December 18th

The Dutch artist, Lottie van der Gaag was born this day in 1923. Her sculptures and paintings are part of the COBRA movement.

Josephine White Griffing, was born this day in 1842. Griffing spent her lifetime as an active reformer for anti-slavery and Women's Rights. She did marry and moved to Ohio and there her home was one of the stops on the Underground Railroad. In the 1850's Griffing traveled throughout Ohio, Michigan and Indiana lecturing about the Anti-Slavery Movement. She also wrote articles for the "Anti-Slavery Bugle". In 1862, Griffing moved to Washington, D.C. with her three daughters; leaving her husband behind in Ohio. Freed slaves were pouring into the D.C. area in large numbers and Griffing moved there with a plan to help organize this movement.And Abraham Licoln supported her work. Griffing was also a Member of the National Freedmen's Relief Association. In 1863, she worked on the Bill "Emancipation of Slaves" which finally passed in 1865 in the House of Representatives. Griffing establshed an industrial school for freed women slaves and upon ccompleting this schooling, the women were given a set of clothes. And Griffing also helped to move these women North to homes and jobs. Griffing also worked for the Women's Suffrage Movement. Josephine spent her life helping to free slaves and then to help create a better life.

December 17th

Born this day in 1906, Sylvia Aston-Warner of New Zealand. A poet, novelist, composer and educator. Aston-Warner is known for her pioneering techniques in educating the Maori children of New Zealand. Which she wrote about in her 1963 treatise, "Teacher". Two of her books have been made into feature films, "Two Loves" and "Spinster".
Quotes by Aston-Warner
"When I teach people I marry them." "The truth is that I am enslaved in one vast love affair with 70 children." "I am inclided to think that eating is a private thing and should be done alone like other bodily functions."

December 16th

Josephine Shaw Lowell was born this day in 1843. A reformer and Progressive Leader. Ms. Lowell founded the New York Consumers League in 1890 which lead to the National Consumers League founded in 1899. www.nclnet.org Dedicated to the improvement of wages, conditions in the work place and today a watch dog for medications on the market.
Lowell spent her life as an advocate for Americans. In 1876, Govenor Samuel Tiden of New York appointed Lowell, Commissioner State Board of Charities. The first woman to hold this office; she served until 1889. Josephine Lowell was the first woman to have a memorial dedicated in their honor- The Fountain Terrace in Bryant Park, behind the New York City Library.

Helen Frances "Fanny" Garrison Villard was born this day in 1844. Most remembered as one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP is still working for on the behalf of Americans. www.naacp.org

And Jane Austen was born this day in 1775. A great writer novelist when there were no novelists. Yes, another first- Austen's work captured the everyday life- the characters voices in her novels still read as real today.

And on this day in 1903 the Majestic Theatre in New York City was the first theatre in the United States to employ women as ushers.

December 15th

The poet, Murial Rukeyser was born this day in 1913. Ms. Rukeyser poetry captured many tradgedies of the 20th century. "The Book of the Dead", published in 1938, commemorates the worst industrial accident in U.S. history. In Fayette County, West Virginia, while building the Gauley Tunnel hundreds of men died of acute silcosis in the early 1930's. In 1944, Rukeyser published, the poem,"To Be A Jew in the 20th Century"..."Judaism as a gift." The American Reformed Reconstructionist movements used the poem for their prayer books.
It is important to note that Ms. Rukeyser journeyed to the locations of her writings.
Or as she wrote, "Breathe in-experience, Breathe out- poetry."

December 14th

On this day in 1961, President John F. Kennedy created the "President's Commission on the Status of Women." Executive Order 10980. Resulted in the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. This stated American women still are paid less than men.
President Obama has taken up the cause and on December 10th, 2010. Please read the following: www.whitehouse.gov/issues/women

The National Press Club of Washington D.C., on this day in 1971 voted to admit women to their membership. After excluding them since their foundation March 12, 1908.

Wilma P. Mankiller was sworn in as the first woman tribal chief of the Cherokee Nation; on this day in 1985 and served until 1995.