Anna Ella Carroll Day on August 27

Women's Mercury founders Bridget Gethins and Keri Wormald visited the founders of The Friends of Anna Ella Carroll on the Eastern Shore of Maryland this weekend. A reminder from the "Friends" that Anna Ella Carroll Recognition Day is on August 27, 2011 in beautiful Cambridge, MD. Visit their website at http://www.friendsofannaellacarroll.org to learn more. Look to the Women's Mercury http://www.womensmercury.com for more information on an upcoming project that will connect our Mission with those of the Friends of Anna Ella Carroll. Frank Bittner and Earl Brannock are living proof that not all feminists are women.

Maynard Salmon July 27th

Born this day in 1853,Lucy Maynard Salmon,historian and Department Head of History for Vassar College. Salmon's mother was the first principal of Fulton Female Seminary and her father a very successful businessman. She attended the University of Michigan in 1872. One year after they allowed women to attend.
After receiving her AB in history, Salmon taught in high schools in the mid-west. She went on to finish her master's thesis,"A History of the Appointing Power of the President. Vassar College hired Salmon in 1887 to create their history department as a Associate Professor of History and by the second year she was a Full Professor and Head of the Department of History.
Salmon did not believe in learning by rote- learn the names, dates, places, but to learn how to learn and to understand the subject- memorizing these dates and places was not the point..... "if a child is sent to school to learn he may never learn how to learn."
Salmon methods of research of history was to go beyond the Gods and their thrones, but look out one's backyard and research the history of everyday life. The laundry list was one of her more interesting projects- but by understanding daily life, gives a more honest real relationship with history and then when one does look to the ancients,,,well what was on their laundry list.
Salmon also founded the Vassar Alumnae Historical Association which created a treasury with the propose of purchasing books for the History Library that was in great need of their support.Vassar Alumnae Historical Ass continues their work today.
Salmon wrote many books and hundreds of essays about the many aspects of history one of her most well known is Domestic Service
Lucy Salmon changed history by changing the focus of the eye on a tree and another tree and another and then seeing the forest. Lucy died in Feb, 14, 1927.

Rosalind Elsie Franklin July 25th

Born this day in 1920, Rosalind Elsie Franklin,leading scientist in the discovery of DNA. The race to fully understanding DNA was between Franklin's team and James Watson team of researchers.
Franklin is credited with much of the responsibility that lead to the understanding of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid,DNA. Franklin was the first to photograph DNA. Her crystallographic portraits of DNA of which she said," the most beautiful X-ray photographs of any substance ever taken." Sadly, Franklin died of ovarian cancer at the age of 37.

Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani July 24th

On this day in 2010,rallies were held in Paris,FR. New York City, Ottawa and other major cities throughout the world-to demand the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
She is an Iranian woman who is facing execution for adultery. Stoning women to death is barbaric and a horror and to think there are courts of law who think this is a form of justice is madness. Ashtiani's nephew is now being held in prison for demanding freedom for his aunt. And even IF Ashtiani had an affair, it is not a reason for death for man or woman. If you would like sign the petition and learn more about this story, www.freesakineh.org

On this day in 1990 Ms. Magazine was back on the newsstands after an 8 month hiatus.

Emma Carr, Saint Bridget July 23rd

Born this day in 1880, Emma Carr,chemist and 7th woman to receive a physical chemistry Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. As Head of Department of Mount Holyoke Carr created a research program studying ultraviolet spectra of hydrocarbons, and established a link between the frequenciabsorptions and the enthalpy change of combustion of the compounds.
Carr was also the Carr was the inaugural recipient in 1937 of the Francis P. Garvan Gold Medal of the American Chemical Society (ACS), established "to recognize distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists".
The chemistry building at Mount Holyoke College was dedicated in her honor in 1955.

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Bridget of Sweden.