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Unit 3 Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame presents

Votes for Women:

Mary

Townsend Seymour

Mary Townsend Seymour Aligned to CCSS, C3 Framework, and CTSS Frameworks

Grade 3-5

CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME Sarah Smith Lubarsky, Executive Director Content Development Liz Krebs, Education Manager Graphic Design Michelle Marchese, Manager of Marketing and Operations © 2021 by Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form beyond that copyright permitted by Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law, without written permission from the publisher. SM

is trademarked by Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.

Common Core Standards © Copyright 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks © Copyright 2015 Connecticut State Department of Education. All rights reserved. Published with support from the Avangrid Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; the Elizabeth Carse Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., trustee; The Hartford; New Haven Public Schools; and the WOWPac Donor Advised Fund. Special thanks to the educators on our review and revision team: • Lena Harwood Pacheco, The Children's Tree Montessori School • Stephen Armstrong, Social Studies Consultant, Connecticut Department of Education • Sandra Clark, New Haven Public Schools, Supervisor, District Curriculum Team History & Social Studies • Julia Hladky, New Haven Public Schools • Heather Prescott, Central Connecticut State University • Elizabeth Hohl, Fairfield University

Table of Contents

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiry

Literacy Connections

Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools

Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

Communicating Conclusions & Taking Informed Action

Developing Questions and Planning Inquiry Unit Overview

Developing Questions

Compelling Question: How did African American suffragists shape the movement for the women's right to vote? Use Mary Townsend Seymour's biography as a case study in service of this inquiry.

Gallery Walk

Supporting Questions: Who was Mary Townsend Seymour and what causes did she champion? How did the work of African American suffragists differ from that of white suffragists? What issues contributed to conflict between African American suffragists and the National Women’s Party?

Planning Inquiry At Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, we believe that women role models provide a valuable resource for all students as they consider who they are, who they would like to become, and what they believe leadership looks like.

Hang the five images around the classroom. Play quiet music, and instruct students to move around the room, viewing the images and silently responding to them in writing. Children may write initial impressions or questions. They may respond directly to the image or to the comments written by another classmate. These comments can be written on sticky notes or you may provide chart paper and markers by each image for this purpose. When children are no longer productively engaged in responding to the images, gather as a whole group. Discuss trends found in the comments on each image, and provide time for the children to discuss possible connections between the images.

This unit, Votes for Women: Mary Townsend Seymour, allows upper elementary students to explore the story of Mary Townsend Seymour and her role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement specifically for African American women. Teachers may decide to engage students in the entire inquiry arc, or to embed lessons from this unit within their literacy instruction. Pacing Guide A: One Month Unit of Inquiry Week One Week Two Week Three Week Four

Question Sort

Developing Questions & Literacy Connections (pages 5 - 9) Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools (pages 10 - 13) Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence (pages 14 – 15) Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action (pages 16 – 17)

Have your students write down their questions about Mary Townsend Seymour and African American suffragists on sticky notes. Then, have small groups sort their questions by evaluating whether each question is important enough to warrant ongoing whole-class study, and whether or not it is interesting enough to sustain their peers’ attention.

Pacing Guide B: One Week Exploration through Literacy Day One Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five

Developing Questions (page 5) Reading Passages and Close Reading (pages 6 - 7) History: Analyzing Perspectives (page 10) Civics: Annotating Direct Quotations (page 11) Integrating Music, Civics, and Writing (page 13)

NAVIGATION:

Click directly on the image of any worksheet to access the printable version. Then use the bookmarks icon on the left side of your screen to return to this page. © 2021 by Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame

Literacy Connections Reading Passages Directions Introduce students to Mary

Townsend Seymour, a champion for African American women’s equality. Her story explains how she became a leader of the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S. and a leader in the Hartford Chapter of the NAACP

Close Reading Standard By the end of the year, read and

comprehend informational texts, including history, social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4-5.10)

Directions Use Mary Townsend Seymour's story to

develop your students’ close reading skills in alignment with the Smarter Balanced Assessment. Review methods for close reading, including highlighting and annotating. Be sure to have students practice looking back in the text for evidence to support their answers.

Standards Refer to details and examples in a text

when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.8

Differentiation Differentiation Provide students with the reading passage that aligns with their guided reading level.

06.1 Levels J, K, L 06.2 Levels M, N 06.3 Levels O, P, Q 06.4 Levels R, S, T 06.5 Levels U, V, W 06.6 Levels X, Y, Z Depending on your class culture, you may want students to discuss what they learned in heterogeneous groups, as the more difficult passages contain more detailed information.

Provide students with the close reading printable that aligns with the passage read. Levels J - N Levels O - T Levels U- W Levels X - Z

07.1 07.2 07.3 07.4

Hands - On Activity Have students practice supporting claims with evidence using colorcoded markers. Prompt students to use a different color to highlight evidence for each claim.

Literacy Connections Speaking & Listening

Vocabulary Practice Directions Read "Mary Townsend Serymour".

