to roll back the progress we’ve made. I’m so grateful to be joined at this year’s State of the Union address by Deborah L. Hughes, whose work reminds us that the words of Susan B. Anthony still ring true today: we must “organize, agitate, and educate” until every American has full equality.”

“I am humbled and honored to represent the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House and Susan B. Anthony’s legacy as Congressman Joe Morelle’s guest at the State of the Union in this historic 2020 year,” said Deborah L. Hughes, President and CEO of the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House. “Anthony’s life spanned some of the most turbulent and divisive times in our nation’s history.  She witnessed the horrific enslavement of human beings, the violent seizure of indigenous lands, labor practices that robbed women, children, and immigrants of health and liberty, three presidential assassinations, the bludgeoning of a Congressman by another, and state-sanctioned hate crimes in the form of Jim Crow laws and lynching. She witnessed the worst in human nature on both a personal and grand scale.  Yet she persevered with hope and passion, believing that we could–and must–have ‘a government BY the people, and the WHOLE people; for the people, and the WHOLE people.’ Congressman Morelle represents us with that same vision and passion, and I am honored to be his guest.”

75 years ago, a group of women in Rochester, NY, decided to purchase Susan B. Anthony’s former home on Madison Street and create a memorial sharing Anthony’s life and work in ways that inspire visitors to carry on her legacy of fighting for equality. Deborah L. Hughes serves as the President and CEO of this historic landmark and spearheads innovative programming to encourage voter participation, advocate for women’s rights, and continue the fight for justice.

The State of the Union address will be delivered by President Trump tonight at approximately 8:30 PM.

 

###

 

CONTACT: Dana Vernetti | 585-820-4684 | dana.vernetti@mail.house.gov 

Victoria Brzustowicz

Susan B. Anthony 200th Birthday Celebration Dinner

Join us at this historic event as we celebrate Susan B. Anthony’s 200th Birthday with with a special dinner and fundraiser on February 12, 2020 at the Joseph A. Floreano Riverside Convention Center.  Dinner is at 6PM with a reception immediately preceding (cash bar). The hall will open at 4:30pm, and the general reception will open at 5:00pm

The evening will feature the keynote speaker, Tena Clark. You may know her as the author of Southern Discomfort, or as a Grammy award-winning musician and composer. But there is a lot more to this woman than you know already. Come find out!

Celebrating Susan B. Anthony’s birthday is a tradition that began in her lifetime, and this year the celebration rises to a new level.  At the same time, the celebration  continues to honor contemporary women who continue her legacy, and to raise awareness of the educational and inspirational programs offered by the Anthony Museum.

Reservations are now closed.

If you would like to view a video of the event, click here.