The Erie Canal shaped the movement of people and ideas across New York State, fueled reform movements, and ultimately helped pave the way for women’s suffrage and the passage of the 19th Amendment.
The New York State Archives Partnership Trust will host a free virtual conversation with historian Pamela Vittorio exploring the Erie Canal as not just as a waterway of commerce, but as a powerful engine of social change.
The event will be held virtually on March 11, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Register here to receive a confirmation email with a URL to the talk. The recording will be available afterwards and will be emailed to registrants.
Pamela Vittorio is a historian, professional genealogist, and Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of English Language Studies, Parsons School of Design, the New School University. She is also an alumni of the New York State Archives Hackman Research Residency.
Read more about the Erie Canal or the Suffrage Movement.
Illustration: “Early Days of Rapid Transit” by Edward Lamson Henry showing a canal packet boat ca. 1840s (Private collection).
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