Use context clues to predict the meaning of bold words. Then, use a dictionary to find the actual meaning. Record a check mark if the actual meaning is similar to your prediction.

Standard Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words and phrases choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3-5.4

Consult reference materials both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3-5.4.C

Read Aloud: Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told by Walter Dean Myers Directions Read the story of Ida B. Wells. Her

advocacy has a lot in common with that of Mary Townsend Seymour. Have children use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast these two stories.

Standard Come to discussions prepared, having

read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

Differentiation

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.A

Provide students with the worksheet aligned with their reading level.

08.1 Levels J - Q 08.2 Levels R - Z

Venn Diagram

Students who read passages for levels J-Q have not yet been exposed to all of the vocabulary words in context. For this reason, Worksheet 8.1 includes examples of each word used in context. Students who read passages for levels R-Z. can refer back to their reading passages for context clues.

After the students read the story, "Ida B. Wells: Let the truth Be Told" by Walter Dean Myers, ask them to compare and contrast the journey of Ida B. Wells and Mary Townsend Seymour's.

Definitions Abolition | Mary Townsend was born in 1873, just a few years after the abolition of slavery. Advocate | Mary's strong sense of self helped her Advocate for herself and others. Amendment | They wanted to add an amendment to the constitution. Compromised| African American women should get to vote, too Their rights should not be compromised.

Identiity | Mary had them update her birth records. She had a strong sense of identity. Segregation | City officials considered separating students by race. Mary spoke out against segregation. Suffrage | She became involved in the suffrage movement, fighting for women's right to vote.

Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools HISTORY ECONOMICS

Directions Have students examine the document to

determine when it was written and where it was printed. Students can look for clues in the article to determine the significance of Seymour’s run.

Directions Imagine that you are a member of the

• The students should be able to describe Mary Townsend Seymour's run, using evidence from the text to support their description. (If children are in need of extra support, guide them to consider the quote by Seymour in the second to last paragraph).

TEACHER RESOURCE:

GEOGRAPHY Directions Have students examine the map and the bar graphs. Challenge them to draw conclusions about the NAACP’s history and relationships with different regions from these documents.

Frameworks GEO 3.6/4.5

Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.

? 010

Frameworks ECO 4.2/5.1 Identify positive and negative incentives that influencethe decisions people make.

Use "Engaging Students with Primary Sources", Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center, p. 12-14, to guide the primary source discussions.

Frameworks HIST 4.3/5.10 Use evidence to develop a claim about the past.

Discussion Questions

National Woman’s Party. Should you change your Southern Strategy and begin advocating for the rights of African American women? Make a pro-con list to help you decide.

Civics Directions Read out loud the advanced version of Mary Townsend Seymour’s story. Have students make a list of all of the different strategies that she used to try to change society. Then, have children determine which strategy was most effective, giving evidence for their claim. Frameworks CIV 4.1 Illustrate historical and contemporary means of changing society.

Why is voting important? Who should be eligible to vote? How does race and gender affect the way people vote?

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Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools CIVICS Connections Interdisciplinary

Directions Mary Townsend Seymour copied the poem “To

CIVICS: Writing | Poetry

America” by James Weldon Johnson into one of her letters to a friend of hers who was a white suffragist. Have the student(s) read the poem out loud and then answer the questions:

Music

1. What are some of the questions that Johnson wants to ask America? 2. Why do you think the poem is called, “To America”? 3. Find rhyming words in the poem

Directions Students should answer the questions and use the video and lyrics of the

parody of "Bad Romance", by Lady Gaga to create their own musical parody. This activity could be done individually or in small groups. Make sure to scaffold the process for the students using the concepts below:

part of your identity that starts

Your students can create a poem about a with “How would you have us, as we are?” As a challenge, see if they can continue to follow the structure of the original poem. • Students can use this poem as a mentor text and create a poem aboutpart of your identity that starts with “How would you have us, as we are?” A chalChallenge: for students would be to follow the structure of the original poem. • Draw an illustration based on the poem.

Key Concepts • Discuss: What are Mary Townsend Seymour’s beliefs and values? • Discuss: How does she differ from other famous suffragists?

Planning Your Parody

Frameworks CIV 3.4/ 5.3 Identify core civic virtues and democratic principles that

“Today we are going to write a parody from MTS’ perspective. A parody is…” • Discuss: What musical artists today make you think of Mary Townsend Seymour? • Discuss: What about their style or their lyrics makes you connect with Mary Townsend Seymour?

Writing a Parody

Have students choose a portion of the lyrics and re-write the lines as a parody keeping Mary Townsend Seymour's struggle in mind. This activity could be done in small groups and then presented to the class.

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Extension Activities Collage

Essay Encourage your students to read about Mary Townsend Seymour at https://www.cwhf.org/ inductees/marytownsend-seymour and write a short response essay to the following questions: • Would you stand up for what you think is right even though you were in the minority? • Under what circumstances?

Work with a group to create a collage. Research symbols, colors, images and quotes that were important to the suffrage movement and incorporate as many of them as possible. Be prepared to explain your selections.

