Retracing the Justice Bell’s Journey Across Pennsylvania

In 1915, a one-ton bronze bell traveled across Pennsylvania with its clapper chained and silenced—a striking symbol of women’s exclusion from the democratic process. As the Justice Bell visited town after town, it drew large crowds, generated extensive newspaper coverage, and helped rally support for women’s voting rights in the years leading up to the Nineteenth Amendment.

I’m Amanda Owen, executive director of the Justice Bell Foundation. In 2026, as Pennsylvania marks the America’s 250th anniversary, I will visit the communities where the Justice Bell once stopped, sharing the stories of the bell and the women who traveled with the bell across the Commonwealth.

At each location, the Justice Bell Foundation will present a program, Pennsylvania Women and Their Fight for the Vote, which includes a screening of our 19-minute documentary, Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women's Fight for the Vote, a discussion about Pennsylvania women’s leadership in the fight for the vote, and a book signing. These events highlight the role local communities played in this pivotal chapter of American history.

This blog will follow the tour, sharing information about the Justice Bell’s original 1915 visits along with photographs and newspaper accounts, as well as highlights from our 2026 events, including photos, videos, and local news coverage.

Our first stop will be at West Chester University on March 19.

Follow the 2026 Justice Bell Tour

Learn more about the tour on our website.

• View the Justice Bell Foundation 2026 tour page
• See the full schedule of events
• Learn more about the documentary Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women's Fight for the Vote
• Explore the book The Justice Bell: Tracing the Journey of a Forgotten Symbol

Join us as we explore the path of the Justice Bell and the remarkable history it represents in Pennsylvania’s fight for women’s suffrage.

Sign up to follow our blog here and we'll notify you when a new post is published.

(Ignore the below "Subscribe to: Comment atom." That link does not work.)