Ihe 19th amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in August 1920. It is the amendment that grants American women the right to vote. Though many share responsibility for this major accomplishment, New Jersey native and stark activist Alice Paul is among them. With this in mind, today we spotlight Paulsdale as part of our Jersey Through History series.
Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, NJ. She spent her youth growing up on her family’s modest farm, known as Paulsdale. Throughout her childhood, Paul’s parents instilled ideals such as gender equality and education for women in her. This is the strong foundation which drove her future endeavors.
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Early Life at Paulsdale
The Pauls were a wealthy family, however, Alice’s parents never embraced material possessions. In fact, as Quakers, the family led a simple lifestyle, with each member playing a role on the farm. Despite their work ethic, the Paul family always made time to enjoy leisure and extracurricular activities.
But Paulsdale was more than a home for Alice and her siblings. It was also where they fostered their desire to be activists for positive change. Alice stayed nearby for much of her education, graduating from Moorestown Friends School and then Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania; earning a bachelor’s degree in biology before attending graduate school in both New York City as well as London, England. Her graduate studies were also her first time being away from Paulsdale for an extended period of time.
Alice Paul and the NWP
Upon returning to America in 1910, Alice Paul joined the women’s suffrage movement. Then, after earning a PhD. from the University of Pennsylvania, she became a member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. She went on to serve as the chair of its congressional committee, before forming her own party; the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, later known as the National Woman’s Party (NWP).
The NWP is one of the main driving forces that led to the ratification of the 19th amendment. In fact, three years prior, Paul and the NWP became the first individuals to protest outside the White House. After the 19th amendment was ratified, Paul shifted her efforts to other causes; remaining an activist for equal rights and introducing the first Equal Rights Amendment to Congress in 1923.
Alice Paul spent much of her remaining life fighting for women’s rights and equal rights for all people. But in 1974 she suffered a stroke, halting her efforts. She died three years later, at age 92, in Moorestown, not far from her former home of Paulsdale.
Paulsdale Today
Paulsdale is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and is also on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The large property features a quaint farmhouse with a wraparound porch at the end of a long driveway. In addition, the six-and-a-half acre property serves as the headquarters for the Alice Paul Institute; where members “honor the legacy of Alice Paul’s work for gender equality through education and leadership development.”
Until the COVID crisis passes, Paulsdale currently offers virtual tours of the home and property. (Via the Alice Paul Institute YouTube channel.) However, patrons can still visit and walk the exterior grounds. Of course, when the area does re-open, both self-guided and guided tours will be available.
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All Photos: © Patrick Lombardi / Best of NJ
