February 10th

On this day in 1675, Mary Rowlandson and her three children were captured by the Narragansett, Wampanoag, and Nashaway/Nipmuc Indians in Lancaster, Massachusetts during King Philip's War and held hostage for 11 weeks. Rowlandson wrote about this tragic experience and it is considered the first "captivity narrative" written. The title,The Sovereignty and Goodness of God: Being a Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

On this day in 1840 Queen Victoria married her Prince Albert. A true love match in a time of arranged marriages.

On this day in 1870, the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) was founded in New York City.

February 9th

Born this day in 1944, Alice Walker, critically acclaimed" Poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, anthologist, teacher, editor, publisher, womanist and activist."
She graduated from high school 1961, class valedictorian. She was also crowned homecoming queen. After high school, Walker first attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and it was there she worked with the civil rights movement. In 1964,Walker continued her education at Sarah Lawrence and it was there Alice Walker committed her talents to being a writer.
In 1965, Walker accepted a position with The New York Welfare Department. A year later with a grant of 2,000 dollars she moved to Jackson Mississippi to work with the Legal Defense Fund of NAACP. Taking deposition of blacks who had been evicted from their home for registering to vote. Walker published her first novel in 1967, titled "To Hell With Dying". But the book that turned Walker into an international name was her novel, "The Color Purple" which she also was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Walker continues to write and impact our society and raise our awareness with work that deals with women's issues.
On International Woman's Day, March 8, 2003, the eve of the Iraq War, Alice Walker joined the anti-war protest and was arrested for crossing the police line with 24 other women. This her comment about why she joined hands.
I was with other women who believe that the women and children of Iraq are just as dear as the women and children in our families, and that, in fact, we are one family. And so it would have felt to me that we were going over to actually bomb ourselves."
Alice is active today in Code Pink She is dedicated to making the world a better place and to raise awareness of the injustice going today, just a moment ago, and now. To learn more about this amazing artist/activist: www.alicewalkersgarden.com


Born this day in 1814, Lydia Pinkham, a woman who suffered "female troubles" that turned into a multi-million dollar business still active today. A very painful menstrual cycle and knowledge about roots and herbs,and with 18% alcohol, Pinkham brewed up a concoction in her kitchen that relieved her suffering. She shared her "Herbal Formula" with any woman in need. But the Panic of 1873, ruined Pinkham's husband and lost all his money. Out of need of an income, she began to charge for her Herbal Formula. In 1876, she patented her recipe as "Mrs Lydia E Pinkham's Vegetable Compound." To advertise her formula Pinkham wrote pamplets and handed them out of the streets. They read,"All those painful complaints and weaknesses so common to our best female population, including everything from flatulence to all ovarian troubles. She also advertized in the women's magazines! Both written in English,French, and Spanish. At a time, when the medical profession(male physicians) lacked understanding of women's health and needs. And did not want to discuss it in mixed company... Lydia Pinkham invited her clients to write to her about their "women's ailments" and ask questions. And those questions were answered. Answers that wrote honestly about women's health. Ground braking! At her death the company was grossing 300,000. per year. The mostly male dominated medical field called Pinkham in her lifetime, "snake-oil-peddler." But, as Mrs. Pinkham said,"Only woman can understand woman's ills."

February 8th

Born this day in 1879, Maud Slye,a pathologist that changed the way science viewed cancer and the approach cancer research. Slye "invented the genetically uniform mice as a research tool" and she was also "an advocate for the comprehensive archiving of human medical records from birth to death." To follow the genetic history of cancer in human beings and other health issues was ground braking. These concepts are taken for granted in modern science, but in the early part of the 20th century, people thought that cancer was contagious which her work proved untrue. What sparked the idea for Slye, was a group of cattle from the same ranch who all had eye cancer.
Creating research mice and to follow their lives both healthy mice and unhealthy mice.
In later years, Slye posited that "two conditions were necessary to produce cancer: inherited susceptibility, and prolonged irritation of the cancer-susceptible tissues." This proved not to be completely true, future studies proved there is more to cancer than these two factors. But, it does not discount the outstanding research and the new approach to the research. Maud Slye received many honors and awards for her work. Slye never married. To read more about this amazing woman and her career achievements:
(1879-1954) http://www.faqs.org/health/bios/35/Maud-Slye.html#ixzz1DJLF7U00

On this day in 1965,The Supremes released "Stop In The Name of Love".

On this day in 1964, Rep Martha Griffiths address gets civil rights protection for women being added to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

February 7th

On this day in 1969, Dinae Crump becomes the first female jockey at Hialeah Racetrack in Florida.

Born this day in 1867, Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the "The Little House" books.
What began as Grandma sharing stories about her childhood turned into one of the most popular in children's literature. Wilder's books shared the stories of her family pioneering in the mid-west during the 1870's and 1880's. The first book "A Little House on the Prairie", was published in 1932 and by 1943 there were eight volumes. The books have been translated into 40 different languages. And in the 1970's and 1980's a popular television series. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote from the heart and captured the hearts of millions of readers even today. Wilder's daughter Rose Wilder Lane was also an author and supported her mother during her process of writing, "The Little House" books.

Born this day in 1918, Ruth Sager, a pioneer in the field of non-nuclear genetics and in the genetics of cancer. Sager's discoveries have changed the face of cancer and genetics. To read more about this absolutely, amazing and brilliant woman and contributions to these fields.
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom.php?book=biomems&page=rsager.html

February 6th

On this day in 1872, The American Woman Suffrage Association petitioned Congress.

Born this day in 1913, Mary Douglas Leakey,archaeologist . Mary's father was a landscape artist and the family lived throughout England,Italy and France. At age 11, while living in Dordogne,France,the area was peppered with prehistoric sites, and after seeing the Caves of Dordogne(oldest cave paintings of animals) she was inspired and knew her future calling. She wasn't bookish, but she began sitting in on lectures about archaeology and geology at University of London. She never earned a degree. But,through contacts and her ability to draw; she was able to work on many excavations. She married Louis Leakey in 1933. They lived mostly in Africa working a long string of excavations. Her first important discovery was the first fossil skull of the extinct Miocene primate Proconsul. In 1959, Mary found the "Zinjanthropus" (Australopithecus boisei) fossil which brought world fame to the Leakey family. But, 1978 Mary Leakey made her greatest discovery, adjacent footprint tracks that had been left by two bipedal hominids. Even though Mary Leakey never earned a degree. Mary Leakey was a giant in the field of archaeology.

On this day in 1952, Elizabeth II succeeded her father, King George VI, upon his death February, 6th.