March marks women’s contributions to American history
By Jan Burns | FREELANCE WRITER
Since many of the women’s suffrage centennial celebrations scheduled for 2020 were canceled, the National Women’s History Alliance has extended the annual theme for 2021 to “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced.” A local event held decades ago in California sparked interest in women’s history. Aware that the public-school curriculum didn’t cover the subject, the Sonoma County school district wanted to change that. It initiated as “Women’s History Work” in 1978. The week of March 8 was chosen to correspond with International Women’s Day, and the movement spread to other school districts, organizations, and communities who wanted to hold similar events. National Women’s History Week After women’s groups, led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women’s History Alliance) successfully lobbied for it, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Women's History Month In 1987, women’s groups lobbied for a longer celebratory period. In response, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month. In the early years of American history, married women couldn’t own property, had no legal claim to any money they earned, and lacked the right to vote. These things eventually caused women to protest. Black author Isabella Baumfree (1797-1883) was an advocate for abolition as well as civil and women’s rights activist. Born a slave, she escaped and later gave numerous speeches for these causes and renamed herself Sojourner Truth. “I have as much muscle as any man and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed and can any man do more than that?” said Truth at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, in 1851. Later, Susan B. Anthony worked with Stanton to raise public awareness about obtaining voting rights for women. Strategies used included petitioning the government, organizing large marches and parades, political cartoons, and picketing the White House. Stanton’s 1854 Address to the Legislature of New York helped secure reforms passed in 1860. It granted women ownership of their wages and allowed them to gain joint custody of their children after a divorce. The hard work of these women and countless others eventually paid off. The 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. First occurring in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. The date of March 19 was chosen, but later moved to March 8, which remains the annual celebration date. It’s a day that advocates for women’s right to work, vote, and achieve gender parity.
Women's History Month In 1987, women’s groups lobbied for a longer celebratory period. In response, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month. In the early years of American history, married women couldn’t own property, had no legal claim to any money they earned, and lacked the right to vote. These things eventually caused women to protest. Black author Isabella Baumfree (1797-1883) was an advocate for abolition as well as civil and women’s rights activist. Born a slave, she escaped and later gave numerous speeches for these causes and renamed herself Sojourner Truth. “I have as much muscle as any man and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed and can any man do more than that?” said Truth at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, in 1851. Later, Susan B. Anthony worked with Stanton to raise public awareness about obtaining voting rights for women. Strategies used included petitioning the government, organizing large marches and parades, political cartoons, and picketing the White House. Stanton’s 1854 Address to the Legislature of New York helped secure reforms passed in 1860. It granted women ownership of their wages and allowed them to gain joint custody of their children after a divorce. The hard work of these women and countless others eventually paid off. The 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. First occurring in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. The date of March 19 was chosen, but later moved to March 8, which remains the annual celebration date. It’s a day that advocates for women’s right to work, vote, and achieve gender parity.
arch is Women’s History Month. It’s set aside as a time to honor women’s contributions in American history.
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President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week.
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MAIN VOTING RIGHTS PROMINENT WOMEN WOMEN HOUSTON
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Stanton helped secure reforms such as allowing women to gain joint custody of their children after a divorce.
Abigail Adams was married to John Adams, who was president from 1797-1801. She was also the mother of John Quincy Adams, who served from 1825-1829 as president. She believed that women should have the same opportunities for education and property ownership as men and worked to change laws that were unjust to women. In 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton helped organize the first women’s rights convention, often called the Seneca Falls Convention, with Lucretia Mott, Jane Hunt, Mary Ann McClintock and Martha Coffin Wright. Stanton wrote The Declaration of Sentiments, which she modeled after the Declaration of Independence. “We’re assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed — to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love,” said Stanton.