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Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence Using Evidence

Evaluating Sources Comparing Primary and Secondary Sources Directions Read both sources to the students

using the method of stopping after each paragraph to discuss what it means and clarify the meaning of unknown words. Since these are old sources, it might be explained to the students that historians often read documents from different time periods, which may be written differently than we speak today. Historians have to read slowly, first looking for information that they understand, and then finding the meaning of unknown words, in order to fully understand the text. • On February 18, 1919, Alice Paul claimed that African American women in South Carolina did not want to vote, infuriating Mary Townsend Seymour. Have the students compare and contrast the sources answering the following questions: • What information does each source provide? What information is missing?

INQ 3-5.6

014

Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, structure, and context to guide the selection.

INQ 3-5.7

Use distinctions between fact and opinion to determine the credibility of multiple sources.

INQ 3-5.8

Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources in response to compelling questions.

INQ 3-5.8

Use evidence to develop claims in response to compelling questions.

Gathering Sources Directions: Engage your students in their own independent research inspired by Mary Townsend Seymour's story. You may decide to have students continue to focus on the class compelling question, or you may allow students to shift their focus depending on their interest. Standard: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7

Organizing Ideas Directions: Young students sometimes struggle to synthesize what they have learned. Instruct students to make a mind map that shows everything they are thinking about their topic based on their evidence. The compelling question asks both WHY and HOW, which is represented in the mind map. Guide students to write an overarching claim. Standard: Gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8

Supporting Claims Directions: Now that students have categorized their evidence, they are ready to use it to respond to the compelling question. A graphic organizer is available to scaffold the elements of a strong argument. Students begin by writing a claim. Then, they cite at least two pieces of evidence. Finally, students explain their evidence, linking it to their claim. They should cite the documents after quoting or paraphrasing evidence with citations like (Doc. 1) or (Doc. 2). Students can also reference the biography of Mary townsend Seymour on page 6. Standard: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3-5.9 © 2021 by Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame

015

Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action Communicating Conclusions Create an Illustrated Timeline or Infographic Begin by looking at examples of timelines and infographics. As a class, make an anchor chart that lists the key features of each of these tools. Then, provide time for students to organize their thinking using the graphic organizer. Finally, allow students to create timelines or infographics to synthesize their learning.

Writing to Communicate with Others Students may communicate their findings in a traditional, five-paragraph essay or students may also use this graphic organizer to help them plan for other written and oral methods of communication, including letters, debates, speeches, posters, brochures, and websites.

INQ 3-5.10 Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources. INQ 3-5.11 Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples, and details with relevant information and data. INQ 3-5.12 Present a summary of arguments and explanations to others outside the classroom using print and oral technologies and digital technologies.

016

Create an Action Plan

Taking Informed Action

Support students as they plan their final project by providing this graphic organizer. Students might opt to inform others about what they have learned, to advocate for a specific change in policy or practice, or to create a concrete solution for a problem based on their research. After students fill out the graphic organizer individually or in small groups, direct them to make a list of specific action steps. Remind students that they will be more successful if they assign a particular person to each task, as well as a deadline. INQ 3-5.16 Explain different strategies and approaches students and others could take in working alone and together to address local, regional, and global problems, and predict possible results of their actions.

Extension Activity | Essay Option A: Visit www.myhero.com and browse some of inspiring stories people have submitted. If you’ve identified someone you find inspiring, submit your own biography/video! Option B: Write a letter to someone you think is actively making a difference thanking that person for her work and explaining its impact on you and your community.

Fun Fact! |

• 4th graders at Ellen Hubbard School in Bristol were confused why there was a statue of Nathan Hale (CT state “hero”) in the state house and not Prudence Crandall. The students advocated and fundraised to have this statue created and placed in the capitol.

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References Images & Resources Image Credits

References

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Mary Townsend Seymour: Image created by Charley Liv | Ukraine

Headquarters for Colored Women Voters | Chicago, Illinois |1916 | Image courtesy of the New York Public Library

https://www.k12.reader.com

The Negro Star | Wichita, Kansas |Friday, October 15, 1922 | Page 5 Accessed via www.Newspapers.com

JONES, MARK H. “‘To Tell Our Story’: Mary Townsend Seymour and the Early Years of Hartford's Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1917 – 1920.

Women Suffragists Picketing Outside of the White House | Image courtesy of the Library of Congress NAACP | Current Logo

Connecticut History Review, vol. 44, no. 2, 2005, pp. 205–223. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/ stable/44369690. Accessed 2 June 2021.

