March 28th

Born this day in 1854, Rhoda Holmes Nicholls, visual artist. Born in England, Nicholls studied at the Bloomsbury School of Art, awarded the Queen's scholarship. Studied in Rome, Italy and was one of a handful of women who were admitted into the Rome Watercolor Society. A move to New York City was due to her marriage to fellow artist Burr H. Nicholls. Rhoda's art is bright, unique and very compelling. Rhoda was an instructor at The Students Art League of New York, a member of the New York Water Color Club, member of the American of Miniature Painters and the American Water Color Society and was co-editor of Palette and Brush.
Nicholls was one of the great woman artists who carved her way into the art world mostly dominated by men. Talent is talent.

March 27th

Born this day in 1724, Jane Colden,described as," first woman botanist of the New World." An excellent illustrator and created a way of making true impressions of plants with an ink process. Colden catalogued and collected over 300 flora of New York State. Colden's father was a scientist and encouraged and educated his daughter about science. And because of her father Colden was able to meet and developed friendships with the leading scientists of the day. Sadly, Jane died in childbirth.
Colden's original manuscript of the flora New York is housed at the British Museum.

March 26th

Today, March 26th, 2011,Geraldine Anne Ferraro died. Ferraro was a, "First Woman To" on several fronts. Most importantly in Ferraro's career, she was the first woman to run on a National Party Ticket,Mondale-Ferraro Democratic ticket of 1984. And from this moment in time if one looks forward or backward at Ferraro's timeline- there are extraordinary accomplishments.
Born and raised in New York, Ferraro was always an honors student, and she was able to attend college on scholarships and several part-time jobs. Starting out as an elementary school teacher, she quickly decided to go back to school for law. While teaching during the day and attending law school at night. Ferraro was the only one of two women to graduate from her class of 179. Earning a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Fordham University School of Law (1960). And was admitted to the bar of New York in 1961.
Marriage, children and working as a civil lawyer(would do pro bono cases for women court also) and then in 1970, Ferraro was elected president of the Queens County Bar Association. And in 1974, she was appointed Assistant District Attorney for Queens County, New York. And the following year Special Victims Bureau, prosecuting cases involving rape, child abuse, spouse abuse and domestic violence. And in 1977 Ferraro was appointed head of the unit with two assistant district attorneys assigned to her. And it was in this role Ferraro became a strong advocate for abused children. This was a very tough job both emotionally and physically. In 1978, she was admitted into the U.S. Supreme Court Bar.
Then, the same year 1978, Ferraro ran for Congress and won. Quickly gaining respect form fellows on the Hill. Always working for women's rights. And then 1984, the run for the White house as the vice-president on Walter Mondale's Democratic Ticket.
Ferraro helped with the elections of 1986, working for ten women up for election and eight won their seats. Pre. Clinton appointed Ferraro as a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1993. And was then promoted to Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. And in 1995, Clinton appointed Ferraro vice-chair of the U.S. delegation to the landmark 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Ferraro picked a strong group of expects in human rights issues to serve with her. And for the first time blocking China's motion to prevent their human rights record to be criticized.
Ferraro spent her in service to the well being of people, be it in a courtroom or at world conference, she was there with a strong no nonsense sensibility. And as Ferraro felt about her firsts- she was happy to be first, but only if it meant there was a second, third and so on. Thank you, Gerry, and Peace.








On this day in 1973, ten women were admitted as members of the London Stock Exchange.

