Episode 2: A Declaration [We hear Lotty, Isaiah, and Young Florence screaming, picking up where we left off in Episode One]
Lotty: Hang on, Florence! We’re going to help you!
Young Florence: (sarcastic, struggling to hang on) Oh, take your time! I’ll just be hanging here!
L (to Isaiah): Isaiah, you stay here and try to make a bed of leaves. I’m going to climb back up and …
[We hear the branch crack] YF: I’m falling!!! (ooof, grunts as she hits branches) AAAAHHH!
[We hear her tumble out of the tree] I: Gotcha! [We hear them scream and collide, and gasp]
YF: (gasping) You caught me! I: (groaning a bit) We did. YF: Are you two alright?! L: Yes, I...think so. I: Are you sure you’re OK? [We hear rushed footsteps]
YF: Yes, not a scratch on me, thanks to you. I believe you just... saved my life.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton: (out of breath) You certainly did! I saw the whole thing.
YF: You did? ECS: Hard to miss a little red-headed girl falling out of a tree. You’re lucky your friends were here.
YF: (overwhelmed - gasps) Miss. ... Mrs. ... Elizabeth ... Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton?!? ECS: That I am. YF: It’s a real honor to meet you, ma’am! ECS: And who might you be? YF: Florence Whitaker. Though my friends call me Flo.
I: (whispered) Lotty, as in ... Granny Flo? YF: Pardon me? L: (covering) Uh, nothing ...I’m Lotty. ECS: I like that sash you’re wearing. And the trousers.
L: Um, thanks. I: I’m Isaiah. ECS: Well, it’s an honor to meet you, Isaiah, Lotty...Flo. Now, if you really are all in one piece, I’d like to know what a young lady such as yourself was doing at the top of this tree.
[We hear Young Florence stand up and brush herself off]
YF: I was trying to get a glimpse inside. ECS: My word, child! You don’t need to scale a tree. You’re welcome to join us. YF: Truly?! L: That’s okay. We’re just kids. ECS: This cause affects you three as much as anyone.
I: But aren’t you just talking about girl stuff in there?
ECS: The fight for women’s rights is the fight for all rights.
I: All rights? You mean, like all races? ECS: Many of us are just as committed to the abolitionist movement as we are to the women’s movement. I: You are? ECS: Indeed. It’s part of the reason we’re holding this convention, young man. Why do you think my friend, Frederick Douglass is here?
I: (a laugh of disbelief) Frederick Douglass?! Here? L: (aside) Isaiah... ECS: Oh, you know of him! How delightful. He’s here to support the cause and to report on the convention for his newspaper. He’s right inside. I: Wow... ECS: Now, I’m heading into the chapel, and I suggest you three do the same.
YF: Yes, Mrs. Stanton. We’ll be right behind you. Thank you.
[We hear ECS’s footsteps as she walks away]
I: (excited) Lotty! Frederick Douglass - the abolitionist - is inside that church! My dad read me a book about him. He was enslaved and escaped to freedom and then became this incredible speaker and fought for the rights of African Americans ...
YF: Oh, did you read his autobiography too? The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
L: Um, Flo - can you, excuse us for a minute? YF: Sure; I’ll find us seats inside! By the way, I’ve never seen a girl in trousers before.
L: Oh, uh. It’s a new thing...where I come from. See you inside.
YF: Children at a women’s rights meeting?! I feel like a revolutionist! Thanks again for saving my life! [We hear her run off]
[We hear more church bells. The meeting is about to start]
I: So Florence is...Granny Flo? L: I mean, all the women in my family have Whitaker as a middle name, so it’s possible we’re related. Isaiah, what is happening? How are we here?
I: That, unfortunately, is a problem I am not prepared to solve. But while we’re here, I don’t think we should tell anyone what we know - about the future.
L: Right. Because it could mess things up. Like all of history.
I: We gotta retrace our steps and figure out how we got here before we do something wrong.
