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It gives me considerable
pleasure to share with you that the following resolution was approved today by
the New Jersey Commission on Civil Rights
John Crowell Campbell, Chairperson
June 13, 2006
Resolution Honoring
Alice Paul
NEW JERSEY COMMISSION
ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Resolution
#2006-___
WHEREAS in the House of
Representatives on January 25, 2005, a bill to posthumously award a
Congressional gold medal to Alice Stokes Paul in recognition of her role in the
women's suffrage movement and in advancing the equal rights for women; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Moorestown,
New Jersey, and died on July 9,1977; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul dedicated her life to securing suffrage and
equal rights for all women and, as founder of the National Women's Party, she
was instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States
Constitution; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul and the National Women's Party were the first
group ever to picket the White House; and
WHEREAS while President Woodrow Wilson trumpeted America's values of
democracy abroad during World War I, Alice Stokes Paul was dedicated to
reminding the President that not all Americans enjoyed democracy at home; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul used nonviolent civil disobedience to bring
national attention to the women's suffrage movement, such as the 3-week hunger
strike she undertook when she was sentenced to jail in October, 1917, for her
demonstrations; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul's courage inspired thousands of women to join
the women's suffrage movement; and
WHEREAS instead of patiently waiting for States to grant women suffrage,
Alice Stokes Paul mobilized an entire generation of women to pressure the United
States Congress and the President to give all women in America the right to
Vote; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul did not stop her fight after the 19th Amendment
was ratified; she drafted the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States
Constitution in 1923 and fought tirelessly for its passage until her death 54
years later; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul lobbied Congress to include gender in civil
rights bills and was successful in including sex discrimination in Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul sought equal rights for women all over the
world, not just Americans and, as a means of pursuing this goal, founded the
World Party for Equal Rights for Women in the 1930's; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul was instrumental in the placement of a passage
on gender equality in the preamble of the United Nations Charter; and
WHEREAS few people have played a greater role in shaping the history of
the United States than Alice Stokes Paul; and
WHEREAS Alice Stokes Paul is an example to all Americans of what one
person can do to make a difference for millions of people; and
WHEREAS the New Jersey Commission on CiviI Rights is comprised of members
who share a common interest in protecting the basic civil and human rights of
persons in New Jersey.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Jersey Commission on Civil
Rights encourages the inclusion of the important history of Alice Stokes Paul in
the curriculum for New Jersey's Public School students; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon all officials and leaders in
this State to support efforts to educate the community-at-large about the
critical contributions of Alice Stokes Paul to our State, the Nation, and the
World; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage the Governor and State
Legislature to honor the contributions of Alice Stokes Paul by issuing
proclamations designating one day each year as Alice Stokes Paul Day.
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