Suffragists “march in October 1917, displaying placards containing the signatures of over one million New Yorkwomen demanding to vote.” New York Times photo archive | Public Domain

Josue Estrada and James Gregory | Mapping American Social Movements Project | University of Washington

Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told by Walter Dean Myers https://www.ctexplored.org/audacious-alliance-mary-townsend-seymour/ Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1917 – 1920

Embedded Resources “To America” by James Weldon Johnson “Audacious Alliance: Mary Townsend Seymour” by Mark Jones, Connecticut Explored, Summer 2003

http://depts.washington.edu/moves/NAACP_map-basic.shtml https://www.cwhf.org/inductees/mary-townsend-seymour "Votes for Women", DIY History. New Haven, CT: Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary Townsend Seymour National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School https://poets.org

“Denies South Carolina Negro Women Want Vote,” Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News,

"Engaging Students with Primary Sources", Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center

Tuesday, February 18, 1919

https://www.newspapers.com

[The Negro Star | Wichita, Kansas |Friday, October 15, 1922 | Page 5 Accessed via www.Newspapers.com http://www. soomopublishing.com/suffrage

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Votes | MTS Gallery Walk

Name

Date

[ Image created by Charley Liv | Ukraine ]

SM |

05.1

Votes | MTS Gallery Walk

Name

Date

[Headquarters for Colored Women Voters | Chicago, Illinois |1916 | Image courtesy of the New York Public Library]

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05.2

Votes | MTS Gallery Walk

Name

Date

[Women Suffragists Picketing Outside of the White House | Image courtesy of the Library of Congress]

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05.3

Votes | MTS Gallery Walk

Name

Date

[NAACP | Current Logo]

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05.4

Votes | MTS Gallery Walk

Name

Date

[Suffragists “march in October 1917, displaying placards containing the signatures of over one million New York women demanding to vote.” New York Times photo archive | Public Domain]

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05.5

Votes | MTS Question Sort

Name

Date

YES

Is it important?

DIRECTIONS: Write the questions you have created on sticky notes. Work with your team to sort the questions onto the question matrix.

YES

Is it interesting?

YES

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Is it important?

05.6

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in 1873. Her parents died when she was young. She went to live with the Seymour family. Mary went to see her birth records. Some information was missing. She told them her name was Mary Emma Townsend. She had them add her new last name. Mary spoke up for herself. Mary also spoke up for others. She was upset by the way African Americans were treated. Mary met other people who wanted to make a change. They started a group. They worked for equal rights. Mary became their vice president. The group’s president left to fight in a war. Mary was in charge. Mary thought women should be able to vote. She became a suffragist. Some people thought that only white women should vote. Mary spoke up. African American women should get to vote, too. In 1920, all women got the right to vote. Mary helped change our world.

SM |

06.1

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873. Her father Jacob was a cook and her mother Emma was a seamstress. Both of her parents died when she was young. She went to live with the Seymour family. When she was fifteen, Mary went to see her birth records. Some information was missing. She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend. She even had them add her new last name, Seymour. Mary was very bold. As an adult, Mary still spoke up for herself and others. She was upset by the way African Americans were treated around the country. She spoke against attacks that were happening throughout the south. She spoke against segregating schools in Hartford. In 1891, Mary met with other people who wanted to make a change. They started the Hartford chapter of the NAACP. This stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This group fights for equal rights for African Americans. Mary became their vice president. The group’s president left to fight in a war. Mary was in charge. Mary thought women should be able to vote. She became a suffragist. Many women wanted to add an amendment to the constitution. This rule would give women the right to vote. Some people thought only white women should vote. They thought this would make more people vote for the new rule. Mary spoke up. She wanted all women to have the same rights. African American women should get to vote, too. In 1920, all women got the right to vote, thanks to the hard work of women like Mary Townsend Seymour.

SM |

06.2

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873. Her father Jacob was a cook and her mother Emma was a seamstress. Both of her parents died when she was young, leaving her to live with the Seymour family. When she was fifteen, Mary went to see her birth records. She discovered that some information was missing. She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend and even had them add her new last name, Seymour. Mary was very bold for her age. She had a strong sense of who she was. As an adult, Mary’s strong sense of identity helped her speak up for herself and others. She was upset by the way African Americans were treated around the country. She spoke against attacks that were happening throughout the south. She also spoke against segregating schools in Hartford. In 1891, Mary met with other people who wanted to make a change. They started the Hartford chapter of the NAACP. This stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The NAACP fights for equal rights for African Americans. Mary became their vice president. When the group’s president left to fight in a war, Mary was in charge. Mary thought women should be able to vote. She became a suffragist. Many women wanted to add an amendment to the constitution. This new rule would give women the right to vote. However, some people thought that only white women should vote. They thought this would make more people support the amendment. Mary spoke up. She wanted all women to have the same rights. African American women should get to vote, too. In 1920, all women got the right to vote, thanks to the hard work of women like Mary Townsend Seymour. SM |