L: Let’s see... It was snowing. You rang the doorbell. We went down to the basement. We found that box. You started recording ... I: Recording! Lotty, we have it all on my phone!
[We hear sounds of him pulling out his phone and pressing buttons. There is static and the phone fails]
L: Ugh! No iphones in 1848. I: Riiiight. How did people back then even function?
L: You mean, back NOW?! We’re those people! We’re those people! We’re here.
I: (determined) OK, keep going. Retracing ... L: We found the box and I pulled out papers and pamphlets and this ratty old sash ... I: The sash... [We hear Young Florence run up, out of breath]
YF: Sorry to interrupt, but the meeting has started! Mrs. Stanton is reading the Declaration of Sentiments! You can’t miss it! I found a spot for us near the back!
I: (under his breath) Hold that thought, Lotty. C’mon! [We hear them run off, and then climb the chapel stairs. We hear them take their seats as ECS is speaking]
YF: (whispering) Here! No one will think to notice us if we sit in the last pew. Just duck down a bit.
ECS: We hold these truths to be self- evident; that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
L: We gotta retrace our steps and figure out how we got here before we do something wrong.
ECS: The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.
[We hear applause]
ECS: And now without further ado, I’d like to introduce, Mr. Frederick Douglass.
[We hear more applause]
I: (whispered) Lotty, look! Frederick Douglass! FREDERICK DOUGLASS: Ladies and Gentlemen, when it comes to women’s rights, it was hers before she comprehended it. It is inscribed upon all the powers and facilities of her soul, and no custom, law, or usage can ever destroy it. I: (whispered) This is unreal! I’m gonna sneak around to the back so I can meet him when he comes off stage! Lemme just squeeze by you ... [Suddenly, we hear the sound of Mr. Whitaker grabbing hold of the kids. They gasp!] Mr. Whitaker: (in a hushed tone) Not so fast, young sir. I: (scared) Who are you?!? MW: You three. Come with me. YF: (dejectedly) Father! Jumping Jehosaphat. Aly Raisman: Hi again, everybody. I'm Olympic gymnast and advocate Aly Raisman. I hope you're enjoying Lotty and Isaiah's time traveling adventure so far.
As you've heard, these two kids from our time have been transported back to 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York, at the time of the Woman's Rights Convention, the first ever held in the United States. The 300 attendees, including the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass, were there to fight for the social and civil rights of women. The convention passed 11 resolutions, including the 9th, which demanded the right to vote for women.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the primary organizers of the convention, presented The Declaration of Sentiments. It asserted women's equality in politics, family, education, jobs, religion and morals.
Of course, a lot of people at the time didn't agree with what came out of that convention. Seems like Florence's dad was one of them...
[We hear footsteps on gravel]
MW: When will you start following the rules, Florence?
YF: When the rules make sense. Father, why can’t we stay and listen?
MW: That was no place for children. There are better things for you and your friends to do.
YF: But, what harm can come of it? MW: Harm?!! I’ll tell you what harm! Those women are making a mountain out of a molehill ...
YF: There were men there too, Father. MW: What is our country coming to? YF: A place of equality, father. I told you the future is coming.
MW: Women voting?! The next thing you know, women will be wearing pants and heading to work each morning, while men fix breakfast and get the children ready for school.
L: (outraged) My father makes me breakfast every - I: (cutting her off) Whew, Lotty! It’s a scorcher today, huh? (whispered) 1848! MW: (disbelieving) Your father cooks you break - (interrupting himself) Say, little boy, what is that you’re wearing around your chest?
L: Isaiah doesn’t have anything around his chest?
I: (whispering) He means you! L: Oh? Me! Little boy. Pants. Right. Around my chest? Oh! This sash? Um -
MW: Does that say “Votes for Women?” Where are your parents? I want to speak to them.
I: You don’t have to do that. He was just about to take it off.
L: He was? I mean ... I was? I: Here, little boy, let me help you get it over your head and then ...
