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Mary Newbury Adams
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"Adams,
one of the founders of the Republican party in Dubuque, was
an ardent Women's rights advocate."
— Louise R. Noun, Strong-Minded Women, 1969 |
Mary
Newbury Adams, of Dubuque, Iowa helped establish the Iowa Federation
of Women's Clubs and made major contributions to the Women's
suffrage movement. In 1868, she formed her first study club as
a way to increase Women's knowledge and education. Adams was
later instrumental in uniting similar clubs together statewide
into an association, the predecessor of the still-existing Iowa
Federation of Women's Clubs. Adams' suffrage work began in 1869.
Following an inspiring speech by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Adams
founded the Northern Iowa Suffrage Association, the first suffrage
organization in Iowa. Gradually, she started working with nationally
known suffragists as she strove to unite women to gain their
equal educational and legal rights. Born in 1837, Adams died
in 1901. Adams was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame
in 1981.
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