Lucy Stone's Legacy

From tree stump to concert hall, Lucy Stones powerful oratory, and her courageous example, were instrumental in turning northern sentiment toward the cause of immediate abolition. The passionate struggle she embodied for equal rights for women continues today.

During this presentation, you will meet the public and private Lucy Stone. You will enter her world as she yearns for an education deemed unacceptable for girls, rejecting the idea of marriage and overcoming every obstacle to become the shining star of the anti-slavery and woman's rights movements. You'll also be privy to her indecision when wooed and pursued by Henry Blackwell, and live through the painful choice she faced between two life-long commitments when the 15th Amendment caused a split among supporters of women's rights.

A visit from Lucy Stone to your school, library, or organization will engage both your heart and mind. It will use the story of one woman to illuminate an under explored vantage point on tumultuous 19th century America .

By the programs culmination (45-60 minutes), participants will have a window into:

• The realities of American politics, economics, and mores in regard to slavery in the mid 1800s
• The limited roles and rights allotted to American women in the mid 1800s
• The birth and development of the woman's suffrage movement
• The life and times of one of Americas most remarkable women

The program offers participants the opportunity to reflect on a number of critical issues including :

• Just how democratic was the nation created by our Founding Fathers?
• What is the most effective way to bring about social, economic, or political change in your society?
• What was the range of opinion about slavery among northerners? Why do so many history texts simplify this story?
• What caused the woman's rights movement to split into two factions? What were the merits of each sides argum e n t ?

What the critics say about Judith Blacks History Stories

University of San Diego/Storytelling Series

The silence and deafening cheers of the audience gave tribute to the incredible genius of Judith Black.

The Hotchkiss School

Yours is a special voice  based on historical incident while at the same time portraying universal truths about the human condition.

The Smithsonian Institution:

The rapt attention of the overflow audiences was testimony to your ability.

About the Artist

To standing ovations at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Storytelling Festival, the Montreal Comedy Festival, colleges and schools throughout the country, Black shapes and tells the stories of Mother Jones, Rosie the Riveter, Lucy Stone, and others who have guided our fates and shaped our national history. Her back-ground in education (Wheelock College) and theater (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) serves well her objective: Bringing the unsung heroes and heroines of our nation alive. She is a frequent keynote speaker for conferences on interpretation and education. Black has recorded eight tapes of stories and songs for both adults and children.

Meet Lucy Stone, was commissioned by the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities in partnership with the Tsongas Industrial History at the University of Massachusetts Lowell as part of the State House Womans Leadership Project. Lucy Stone is featured in the Making the World Better: The Struggle of Equality in 19th Century America, a curriculum packet for 7th and 8th graders, available to Massachusetts teachers, free of charge, from the Foundation.  It can be used before, after, or independently of this program.  To order, go to www.mfh.org or call 413 - 536 - 1385.

Booking Information

Meet Lucy Stone works best in an intimate setting, but can be adapted to most environments. It is designed for ages 14 and older and augments the Massachusetts Social Studies Curriculum for 8th and 11th graders. Programs can be tailored to include additional topics and characters.