Museum of the Albemarle: Celebrating 51 Edenton women who changed course of history

“Well-behaved women seldom make history” — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

October 2024 marks the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party, a chapter of American history that is unobserved time and again.

Fifty-one women from the rural, northeastern town of Edenton gathered on Oct. 25, 1774, to declare their solidarity with the American colonies’ resistance to British oppression. Their self-assured stance simultaneously heralded women’s involvement in the era’s political matters and established their key role in the fight for independence.

Travel to Edenton and join the Edenton Historical Commission and America250 NC on Oct. 25-26 as they hold “Remember a Society of Patriotic Ladies,” an event to commemorate the women who led a protest against English goods in October 1774 that became known as the Edenton Tea Party.

Enjoy activities that explore the revolutionary legacy of the 51 North Carolinian women and immerse yourself in their story on the 250th anniversary of this inspiring protest. Events will occur across two days, including presentations, living history, and a parade. Event details, schedules, and more information about the Edenton Tea Party are found at https://www.america250.nc.gov/events/edenton-tea-party-250th-anniversary.

The Edenton Tea Party was organized in response to the 1773 Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. This act and others, such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, exacerbated colonial resentment toward British rule.

More well-known is the Boston Tea Party, which occurred in December 1773 and was a political act of defiance against taxation without representation. In Boston, men purportedly disguised as Mohawk Indians dumped British tea into Boston Harbor in protest.

The distinction between the two protests and what sets them apart is that the Edenton Tea Party highlighted the boldness of women stepping into the political arena.

Under Penelope Barker’s leadership, the Edenton women signed a resolution that pledged to boycott British goods, particularly tea and cloth. Their declaration, sent to Britain, avowed that they would not only give up tea but also refuse to use British imports until their grievances were addressed. This was a daring move for women of the time, who were traditionally expected to remain silent in political matters.

All of these women were courageous. By publicly pledging to boycott British goods, they were subjected to social mockery and economic hardship. Their decision to participate directly affected their households, as they were responsible for purchasing and preparing food and clothing. The Edenton women’s signatures on the resolution were a bold statement that reached far beyond Edenton and North Carolina.

News of the Edenton Tea Party quickly spread to England, where it was met with astonishment and disdain. British newspapers and cartoons jeered the women of Edenton, portraying them as frivolous and overly ambitious for daring to engage in political matters. A famous cartoon from a London paper depicted the women as neglecting their domestic duties in favor of meddling in affairs “above their sex.”

Despite the ridicule and contempt, the Edenton Tea Party sent a powerful message to other American colonists. It beckoned women to be active participants in the revolution. It made known that they didn’t have to just standby as supporters or homemakers, but they could take substantial political stands. Their early act of defiance inspired other women across the colonies to contribute to the revolutionary cause in their own ways, whether by organizing boycotts, managing farms and businesses in their husbands’ absence, or even, in some cases, acting as spies or messengers for the Continental Army.

Today, the Edenton Tea Party is remembered as one of women’s earliest organized political actions in the American colonies. The town of Edenton celebrates this event annually, honoring the bravery of those 51 women who, in a small but significant way, aided in determining the course of American history.

In 2024, this anniversary holds special significance as we reflect on how far the nation has come — and how much the spirit of resistance and independence, embodied by the women of Edenton, continues to inspire generations.