06.3

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873, just a few years after the abolition of slavery. Her father was a cook and her mother was a seamstress. Both of her parents died when she was young, leaving her to live with the Seymour family. That same year, Mary went to see her birth records at Hartford’s Hall of Records. She discovered that some information was missing. She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend and even had them add her new last name, Seymour. Mary was very bold and outspoken. In a t ime when others may have expected her to be a follower because she was a young African American woman, she had a strong sense of who she was. As an adult, Mary’s sense of identity helped her advocate for herself and others. She was upset by the way African Americans were treated around the country. She spoke against attacks that were happening throughout the south. Things were not much better in the north, however. Before, Hartford had been a welcome home to families like the Seymour’s, as they had helped to fight in the Civil War. However, as more African American families moved to the city from down south, conflicts started. City officials considered segregated schools, separating students by race. Mary spoke out against segregation. In 1891, Mary met with other people who wanted to make a change. They started the Hartford chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP. The NAACP fights for equal rights for African Americans. Mary became their vice president. When the group’s president left to fight in a war, Mary was left in charge. At the same time that Mary fought for the rights of African Americans, she also fought for women’s rights. She became involved in the suffrage movement, fighting for women’s right to vote. Suffragists wanted to add an amendment to the constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Mary supported this, but was worried about the strategy used in some groups. For example, the National Women’s Party argued that while women should vote, states could decide if that included black women. They thought this would make more people support the amendment. Mary spoke up. She wanted all women to have the same rights. She believed that African American women should get to vote, too. Their rights should not be compromised. In 1920, all women got the right to vote, thanks to the hard work of women like Mary Townsend Seymour.

SM |

06.4

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873, just a few years after the abolition of slavery. Her father was a cook and her mother was a seamstress. Both of her parents died when she was young, leaving her to live with the Seymour family. Mr. Seymour was a prominent African American Civil War veteran. He taught his children to value the sacrifice of all soldiers, black and white. When she was fifteen, Mary went to see her birth records at Hartford’s Hall of Records. She discovered that some information was missing. She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend and even had them add her new last name, Seymour. Mary was very bold and outspoken. In a time when others may have expected her to be a follower because she was a young African American woman, she had a strong sense of who she was. As an adult, Mary’s sense of identity helped her advocate for herself and others. She was moved to action by the way African Americans were treated around the country. She spoke against attacks that were happening throughout the south. Things were not much better in the north, however. Before, Hartford had been a welcome home to families like the Seymours due to their patriotism during the war. However, as more African American families moved to the city from down south, conflicts started. City officials considered segregated schools, separating students by race. Mary spoke out against segregation. In 1891, Mary met with other people who wanted to make a change. They started the Hartford chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP. The NAACP fights for equal rights for African Americans. Mary became their vice president. When the group’s president left to fight in a war, Mary was left in charge. During World War I, it became clear that African American soldiers were not receiving the same care as white soldiers. Mary took action, joining the Circle for Negro War Relief. At the same time that Mary fought for the rights of African Americans, she also fought for women’s rights. She became involved in the suffrage movement, fighting for women’s right to vote. Suffragists wanted to add an amendment to the constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Mary supported this, but was worried about the strategy used in some groups. For example, the Alice Paul who led the National Women’s Party argued that while women should vote, states could decide if that included black women. She thought this would make more people support the amendment. Mary spoke up. She wanted all women to have the same rights. She believed that African American women should get to vote, too. Their rights should not be compromised. Immediately upon reading Alice Paul’s comments, Mary wrote a letter to her. She also called the national office of the NAACP. That same day, national leaders called Alice Paul to ask the National Women’s Party to clarify their stance on African American women. In 1920, all women got the right to vote, thanks to the hard work of women like Mary Townsend Seymour.

SM |

06.5

Votes | MTS Reading Passages

Name

Date

Mary Townsend was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873, just a few years after the abolition of slavery. Her father was a cook and her mother was a seamstress, making Mary part of the new African American working class. Both of her parents died when she was young, leaving her to live with the Seymour family. Mr. Seymour was a prominent African American Civil War veteran. He taught his children to value the sacrifice of all soldiers, black and white. When she was fifteen, Mary went to see her birth records at Hartford’s Hall of Records. She discovered that her first name, middle name, and her mother’s maiden name were missing. She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend and even had them add her new last name, Seymour. She also had them record her mother’s maiden name, Smith, in the appropriate column. Mary was very bold and outspoken. Though others may have expected her to be a follower because of her identity as a young African American woman, she had a strong sense of who she was. As an adult, Mary’s sense of self helped her advocate for herself and others. She was moved to action by the way African Americans were treated around the country. She spoke against attacks that were happening throughout the south. Things were not much better in the north, however. Before, Hartford had been a relatively welcome home to families like the Seymours due to their patriotism during the war. However, as more African American families moved to the city from down south, conflicts started. City officials considered segregating schools, separating students by race. Mary spoke out against segregation. In 1891, Mary and her husband Frederick Seymour invited twenty guests into their home to discuss inequality. There, in Mary’s living room, they started the Hartford chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP. The NAACP fights for equal rights for African Americans. Mary became their vice president. When the group’s president left to fight in the war, Mary was left in charge. During World War I, it became clear that African American soldiers were not receiving the same care as white soldiers. Likely influenced by her adoptive father’s participation in the Civil War, Mary joined the Circle for Negro War Relief. At the same time that Mary fought for the rights of African Americans, she also fought for women’s rights. She became involved in the suffrage movement, fighting for women’s right to vote. Suffragists wanted to add an amendment to the constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Mary supported this, but she became concerned that the amendment would not include African American women. Some suffragist groups, such as the National Women’s Party, were willing to sacrifice African American women’s opportunities if it helped advance the cause. The leader of the NWP, Alice Paul, argued that while women should vote, states could decide if that included black women. She thought this would make more people throughout the south support the amendment. She justified her position by arguing that African American women didn’t want to vote, writing, “We are organizing the white women in South Carolina but have heard of no activity or anxiety among the negresses.” Immediately upon reading Alice Paul’s comments, Mary wrote a letter to her. She also called the national office of the NAACP. That same day, national leaders called Alice Paul to ask the National Women’s Party to clarify their stance on African American women. Later that same year, the NWP came to visit Hartford, looking to raise money and support for the amendment. Mary Townsend Seymour saw her opportunity to speak up. She made a donation, and on her pledge card, she wrote “I pledge five dollars in the name of the Hartford branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people, urging that the Susan B. Anthony Amendment without compromise be allowed to stand.” When the women read their pledges out loud, Mary was asked to repeat her pledge. She did so slowly, making sure everyone heard her message loud and clear. African American women’s rights would not be compromised. The room broke out into applause. More women gave money to the cause, saying that they agreed with her. In 1920, the nineteenth amendment was finally passed, giving all women the right to vote, thanks to the hard work of women like Mary Townsend Seymour. SM |