March 25th

Born this day in 1826, Matilda Josyle Gage,one of the founding members of the National Woman Suffrage Association, activist, author, abolitionist,free-thinker.
When the Rev. Loguen(Syracuse conductor of the Underground Railroad)came to Fayetteville, NY(home of Gage) in search of safe house for the Railroad. Gage welcomes the Railroad into her home. ‘An Underground RR Station’ where runaway slaves were helped on their way to freedom." Providing a place for food and rest. Being a part of the Underground Railroad- Gage viewed as her most important service, defying the law(Fugitive Slave Law of 1850) for the human rights of those traveling the Underground Railroad.
In 1852,Gage joined the women's right movement. And it was at the National Woman's Rights Convention of 1852, Gage gave her first public speech. Serving over the next several decades as either a chair or vice president and from 1875-76 as president of NAWSA. At the 1876 Women's Convention the police showed up claiming it was an illegal assembly. Gage successfully argued against the claim that it was an illegal assembly. The police left without pressing charges.
In 1875 Gage, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, began to co-author History of Women Suffrage 1843-1883 the first three volumes. In all there were six and not completed until 1922.
Gage was editor of The National Citizen and Ballot Box from 1878 to 1881 the official newspaper of NAWSA. Gage was also editor of The Liberal Thinker from 1890 until her death.
Gage would also correct what was being written out of his-tory and so here is a bit of her-tory:

Concerned with the way in which women were written out of history, Gage documented many previously unacknowledged accomplishments of her sex. She maintained that the cotton gin wasn't really invented by Eli Whitney, but rather by Catherine Littlefield Greene, who had the idea for the gin and engaged Whitney to construct it. Gage argued that the Tennessee Campaign of 1862, an important military campaign which changed the course of the Civil War was actually the brainchild of Anna Ella Carroll.

You might be asking yourself why you have never heard about Matilda Gage, who was as much a part of the forming of Women's Suffrage Movement as Anthony and Stanton. As the suffrage movement continued, Gage became more dis-satisfied; and saw the Church as "bulwark of woman's slavery". Gage and Elizabeth Cadey Stanton co-authored, The Woman's Bible published in 1895. And yes, many were upset by this Bible.
And then Gage's radical views drew a wedge between herself and Stanton and Anthony. They had worked together over the last 40 years. Finally, Gage left NWASA and formed the "Woman's National Liberal Union", viewed as the most radical movement in the United States. And so the last eight years of Gage's life, she was separated both in the physical and then in history from Anthony and Stanton. So, remember whenever you read about Anthony and Stanton from 1852-1895, Gage was there too.
To learn more about Matilda Joslyn Gage and there is much more visit her website: www.matildajoslyngage.org

In 1993, scientific historian Margaret W. Rossiter coined the term "Matilda effect", after Matilda Gage, to identify the social situation where woman scientists inaccurately receive less credit for their scientific work than an objective examination of their actual effort would reveal. The "Matilda effect" is a corollary to the "Matthew effect", which was postulated by the sociologist Robert K. Merton.

Oh and her son-in-law L. Frank Baum, who wrote that wonderful book, The Wizard of Oz Gage was an influence of his "feminist utopian vision of Oz."

March 24th

Born this day in 1820, Fanny Crosby,poet and the most prolific hymnist in history. Crosby wrote over 8,000 hymns in her life time. Blind since she was an infant, which Crosby understood as more of gift from God, allowing her to see music. Crosby also wrote under 200 different pen names. Because her publishers didn't want the public to know Crosby wrote most of the hymns. At the age of 15, her mother sent Crosby to The Institution For The Blind in New York City. Crosby was born outside New York City in Putman County. And at the age of 23, Crosby spoke before Congress with 19 other blind students. Requesting funding for the education of the blind. Crosby wrote a poem. This a life changing experience, many of the politicians befriended Crosby. Fanny married her sweetheart since she was 20, Alexander VanAlstyne at the age of 37, a good marriage of 44 years. One child that died as an infant. Crosby always created from her heart, honest and filled with joy and love. Her music is still used worldwide. Fanny Crosby could call friends from all walks of life, to several American Presidents, to the poor in need of her comfort. All prefect in the eyes that see all. Fanny wrote her first poem at the age of 11 and died at the age of 94, almost 95. 83 years of music and poetry!
Crosby's first book, The Blind Girl and Other Poems,published 1843, Her books of poems published Monterey And Other Poems (1849); A Wreath Of Columbia's Flowers (1859); Bells At Evening And Other Poems (1898); and Memories Of Eighty Years (1907).