Sweeney Hosts Women Legislators, Celebrates 100^th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney celebrated the women of the Senate today, hosting a luncheon at the Alice Paul Institute in advance of the 100th anniversary of New Jersey ratifying the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote.

“Today was a beautiful celebration, not only of the 19th amendment and how far we have come in the past century, but also a recognition of the incredible women serving in the Senate and the continued fight for women’s rights,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “We have to work to sustain the progress already achieved and strive to do more for gender equality. The Alice Paul House is a wonderful part of our state’s history and this was the perfect way to commemorate both her accomplishments and the accomplishments of my fellow legislators. It is an honor to lead a Senate with so many strong, passionate women advocating for the people of New Jersey and empowering the next generation of change-makers.”

The Senate President was joined by Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz, Deputy Majority Leader Sandra B. Cunningham, Assistant Majority Leader Linda Greenstein, Senator Dawn Marie Addiego, Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Assemblywoman Carol Murphy.

“We were honored to host the Senate President and the women of the legislature at Paulsdale to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of New Jersey ratifying the 19^th amendment,” said Lucy Beard, Executive Director of the Alice Paul Institute. “It meant a lot that Senator Sweeney chose the Alice Paul Institute to host this event and I am grateful we had the chance to share her legacy with members of the legislature.”

The Alice Paul Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey at Alice Paul’s birthplace, Paulsdale. The institute furthers the legacy of Alice Paul and her life’s work for gender equality, and also brings recognition to organizations and historic sites that honor women. Headquartered at Paulsdale, a National Historic Landmark, the building is a model of adaptive reuse of a historic site that now hosts a vibrant menu of leadership development programs that use the rich history and potential of women leaders to inspire young people to make a difference in their schools and communities.