06.6

Votes | MTS Close Reading

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read “Mary Townsend Seymour” . Then Answer the following questions using details from the reading.

What was the purpose of including this sentence in the passage?: “She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend.” to show that her last name was Seymour to show that the Hall of Records often lost information to show that Mary was a confident young woman to show that the clerk was rude to African Americans

Read the sentences from the passage: “Mary thought women should be able to vote. She became a suffragist.” What does the word suffragist most likely mean? a person who suffers a person who fights for women’s right to vote a person who thinks about voting a person who argues

What kind of person is Mary? Use details from the text to support your answer.

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________

SM |

07.1

Votes | MTS Close Reading

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read “Mary Townsend Seymour” Then Answer the following questions using details from the reading.

What was the purpose of including this sentence in the passage? “She told the clerk that her birth name was Mary Emma Townsend and even had them add her new last name, Seymour.” to show that her last name was Townsend to show that the Hall of Records often lost information to show that Mary was a confident young woman to show that the clerk was rude to African Americans

Highlight the sentence in the text that best supports the following claim: “Even in the suffrage movement, African American women faced discrimination.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What kind of person is Mary? Use details from the text to support your answer. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ SM |

07.2

Votes | MTS Close Reading

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read “Mary Townsend Seymour.” answer the following questions using details from the reading.

Read the sentences from the passage: “Their rights should not be compromised.” What does the word compromised mean in this sentence? having come to an agreement by finding a solution that works for everyone weakened or made vulnerable given away, in order to settle a disagreement

Highlight the sentence in the text that best supports the following claim: “Even in the suffrage movement, African American women faced discrimination.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What kind of person is Mary? Use details from the text to support your answer. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ SM |

07.3

Votes | MTS Close Reading

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read “Mary Townsend Seymour.” Then answer the following questions using details from the reading.

Read the sentences from the passage: “African American women’s rights would not be compromised.” What does the word compromised mean in this sentence? having come to an agreement by finding a solution that works for everyone weakened or made vulnerable given away, in order to settle a disagreement

Highlight the sentence in the text that best supports the following claim:

“Even in the suffrage movement, African American women faced discrimination.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4.

Which of the following sentences best supports the idea that Mary Townsend Seymour had an important influence on the suffrage movement? Mary Townsend Seymour saw her opportunity to speak up. She was concerned that the amendment would not include African American women. Alice Paul argued states could decide if the amendment included black women. After Mary called the NAACP, national leaders called Alice Paul to ask the National Women’s Party to clarify their stance on African American women. SM |

07.4

Votes | MTS Vocabulary Practice

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read the sentences below. Look for clues to help you predict the meaning of the bold word.

Then, use a dictionary to find the actual meaning. Record a check mark if the actual meaning is similar to your prediction.

Word(s)

Sentence(s)

abolition

Mary Townsend was born in 1873, just a few years after the abolition of slavery.

advocate

Mary’s strong sense of self helped her advocate for herself and others.

amendment

They wanted to add an amendment to the constitution.

compromised

African American women should get to vote, too. Their rights should not be compromised.

identity

Mary had them update her birth records. She had a strong sense of identity.

segregation

City officials considered separating students by race. Mary spoke out against segregation.

suffrage

She became involved in the suffrage movement, fighting for women’s right to vote.

SM |

Predicted Meaning

08.1

Votes | MTS Vocabulary Practice

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read “Isabella Beecher Hooker.” Use context clues from the story to predict the meaning of the following words and phrases. Then use a dictionary to confirm their actual meanings.

