b'We keep you smiling! theAfri-can Amer-ican wom-ensclub m o v e -Everyeffortismadetoment,a ensuretheutmostcomfortp o t e n t for each patient. forcefor Enjoy a modern professionalThe Durand-Hedden House presentedh e l p i n g environmentandacaringan exhibit on the history of slavery in NJ.w o m e n staff. Many were surprised by the findings.ofcolor Photo by Joy YagidimproveFlorence Spearing Ran-As a former faculty memberrector of the Coalition, commented, Ittheirlivesdolph, a suffragist and of Fairleigh Dickinson Dentalwas so gratifying last year to learn andandcom- ordained minister, was School, Dr. Wisz now devotespastor of the Wallace all her time to private practice. to share with the community the manymunities,Chapel AME Zion Church uncommonly known details about ourandasanin Summit. local experiences with slavery. advocate for votes for women. In 1915, she helped to organize the New Jersey Another Perspective onWendy Wisz, DMD African Americans: TheState Federation of Colored Womens Battle for Womens Suffrage Clubs. On behalf of the federation, she The next major exhibit at Durand- appealed directly to President Wood-General, Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry row Wilson, asking him to address the Hedden explores the stories of womenissues of race rioting, sexual assault of in New Jersey and across the nation whoBlackwomen,andlynching,which fought for womens suffrage. The pro- took the lives of more than 4,000 Af-250 Millburn Avenue | Millburn gram was scheduled for May but will bericanAmericansacrosstwentystates 973-467-0077 postponed to the fall due to the corona- between 1877 and 1950.Saturdays and Evenings Available virus pandemic. Race also played a role On site parking | Convenient location in the battle for womens suffrage. BothThe Fight Goes Onbefore and after the Civil War, AfricanEven after the abolition of slavery American women had to struggle notand the passage of federal amendments only with the entrenched sexism facedthat gave first Black men and then (af-by white women, but also with racism.ter 50 years) all women the vote, the This exhibit, too, will bring surprises tostruggle for equality continues. Almost viewers, as research revealed the thou- 100 years later, the Voting Rights Act sands of unheralded African Americanof1965wasrequiredtoremovethe suffragistswhocampaigned,raisedlegal barriers that states (not only in money, participated in protest marches,the South) had erected to keep Afri-and petitioned state and federal legisla- canAmericansandimmigrantsfrom tures for womens right to vote, the rightvoting. And yet voter suppression, in to have a voice in the running of thisvarious ways, continues in some states. country and in the making of its laws. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.Among New Jer- Formoreinfor-seys suffrage leadersmationaboutDu-was Florence Spear- rand-Heddenpro-ing Randolph, whograms and a link to becameaminis- the History of Slav-terintheAfricaneryinNewJersey MethodistEpisco- exhibit, visit durand-palZionChurch.hedden.org. AsanorganizerGailRobynSafian andpublicspeakerhaslivedinMaple-fortheWomenswood with her family ChristianTemper- Thomas Mundy Peterson (1824 for many years, and anceUnion,Rev.1904) of Perth Amboy, NJ was theisamemberofthe Randolphwasanfirst African American to vote in anBoardof Trusteesof election under the just-enacted outspokencriticofprovisions of the 15th AmendmenttheDurand-Hedden racism and sexism.to the United States Constitution.House.Sheenjoys Rev.RandolphHe cast his vote on March 31, 1870.researching and writ-BlueLifeKarate.com Collection of the Perth Amboy also was a leader inPublic Library. ing about history.14/ matters magazine / spring 2020'