Program

National Votes for Women Trail

Subject

Industry & Commerce, People, Site

Location

53 Lewis Street, Rochester, NY, USA

Lat/Long

43.1648903, -77.5966044

Grant Recipient

National Collaborative for Women's History Sites

Florence L. Cross Kitchelt was born in Rochester, New York in 1874. After attending Wells College and graduating in 1897, Kitchelt became an advocate for social reform, working in settlement houses throughout New York State. Throughout her life she would promote women’s suffrage and immigrant rights, work as a peace activist, serve on the editorial board of The Common Good, and help establish the “Practical Housekeeping Center” in Rochester, which this marker commemorates.

The settlement movement gained popularity in the late 19^th century and continued to gain momentum into the early 20^th century. The settlement movement called for social reform, particularly through the use of “settlement houses,” which were developed in an attempt to bridge the growing disparity in wealth by placing volunteers—typically those of economic means— in a houses, which would then provide daycare, education and basic healthcare within impoverished communities. Kitchelt began working in settlement houses shortly after graduating college. After spending several months in Italy, Kitchelt helped establish the Practical Housekeeping Center on Davis St. to provide support to the growing Italian population in Rochester, while also combating the prejudice immigrants were encountering both from their neighbors and the local press. Eventually, the center would offer classes and a library containing reading materials in both English and Italian.

After her work in the settlement movement Kitchelt became increasingly involved in politics and the women’s suffrage movement, authoring articles promoting women’s right to vote. Along with these articles, Kitchelt would often give speeches regarding suffrage for women in Italian. She also tried her hand at politics, making an unsuccessful bid for the position of Secretary of State in New York representing the Socialist Party in 1914. Though she lost the election, Kitchelt continued her political activism traveling through New York promoting women’s enfranchisement.

Along with immigrant rights and women’s suffrage, Kitchelt was involved in several organizations aimed at promoting world peace and international unity. She was also an author of poetry and prose. Kitchelt passed away in 1961.