The Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument at 144 Constitution Ave., NE, is an important fixture of Ward 6. Home to the National Woman’s Party for nearly 90 years, this building was the epicenter of the struggle for women’s rights.
Once home to the secretary of the treasury, then burned by the British in the War of 1812, this house became a hub for women’s rights.
It is named for two women who were prominent members of the 20th Century women’s rights movement – Alva Belmont and Alice Paul The building is among the oldest residential properties in the city and it became the headquarters of the National Woman’s Party (NWP), a political movement that fought for equal rights for women. Today, the NWP focuses on educating the public about the women’s rights movement.
From this house in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court, Alice Paul, a towering leader in the women’s suffrage movement, and the National Woman’s Party developed innovative strategies and tactics to advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and equality for women. President Barack Obama designed the building a national monument on April 12, 2016.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/bepa/index.htm