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Women's History Month: Charlotte Mulligan

Photo from Twentieth Century Club

A woman considered a mover and shaker in the late 1800's in Buffalo is a featured in an exhibit at the Buffalo History Museum. Charlotte Mulligan was founder of the Twentieth Century Club on Delaware Avenue. As part of Women's History month, WBFO's Eileen Buckley tells us about her.

In October of 1894, The Twentieth Century Club opened on Delaware Avenue  -- an exclusive women's club that stood for education, literature and art. 

Mulligan, who sang soprano, formed the club at a time when women could not vote.

"Charlotte Mulligan was a very interesting woman. A woman who knew what she wanted to do and never stepped down. Always worked toward accomplishing whatever she started," said Judy Johannsen, Twentieth Century Club member. 

Johannsen has conducted a great deal of research about Mulligan and her accomplishments. She says Mulligan was not intimated by men.

"She never displayed impatience with any demands placed on her," said Johannsen. "Her mind was described as masculine, but you have to remember this was the 1800's."

Mulligan began her formal education at Buffalo Female Academy, which today is Buffalo Seminary. At the time, the school was in a building on Johnson Park. 

Mulligan studied voice in Buffalo and Philadelphia, and then in Europe. She was a middle child, growing up in a home with four brothers -- two older and two younger.

"And her two older ones died as a result of wounds suffered in the Civil War, and it had a tremendous impact on her.  So she decided she was going to work and do something for young men," said Johannsen.

Mulligan never married. 

"And the interesting thing is that she got along with the men, and she always said it was because she had brothers," said Johannsen.  "And she always said she felt she could understand them, and she must have really succeeded because she served on the Guard of Honor, the only woman...it was almost like a think tank."

Men were a part of Mulligan's so-called think tank, which put her in the right path for when she need to fund projects. Johannsen said Mulligan  also formed a group called the "Guard of Honor" in the early 1900's.

"It started out as a bible class," said Johannsen.  "And from this group, which in large, she taught other subjects.  This group became the focus of her life.  She really helped to set the way people, like us, who knows what we would have done with some of these wonderful women who were involved in suffrage.  Now she really wasn't a suffragette, but she was there at the time when this was all starting to develop."
                      
And even though Mulligan held a high social status, she had to work for a living.  She taught voice and in the early 1870's began writing columns at Buffalo's former Courier Express newspaper, where she served as music editor.

That is when Mulligan found yet another group called the "Scribblers," which was formed for women writers, but was opened to all citizens. 

Johannsen says Mulligan was involved in many organizations, and even lobbied.  In 1914, a tribute was held 14 years after her death. 

Johannsen learned about the life of Mulligan through the many historical writings left behind by the people that knew knew her well. She says  Charlotte Mulligan was a "formidable character who was well-respected by local women."
 

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