Word(s)

Predicted Meaning

Actual Meaning

abolition

advocate

amendment

compromised

identity

segregation

suffrage

SM |

08.2

Votes | MTS Venn Diagram

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Read the story of Ida B. Wells. Compare and contrast Ida B. Well’s and Mary Townsend Seymour’s story using the Venn diagram.

SM |

09.1

Votes | MTS History

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Examine the document below. Determine when and where it was written. Write some clues why Mary Townsend Seymour’s run for political office was significant during this period.

When was the document written? ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Where was the document written? ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Looking for clues

[The Negro Star | Wichita, Kansas | Friday, October 15, 1922 | Page 5 Accessed via www.Newspapers.com]

SM |

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

10.1

Votes | MTS Geography

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Examine the map. Investigate what new information led to the creation of the NAACP and Mary Townsend Seymour’s story?

[Josue Estrada and James Gregory | Mapping American Social Movements Project | University of Washington]

SM |

10.2

Votes | MTS Geography

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Review the bar graph. How did the NAACP’s relationship with different regions of the United States change over time? What might have caused that change?

[Josue Estrada and James Gregory | Mapping American Social Movements Project | University of Washington]

SM |

10.3

Votes | MTS Economics

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you are a member of the National Woman’s Party. Should you change your

Southern Strategy and begin advocating for the rights of African American women? Make a pro-con list to help you decide.

PRO reasons to change the Southern Strategy

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CON reasons to keep the Southern Strategy

11.1

Votes | MTS Civics

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Listen to the story “Mary Townsend Seymour.” Make a list of all of the strategies she used to

change society to make it better.

Strategies Used

Which strategy was the most effective? Give evidence for your claim. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________

SM |

11.2

Votes | MTS Music

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Answer the questions below and use the video and lyrics of the parody, “We are Caught in a

Bad Romance Til We have Women’s Suffrage”, a five-minute music video by Soomo Publishing (http://www. soomopublishing.com/suffrage), by Lady Gaga, to create your own musical parody. 1. What are Mary Townsend Seymour’s beliefs and values?

2. How does she differ from other famous suffragists?

Plan Your Parody Lady Gaga's parody, "We are Caught in a Bad Romance Til We Have Women's Suffrage", focuses on the suffrage movement from the perspective of Alice Paul and the National Women’s Party.

“Today we are going to write a parody from MTS’ perspective. A parody is…” ____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Use these questions to plan: What musical artists today make you think of Mary Townsend Seymour? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ What about their style or their lyrics makes you connect them with her? ________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ SM |

12.1

Votes | MTS Music

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Choose a short portion of the parody Lady Gaga’s original song. Rewrite the portion of the

song as a parody.

Old Lyrics Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance! Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance!

Oh oh oh oh... We the whole people Not just male citizens Formed this most perfect Union!

Vo vo votes ah ah aah Whoa aa, won’t ta aah Stop ha, ooo la la Til we have suffrage! Vo vo votes ah ah aah Whoa aa, won’t ta aah Stop ha, ooo la la Til we have suffrage!

Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance! Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance! Vo vo votes ah ah aah Whoa aa, won’t ta aah Stop ha, ooo la la Til we have suffrage!

It’s gotten ugly They passed the 15th Still women have no right Nor guarantee To liberty Child, health, wealth Or property Hey! We’ll raise our banner Across this land hey! ‘Cause franchise isn’t just The right of a man Universal Yuh, yuh, yuh, it’s universal! Yuh, yuh, yuh, universal! You know we don’t want to Take freedoms from you Just want our rights and nothing less We cry for freedom Oh, hear our voice And see we’re equal to all men!

SM |

It is a horror A cruel design That makes it criminal a right that is mine I want the vote vote, vote, vote I want to vote Well, I think you’re psycho I think that it’s sick I’m queen of my home, raise my babies That’s it Don’t need to vote No, no, she don’t want to vote! No, no, no, don’t want to vote The rights of citizens Shall not be denied or abridged New legislation, baby! By the United States On account of sex

We cry for freedom Oh hear our voice And see we’re equal to all men! Oh oh oh oh... We the whole people, not Just male citizens Formed this most perfect Union Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance! Oh oh oh oh... Caught in a Bad Romance! Vo vo votes ah ah Whoa ah, won’t ta ah Stop ha, ooo la la Til we have suffrage! March, march, be courageous Fighting For our rights we may just Start greatness for the ages Freedom it is contagious March, march, be courageous Fighting For our rights we may just Start greatness for the ages Remember the ladies Not to be above but equal to all men We only ask to be Part of this Union! Comme dirait le Français: c’est Démocratie! Permettez-moi participer!*

I’m a citizen Of this nation! An American! I want suffrage! And independence! We cry for freedom Oh, hear our voice And see we’re equal to all men! Oh oh oh oh... We the whole people, not Just male citizens Formed this most perfect Union! Oh oh oh oh... I want to wear pants! Caught in a Bad Romance I want my suffrage! Oh oh oh oh... And independence! Caught in a Bad Romance! Vo vo votes ah ah Woah ah, won’t ta ah Stop ha, ooo la la Now we have suffrage! *As the French would say: This is democracy! Let me participate!

