Each year more than 90,000 people, including 30,000 schoolchildren, visit the historic Massachusetts State House. Until 1999, all of the many works of art they saw displayed in the Commonwealth's most important public building depicted men, and white men at that.

We know that women had a profound impact on public life long before they could testify at legislative hearings, cast a vote, or hold elected office. Yet there was virtually no recognition of their contributions within the State House.

In 1995, the state legislature began to remedy this problem by establishing a Senate Select Committee to commemorate the contribution of women to the government of the Commonwealth. After consulting with experts, the committee recommended that six women be honored in a work of art to be permanently installed in the State House: Dorothea Dix, Lucy Stone, Sarah Parker Remond, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, Mary Kenney O'Sullivan, and Florence Luscomb.

The next step was the launching by the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities of the State House Women's Leadership Project. With funding from public and private sources, the Foundation:

• Commissioned Sheila de Bretteville and Susan Sellers to create HEAR US, a work of art honoring the contributions of women to public life in Massachusetts;
  
  
• Developed Making the World Better: The Struggle for Equality in l9th Century America, a curriculum packet for middle and high school students;
  
  
• Commissioned Judith Black to write and perform "Meet Lucy Stone," a character presentation based on the life of honoree Lucy Stone.