L: Oh, no, that’s all right, I can ... I: No, no, allow me. I’ll ... L: It’s happening again!! YF: (gasps) What in the world. Jumping jehosophat!
[We hear whiz – bam – bang – whoosh! Magic is afoot] I/L: Whooooaaaaaaaaa. [We hear a thud. They grunt and gasp, “ow!” etc.]
L: My basement! I: We’re back?! I guess that’s one way to get out of trouble.
L: Are you alright?
I: Considering we just traveled 172 years in two seconds...great.
[We hear a phone ring]
I: Technology! Oh, thank you. (answering) Hey, Mom. Isaiah’s Mom: (heard through the phone) You forgot your backpack in the car, honey. Run back out and grab it.
I: You’re still in the driveway? IM: It’s only been a minute, what do you think I can travel through space and time?
I: (whispering to L) I don’t think time passed while we were away. (into phone) OK, Mom. Be right out. L: (beside herself) What is going on?! I: I don’t know, but I think that “Votes for Women” sash has something to do with it. Whatever you do, don’t put it back on without me. Be right back.
[We hear the sound of feet on stairs]
L: (to herself) Maybe I should put this sash back in the box.
[We hear the box open and a shuffle of paper]
L: Wait, what’s this? A letter from Grandma...?
[We hear the sound of a letter being opened]
L: (reading) “The keepsakes of my great-great-great grandmother, Florence Whitaker - (gasps) Isaiah! [He comes back down the stairs.]
I: What is it? L: According to my grandma’s letter, Florence Whitaker was her great-great- great grandmother which means -
I: She’s your great-great-great-great- great grandmother.
L: That’s a lot of greats. Good thing we didn’t let her fall outta that tree or maybe I wouldn’t even be here.
I: Truth. What does the letter say? L: ...Florence Whitaker, who devoted her life to the fight for equal rights are within this box. Born 1838. Please take caution. Powerful collectibles enclosed.” That’s for sure.
I: Well, now we know how this works - sash ON, we’re back in time, sash OFF, we’re home.
L: So we can slip back and forth through time, easy-peasy.
I: (dubious) Easy-peasy?
L: (determined) C’mon! Let’s go back. We can hear the end of the speeches at the conference.
I: To be honest, I like it better in 2020, Lotty. And since when do you even care about those speeches?
L: Well, maybe I don’t. But it’s like studying without having to open a book. Mrs. Alvarez will give us the highest grades in the class.
I: Can’t we just use Wikipedia? L: Fine. Be boring. But I’m going back with or without you. I’m putting the sash back on.
I: (grabbing it) Oh no you’re not! L: Hand it to me! It’s mine. It’s a family heirloom!
[We hear them struggle]
L: I’m putting it over my head! I: I’m not letting it go! [We hear whiz – bam – bang – whoosh! Magic is afoot]
I/L: Whooooaaaaaaaaa. [We hear a thud. Isaiah and Lotty grunt and gasp. We hear the sound of a crowd]
Election Official: Step right up, Gentlemen, step right up. Who’s gonna triumph in the 1872 presidential election? Come cast your ballot for your President Ulysses S. Grant or for his opponent, Mr. Horace Greeley. Step right up, step right up. I/L: 1872?! [We hear a small crowd of women approaching. Isaiah and Lotty shush each other]
L: We need to hide until we figure out where we are.
I: (whispering) Here. Under these steps! C’mon! [We hear them shuffle to hide]
L: (whispering) Scootch over! Can you see?
I: (whispering) Yeah, over here. There’s a clear view through the wooden lattice.
L: (whispering) I see a group of ... (counting) ... one, two, three ... fifteen women. They look - determined. I: (whispering) What are they doing? Women didn’t have the right to vote in New York in 1872.
L: (whispering) They don’t seem to care. Who’s the lady in the front?
Susan B. Anthony: Hello, my name is Susan B. Anthony. My friends and I are here to cast our votes!
END OF EPISODE 2
Women's Rights National Historical Park
Frederick Douglass NHP
Martin Van Buren NHS