Turning Point Suffragist Memorial
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FAQs

  • The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association (TPSMA) is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and has been designated a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization by the IRS.
  • The TPSMA is administered by an unpaid board of directors, which is bonded, and is responsible for the funding and design of the memorial.
  • NOVA Parks (formerly Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) is providing the location in its Occoquan Regional Park, management of the memorial construction, and the operations and maintenance of the memorial in perpetuity.
  • NOVA Parks, organized under the Virginia Regional Parks Act in 1959, is represented by the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun, and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.
  • The park site, formerly part of the DC Prison complex where suffragists were imprisoned, is now owned by Fairfax County. NOVA Parks has a 99-year lease to administer the portion known as Occoquan Regional Park.
  • A memorandum of understanding between TPSMA and NOVA Parks is in place, which outlines the role of each in the development, operations and maintenance of the memorial.
  • The Memorial as redesigned in 2016 is expected to cost $2 million. Funds raised through February 2019 will ensure that a memorial will be in place by 2020 as the design can be value engineered, if necessary.
  • An appointee of the NOVA Parks is a voting member of theTPSMA Board of Directors.
  • The NOVA Parks is moving forward with a new master plan for the Occoquan Regional Park and has contracted for the construction of a new banquet facility, amphitheater, and additional parking.
  • TPSMA is authorized to solicit funds in Virginia.
  • The TPSMA’s general counsel is Kathleen Holmes of Holmes Costin & Marcus.
  • The TPSMA’s Treasurer is Edward Bortnick, shareholder in the CPA firm of SKMB, P.A. located in Rockville, Maryland.

 

TPSMA Accomplishments

August 26, 2020, the centennial anniversary of ratification of the 19thAmendment giving all American women the right to vote, is rapidly approaching; it is also the dedication date of the national Turning Point Suffragist Memorial.  The uniqueopportunity to become a part of this historic anniversary – the greatest expansion of democracy the world has ever seen – can be yours with your contribution to defray construction costs. Elements in the memorial will acknowledge the complete suffrage struggle that covered more than seven decades, 1848-1920.  Women were willing to endure harsh imprisonment and even death while advocating for the right to have a voice in their government.  For a contribution of as little as $1,000 you can have your name inscribed on the Donor Wall.  Naming rights are available for seven major components of the memorial which is projected to cost $2,000,000.  We welcome any level contribution.

Key milestones:

  • NOVA Parks together with the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association (TPSMA), a 501(c)(3), have collaborated since 2008 to make this national project a reality. NOVA Parks is providing the land and perpetual maintenance for the memorial (no endowment necessary); TPSMA must raise all funds to build the memorial.
  • Occoquan Regional Park, Fairfax County, VA, is the ideal site for the memorial as part of the historic prison grounds where scores of suffragists were inhumanely jailed and tortured in the Occoquan Workhouse for picketing Woodrow Wilson’s White House in 1917. When work leaked out about these inhumane conditions and brutal treatment, it became a significant turning point in winning adoption of the 19th Amendment.
  • TPSMA has received nearly $500,000 in cash donations including $200,000 from Fairfax County – unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.
  • TPSMA has received over a half million dollars of in-kind donations (not included in the total $2,000,000 cash needed) to date including:
    • Architectural design by award-winning architect, Robert Beach
    • Prime land within Occoquan Regional Park
    • Graphic design and printing
    • Web design and administration
    • Legal counsel
    • Videography
    • Catering
    • Accounting
    • Advertising
    • Media coverage
  • The Jean R. Packard Occoquan Center, a new addition to the park sitting on the banks of the Occoquan River, is now open. The multipurpose banquet and conference center will accommodate up to 300 and will include an educational center and a café to serve boaters, memorial visitors and other park patrons. The memorial will be sited across the drive from the center.  The park currently receives over 300,000 visitors annually.
  • TPSMA has established a Constitution Trail together with historically prominent properties including the National Archives, Mount Vernon, Gunston Hall and Montpelier.
  • Once completed TPSMA will establish the Turning Point Institute for MS/HS girls and will work with the park and nationally recognized organizations to develop educational and leadership programs, reenactments and tours of the memorial.
  • TPSMA volunteers have contributed over 25,000 hours in volunteer time and members continue to contribute daily. The TPSMA Speaker’s Bureau has provided over 250 presentations about the suffragist movement and TPSMA to schools, civic organizations and others around the country.
  • Research and scholarship have been contributed by nationally-recognized experts in women’s history and support has been received from women’s civic and history organizations from around the country.
  • A distinguished Honorary Board of nationally-recognized leaders and suffragist descendants who endorse and support the memorial has been established and continues to grow.
  • A National Board, comprised of members from every state, has been created and is being populated to emphasize the national scope of the memorial and gain greater visibility and funding from throughout the country.
  • The construction process has commenced with the hiring of an engineering firm to begin work on the site plan.