Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894

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Amelia Jenks Bloomer was an early suffragist, editor, and social activist. Bloomer was also a fashion advocate who worked to change women’s clothing styles. Bloomer was born in Homer, New York. With only a few years of formal education, she started working as a teacher, educating students in her community. In 1840, she married David Bloomer and moved to Seneca Falls, New York. Bloomer quickly became active in the Seneca Falls political and social community. She joined a church and volunteered with the local temperance society. Noticing his wife’s fervor for social reform, David encouraged her to use writing as an outlet. As a result, she started a column which covered a plethora of topics. In 1848, Bloomer went to the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention. The next year she created The Lily, a newspaper solely dedicated to women. At first, the newspaper only addressed the temperance movement, however due to demand the bi-weekly paper expanded to cover other news. After meeting activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Bloomer started to publish articles about the women’s rights movement. In 1849, Bloomer’s husband was elected Postmaster for Seneca Falls. He immediately appointed his wife as his assistant. Bloomer used her office as makeshift headquarters for the Seneca Fall’s women’s rights movement. Bloomer’s most influential work was in dress reform. After noticing the health hazards and restrictive nature of corsets and dresses, Bloomer pushed for women to adopt a new style of dress. The pantaloons, now called Bloomers, not only illustrated a departure from the accepted dress for women, the garments also came to represent activists in the women’s rights movement. The style of dress attracted much ridicule from conservative men and women. In 1851, Bloomer introduced Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Susan B. Anthony. The meeting set in motion a long-standing partnership between the two activists. In 1853, Bloomer and her husband moved West. While traveling she stopped in many towns and lectured about temperance. She attempted to keep The Lily going, however her move made publishing the paper harder. In 1854, Bloomer decided to sell the paper. Eventually, the couple settled in Council Bluff, Iowa. There, she called on women to become property owners. During the Civil War, Bloomer started the Soldier’s Aid Society of Council Bluffs to help Union soldiers. Until her death, Bloomer preached on temperance and women’s rights. She served as the President of the Iowa Suffrage Association from 1871-1873. However, because of her relentless dedication to temperance, she often found her ideas at odds with other activists who wanted to focus on other topics in the women’s rights movement. Nonetheless, she never abandoned her commitment to the movement’s agenda. Bloomer passed away at the age of 76 in 1894.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton, 1845-1925. Papers in the Mary Earhart Dillon Collection, 1870-1939 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-1930. William B. Mitchell and family papers, 1806-1935. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Wittenmyer, Annie, 1827-1900. Wittenmyer, Annie papers, 1861-1901. State Historical Society of Iowa, Library
referencedIn Colby, Clara Bewick, 1846-1916. Papers, 1821-1985. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Papers, 1895. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton, b. 1845. Series II of the Mary Earhart Dillon Collection, 1870-1939 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Records of the U.S. House of Representatives. 1789 - 2015. Petitions and Memorials. 1813 - 1968. Petition of Mrs. Amelia Bloomer for Relief from Taxation or Political Disabilities Center for Legislative Archives
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Bloomer Seneca Falls Historical Society : delivered July Fourth, 1853, at Harford, N.Y. University of Missouri -- Columbia, MU Libraries; University of Missouri; MU; Ellis Library; University of Missouri Columbia
referencedIn Thompson, Eleanor. Papers, 1858-1978. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Dugdale, Joseph A., 1810-1896. Joseph A. Dugdale correspondence 1841-1881. Iowa State Historical Society
referencedIn National Woman Suffrage Association Centennial autograph book, 1876 Onondaga Historical Association. Research Center.
referencedIn Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906. Papers, 1846-1934 (bulk 1846-1906) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Women's Rights Collection, 1789-2000 (bulk: 1864-1983) Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Letters, 1893. American Periodical Series I
creatorOf Angelique Le Petit Martin Papers, 1833-1859, 1833-1859 Marietta College Library
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Letters, 1851-1892. Council Bluffs Public Library
referencedIn New York MPS Bloomer, Amelia, House National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Landauer, Bella Clara, 1874-1960. Collection, 1762-1941 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton, b. 1845. Papers of Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, 1863-1925. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary during the 45th Congress Center for Legislative Archives
referencedIn Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906. Susan B. Anthony papers, 1846-1934 (bulk 1846-1906). Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Cheek, Jeannette Bailey, 1906-. Collection, 1857-1904 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Letter to Mrs. E.F. Strickland. Council Bluffs, IA. 1885 Mar. 23. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Jewett-Lee Family. Jewett-Lee Family papers 1850-1900, bulk 1850-1853. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894. Amelia Bloomer manuscripts, ca.1850-1880. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Amelia Bloomer, 1818-1894. Amelia Bloomer papers, 1820-1972. New York State Historical Documents (Albany, N.Y.)
referencedIn Bloomer, Dexter Chamberlain, 1816-1900. Bloomer, Dexter C. papers, ca. 1840-1900. State Historical Society of Iowa, Library
referencedIn Women's rights collection, 1789-2000 (bulk: 1864-1983) Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Jewett-Lee family papers 1850-1900 1850-1853 Jewett-Lee family William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Amelia Jenks Bloomer note, undated New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906. person
associatedWith Barker, Charlotte person
spouseOf Bloomer, Dexter Chamberlain, 1816-1900. person
associatedWith Brisbane, Albert, 1809-1890 person
associatedWith Brown, Lillian G. person
associatedWith Brown, Paul person
associatedWith Cheek, Jeannette Bailey, 1906- person
associatedWith Colby, Clara Bewick, 1846-1916. person
associatedWith Dugdale, Joseph A., 1810-1896. person
associatedWith Eastman, Maria person
associatedWith Elizabeth Morrison (Boynton) Harbert, 1845-1925 person
associatedWith Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton, b. 1845. person
associatedWith Holmes, O. S. person
associatedWith Jewett-Lee family family
associatedWith Jewett-Lee Family. family
associatedWith Landauer, Bella Clara, 1874-1960. person
associatedWith Martin, Angelique Le Petit, 1793-1865 person
associatedWith Martin, Gilles Marie, 1794-1865 person
associatedWith Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-1930. person
associatedWith Morton, William R. person
associatedWith Mott, Lucretia, 1793-1880 person
associatedWith National Woman Suffrage Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Seneca Falls Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Spencer, Lilly Martin, 1822-1902 person
associatedWith Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, 1815-1902 person
associatedWith Thompson, Eleanor. person
associatedWith University of Missouri--Columbia. Libraries. Fourth of July Orations Collection. corporateBody
correspondedWith Wittenmyer, Annie, 1827-1900. person
memberOf Woman's Rights Convention (1st : 1848 : Seneca Falls, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Wood, Joseph person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Homer NY US
Council Bluffs IA US
Subject
Suffrage
Abolition
Communal living
Fourth of July celebrations
Fourth of July orations
Suffragists
Temperance
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women
Women artists
Women's rights
Occupation
Authors
Social Activist
Women journalists
Activity

Person

Birth 1818-05-27

Death 1894-12-30

Americans

English

Information

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