I never realized that there was so much history just a few hours away from the Cornell campus. The opportunity to visit the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls and the Harriet Tubman House in Auburn were opportunities that I could not pass up on. 

The first stop on the trip was the Women’s Right Museum, where we learned about the history of the town, the history and fight for women’s voting rights, and the fight for equality. I had the opportunity to visit the chapel, the site of the first Women’s Rights Convention in the United States. From the park ranger, I learned more about the events of that day and of the key women and men involved in the fight for equality. 

The second stop of the trip was the Harriet Tubman house. Here, we had the opportunity to learn about the life and work of Harriet Tubman. The tour guide’s passion and knowledge regarding the early life of Harriet Tubman, her accomplishments, her work during the Civil War, and her later life was truly remarkable. Previously, I did not know much about Harriet Tubman’s early life, especially her brain injury caused by a two-pound weight. Some say that this head injury caused her to hear voices/messages from God, which spurred her and helped her during her journeys on the Underground Railroad. Furthermore, I previously did not know that Harriet Tubman played such a large role during the Civil War. I had learned that she was a spy for the Union, however, I was not aware that she had also led Union soldiers into battle and had served as an army nurse! Finally, from the tour guide, I also learned of the vital role that Harriet played in Auburn after the Civil War. Her work with her nursing home (which provided aid to other African Americans) was truly inspiring. 

Overall, I am really thankful to have the opportunity to visit these two historical locations. Being able to learn of the history of these two locations, the people involved, and the significance of this on the course of U.S. history was eye-opening and inspiring.

When I saw that the trip to the Women’s Rights Museum and Harriet Tubman’s house was being offered, I know that I couldn’t pass the opportunity up. I wasn’t aware that the Women’s Rights Convention took place in a chapel at the nearby Seneca Falls, and since it’s so close, it was a great opportunity to learn the history behind the abolitionist and temperance and the push for equal rights for women. I enjoyed how knowledgable the park ranger was and especially how she pointed out the difference in how Western society treated women versus how Haudenosaunee women were treated in their communities. She explained how the Haudenosaunee lived in Cayuga originally and were forced out and massacred by white colonizers. She also talked about how all women didn’t gain the right to vote at the same time. Asian-American and Native American women weren’t allowed to vote until years later. It’s important to acknowledge that women of intersectional identities face and have faced different hardships than white women. At the Harriet Tubman exhibit, we got to see the outside of her house, go inside the nursing home she founded, and listen to a presentation on her life. I didn’t know much about Harriet Tubman’s life outside of the Underground Railroad, so it was interesting to hear more, especially that she created a nursing home for black people since black people weren’t allowed in most nursing homes. She was a strong, incredible, highly accomplished woman.

While it was great to see how far we have come regarding issues of racism and sexism, it’s unfortunate to realize that we still have so many problems. Women still do not receive equal pay, they are respected less and treated differently than men, violence against women is prevalent, etc. We still have issues of police brutality, discrimination, etc. regarding race in America. In the end, I think that the problems racism and sexism haven’t been resolved so much as they have become more subtle.

Below are pictures of her nursing home (left) and her home (right) in Auburn, NY.