12.2

Votes | MTS Music

Name

Date

New Lyrics ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

SM |

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

12.3

Votes | MTS Poetry

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Mary Townsend Seymour copied the poem “To America” by James Weldon Johnson into one

of her letters to a friend of hers who was a white suffragist. Read the poem below.

To America How would you have us, as we are? Or sinking 'neath the load we bear? Our eyes fixed forward on a star? Or gazing empty at despair?

Rising or falling? Men or things? With dragging pace or footsteps fleet? Strong, willing sinews in your wings? Or tightening chains about your feet?

DIRECTIONS: Using this poem as a guide to answer the following questions 1. What are some of the questions that Johnson wants to ask America? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why do you think the poem is called, “To America”? ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Find rhyming words in the poem ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Using this poem as a mentor text, create a poem about a part of your identity that starts with “How would you have us, as we are?” Draw an illustration based on the poem. As a challenge, see if you can continue to follow the structure of the original poem.

SM |

13.1

Votes | MTS Evaluating Sources

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Review each source document and express the main idea of the document in your own

words using the graphic organizers found on the following pages. Determine the author, date, place, audience and purpose for each document. Source Document 1: “Denies South Carolina Negro Women Want Vote,” Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News, Tuesday, February 18, 1919

[The Evening News | Wilkes-Barre, PA | Tuesday, February 18, 1919 | Page 8 | Accessed via www.Newspapers.com]

SM |

14.1

Votes | MTS Evaluating Sources

Name

Date

Source Document 1: Read the Newspaper article found on page 14.1 “Denies South Carolina Negro Women Want Vote,” WilkesBarre Times Leader, The Evening News, Tuesday, February 18, 1919

Source Document 1 Article Title Author Place Published:

Date

Accessed:

Audience Purpose

Main Idea of the Document ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________

SM |

14.2

Votes | MTS Evaluating Sources

Name

Date

Source Document 2:

An excerpt from “Audacious Alliance: Mary Townsend Seymour” by Mark Jones, Connecticut Explored, Summer 2003 “On February 18, 1919, The World quoted Alice Paul’s remarks regarding the intention of “Negro women” in Carolina to vote if the 19th amendment were passed. Paul reaffirmed that if passed, the amendment would not enfranchise these women. “We are organizing the white women in South Carolina but have heard of no activity or anxiety among the negresses.” The article inflamed Mary Seymour so much that she wrote to Paul demanding an explanation and called the NAACP headquarters. As a result NAACP national leaders did ask Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Suffrage Association to clarify their stands on votes for African American women. But their responses were evasive and unsatisfactory.”

Source Document 2 Article Title Author Place Published:

Date

Accessed:

Audience Purpose

SM |

14.3

Votes | MTS Mapping My Ideas

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Gather your ideas about WHY and HOW Mary Townsend Seymour advocated for women’s rights in each of the corresponding columns.

Why She Advocated for Women’s Rights

How She Advocated for Women’s Rights

Claim ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

SM |

15.1

Votes | MTS Supporting Claims

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Use what you have learned to respond to your compelling question. Use the graphic

organizer to organize your thinking. Then write a paragraph below to answer the question.

Question: ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Specific Details

Source(s)

•

Evidence

Explanation: “This shows...” _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

SM |

15.2

Votes | MTS Illustrated Timeline

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Create an Illustrated Timeline or Infographic Timeline to share what you have learned about the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Date

Historic Event

SM |

Related Images

16.1

Votes | MTS Communicate My Findings

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: Use the graphic organizer on the next two pages to help you plan how to communicate

what you have learned. You can include any type of written and oral methods of communication, including letters, debates, speeches, posters, brochures, and websites.

Claim: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Specific Details

Source(s)

Evidence

Explanation “This shows...” Connection to the claim

SM |

16.2

Votes | MTS Communicate My Findings

Name

Date

Source(s)

Evidence

Explanation “This shows...” Connection to the claim

SM |

16.3

Votes | MTS Action Plan

Name

Date

DIRECTIONS: On a separate piece of paper, make a list of action steps that you will need to do in order to complete

your action project. Be sure to decide what order to put the steps in, who is responsible for each action item, and when you want each item to be done by. This will help your team stay organized.

Questions to consider: Who is the target audience? What reasons might inspire these people to

take action? How will you present this information visually?

Set Your Goal I want to help change:

by raising awareness by advocating for a specific change by creating a solution for the problem

Choose an Audience My target audience is:

I want them to:

Choose a Strategy write a short book

get others to write letters or postcards

write a letter to the newspaper

start a petition

write a letter to an elected official

perform a skit or play

create a multimedia presentation

write and preform a song or dance

create a website

connect people with advocacy groups

create a poster campaign

other:_____________________________

SM |

17.1