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The Trial Of Hester Vaughn

Philadelphia County · dedicated 2025 · 11th and Passyunk

Precedent case of 1868 on the constitutional right to a jury of one’s peers. Vaughn was convicted by an all-male jury and sentenced to hang at Moyamensing Prison. Spearheaded by the Working Women’s Association, suffragists campaigned against the verdict because women were not represented on the jury. The campaign led Gov. John Geary to pardon Vaughn and raised awareness of inequities within the judicial system.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Marker data: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission via data.pa.gov

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