Barbara Haney Irvine
Encyclopedia
Barbara Haney Irvine is an American advocate for the preservation of women's historic site
s. Irvine is the founding president of the Alice Paul Institute, named after American suffragist Alice Paul
and is the executive director of the New Jersey Historic Trust. In 2007 she was an honoree for Women's History Month
by the National Women's History Project
.
Finding inspiration in the life of Alice Paul
, suffragist and women's rights activist, Irvine co-founded the Alice Paul Centennial Foundation in 1984. Now known as the Alice Paul Institute (API), the organization was formed to celebrate the centennial of Paul's birth. For over 16 years Irvine served as volunteer president and board chair for API, leading successful campaigns to preserve historic objects related to Paul's life and other women's activists. The group successfully raised over $58,000 to purchase a collection of Paul's books, papers and personal items, including a desk owned by Susan B. Anthony
. The collection was then donated to the National Museum of American History
and the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
.
Less than a year after the collection acquisition, API was offered the chance to purchase Paulsdale
, the birthplace and home of Alice Paul, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. The home was threatened by housing developments
, which threatened to swallow the six-acre site. Irvine led the national campaign to preserve the site, raising over $1.8 million in private and public funds to purchase and rehabilitate the site, turning it into an interpretive site. The property would also serve as the venue for a leadership development center for women and girls. In 1991, under the leadership of Irvine, the property was declared a National Historic Landmark
.
, and in 1999 the National Collaborative for Women's History Sites was founded. The Collaborative serves to preserve and interpret the sites and venues where women were key in American history. During this time, Irvine also assisted in the creation of the New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail. Irvine has also served as a program content adviser for the New Jersey history program, Our Vanishing Past, produced by the New Jersey Network
.
historic buildings. She is married to Geoffrey Irvine and lives in Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
.
, and in 2005 she was named "Woman of the Year" by Gamma Sigma Sigma
. In 2007 she was an honoree for Women's History Month, sponsored by the National Women's History Project.
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
s. Irvine is the founding president of the Alice Paul Institute, named after American suffragist Alice Paul
Alice Paul
Alice Stokes Paul was an American suffragist and activist. Along with Lucy Burns and others, she led a successful campaign for women's suffrage that resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.-Activism: Alice Paul received her undergraduate education from...
and is the executive director of the New Jersey Historic Trust. In 2007 she was an honoree for Women's History Month
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual declared month worldwide that highlights contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. March has been set aside as this month in the United Kingdom and in the United States...
by the National Women's History Project
National Women's History Project
The National Women's History Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving women's history. Based out of Santa Rosa, California since 1980, it was started by women's history activists Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett and Bette...
.
Historic preservation
"While Barbara Haney Irvine was initially influenced by Alice Paul, she has created her own powerful legacy through her tireless efforts to ensure that the stories of women’s lives and the places where women lived, worked and died will continue to inspire us and all future generations. - The National Women's History Project
Alice Paul Institute and Paulsdale
Alice Paul
Alice Stokes Paul was an American suffragist and activist. Along with Lucy Burns and others, she led a successful campaign for women's suffrage that resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.-Activism: Alice Paul received her undergraduate education from...
, suffragist and women's rights activist, Irvine co-founded the Alice Paul Centennial Foundation in 1984. Now known as the Alice Paul Institute (API), the organization was formed to celebrate the centennial of Paul's birth. For over 16 years Irvine served as volunteer president and board chair for API, leading successful campaigns to preserve historic objects related to Paul's life and other women's activists. The group successfully raised over $58,000 to purchase a collection of Paul's books, papers and personal items, including a desk owned by Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
. The collection was then donated to the National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
and the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
Schlesinger Library
The Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America is a research library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University. According to Nancy F...
.
Less than a year after the collection acquisition, API was offered the chance to purchase Paulsdale
Paulsdale
Paulsdale was the birthplace and childhood home of Alice Paul, a leader in the Women's suffrage movement in the United States. The Paul family had purchased and the 1840 farmhouse around 1883. During the 1950s, Paulsdale was divided into two parcels: of farmland and the remaining which included...
, the birthplace and home of Alice Paul, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. The home was threatened by housing developments
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
, which threatened to swallow the six-acre site. Irvine led the national campaign to preserve the site, raising over $1.8 million in private and public funds to purchase and rehabilitate the site, turning it into an interpretive site. The property would also serve as the venue for a leadership development center for women and girls. In 1991, under the leadership of Irvine, the property was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Other opportunities in heritage preservation
During the Paulsdale campaign, Irvine started and chaired the first national conference about women's historic sites. This conference was held in 1994 at Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
, and in 1999 the National Collaborative for Women's History Sites was founded. The Collaborative serves to preserve and interpret the sites and venues where women were key in American history. During this time, Irvine also assisted in the creation of the New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail. Irvine has also served as a program content adviser for the New Jersey history program, Our Vanishing Past, produced by the New Jersey Network
New Jersey Network
The New Jersey Network, or NJN, was a network of public television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. NJN was a member of the Public Broadcasting Service for television and the National Public Radio for radio, broadcasting their programming as well as producing and...
.
Current life
In 2004 Irvine became the executive director of the New Jersey Historic Trust, seeking to shift the Trusts' focus towards the preservation of urbanUrban
Urban means "related to cities." It may refer to:*Urban, California, former town in El Dorado County*Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas*Urban , given name and surname*Urban , Danish free daily newspaper...
historic buildings. She is married to Geoffrey Irvine and lives in Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
Cinnaminson includes within its boundaries the confluence point of longitude 75 degrees west and latitude 40 degrees north, one of only four such confluence points in New Jersey...
.
Awards
In 2000 Irvine was appointed to the Women's Progress Commemorative CommissionWomen's Progress Commemorative Commission
The Women's Progress Commemorative Commission is a U.S. bipartisan commission established pursuant to the Women's Progress Commemoration Act under President Bill Clinton. The bill was introduced by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and Senator Chris Dodd...
, and in 2005 she was named "Woman of the Year" by Gamma Sigma Sigma
Gamma Sigma Sigma
Gamma Sigma Sigma is a national service sorority founded in October 1952 at Beekman Tower in New York City by representatives of Boston University, Brooklyn College, Drexel Institute of Technology, Los Angeles City College, New York University, Queens College, and the University of Houston. ...
. In 2007 she was an honoree for Women's History Month, sponsored by the National Women's History Project.