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Women’s journey for voting rights leads to more possibilities
By Valerie Sweeten | FREELANCE WRITER
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— Eureka Gilkey, PRH executive director
It hasn’t always been an easy battle, and the passing of the 19th Amendment was testament to that. According to History.com’s article regarding this event in the history of the United States, the 19th Amendment that was added to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, a right known as women’s suffrage, and was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, ending almost a century of protests and actions. It also stated that on Nov. 2, 1920, more than 8 million women across the U.S. voted in elections for the first time. In addition, it took over 60 years for the remaining 12 states to ratify the 19th Amendment. The last state was Mississippi on March 22, 1984. Pursuing equality The persistence of women gaining the right to vote also affected various levels of participation in society, including women’s economic, social, and political equality. The Library of Congress stated that at the turn of the century, 60% of all working women were employed as domestic servants, and that women and women's organizations pursued equality on behalf of many social and reform issues. With this effort, women's clubs in towns and cities across the nation were working to promote suffrage, better schools, the regulation of child labor, women in unions, and liquor prohibition also around the turn of the century. Critical turning point Linda Rhodes, executive director for The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency, said winning the fight for the right to vote was a critical turning point for women, as it gave them a voice to fight for many other rights, including health care. Since 1979, The Women’s Fund has served women in Houston by financing research, providing community seminars and programs, as well as through their publications provided the community with medically sound health information. From 1980 to 2008, The Women’s Fund funded research grants specifically focused on women’s health. “Over 40 years ago, we were founded to fund women’s health research and education, and as women achieved more rights, and The Women’s Fund also evolved,” Rhodes said. The organization now focuses on programming and publications that cover seven dimensions of wellness. “These provide women and young girls with education, empowerment skills, and tools to be resilient, and take control of their own health and wellness. It also provides them a safe forum for dialogue about topics that play an integral role in safety, (and) mental and emotional health,” said Rhodes.
he fight for women’s rights has been a long journey to get where we are today.
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Nov. 2, 1920, more than 8 million women across the U.S. voted in elections for the first time.
"Winning the fight for the right to vote was a critical turning point for women, as it gave them a voice to fight for many other rights..."
– Linda Rhodes, executive director for The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency
17 courageous women changed the course of American history
By Bob Weinstein | FREELANCE WRITER
ver time, women have faced innumerable challenges and injustices.
We are preserving the shotgun houses as structures, but also as manifestations of the resilience and creativity that are hallmarks of the Black experience in Houston.
— Eureka Gilkey, PRH executive
Louisa May Alcott Alcott never planned to write “Little Women.” The book enjoyed phenomenal success that changed her life and also motivated her to write “Little Men” and “Jo’s Boys.” On a larger scale, Alcott inspired talented women writers worldwide to vie in the fiercely competitive publishing industry dominated by men. Susan B. Anthony She was a passionate advocate for women’s suffrage, women’s property rights and the abolition of slavery. Anthony was arrested for trying to vote in the 1872 presidential election. In 1878, she and co-organizers proposed to Congress an amendment to the Constitution that would give women the right to vote. Even though she was never permitted to legally vote, her courage and determination were the impetus for opening the doors for other women. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, is known as the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment.” Clara Barton When the Civil War started, Barton wanted to be a Union soldier, an unrealistic dream for a 39-year-old woman who stood 5 feet tall. Determined to break barriers and to serve, she became a nurse and a one-woman relief agency operating in the heart of the conflict. Her bravery and resolve helped create opportunities for other women. Barton went on to found the American Red Cross, one of the largest nonprofit organizations to date. Elizabeth Blackwell Overcoming daunting odds, she gained admittance to an all-male institution to become the first woman to attend medical school in the United States and the first woman in the nation to receive a medical degree. In 1856, she opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children with Dr. Marie Zakrzewska and her sister Emily, who also became a doctor. In 1857, they also opened a medical college that created opportunities for women doctors by providing training and experience, as well as specialized medical care for those living in poverty. Amelia Earhart The first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Earhart received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for her accomplishments. Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared in 1937 over the central Pacific Ocean while attempting to fly around the globe. She was not yet 40. Her record-setting trans-Atlantic solo flight launched a double career as a fighter for women's rights and a tireless crusader for commercial air travel. (Vice President) Kamala Harris Harris is a woman of many firsts. When she took office Jan. 20 as vice president, she became not only the first woman to hold the office but also the first Black person and person of South Asian descent. Prior to ascending to her role as one of the most powerful women in the world, Harris has been pushing the boundaries of representation for women of color throughout her entire career — as the first woman and Black person to serve as the district attorney of San Francisco and later as the first woman and Black person to serve as California’s attorney general. Marguerite Higgins Higgins was a reporter and war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Advancing the cause of equal opportunities for female war correspondents, Higgins was the first woman awarded a Pulitzer Prize for foreign correspondence in 1951.
Amelia Earhart is the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
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Susan B. Anthony was a passionate advocate for women’s suffrage, women’s property rights and the abolition of slavery
Elizabeth Blackwell
Clara Burton
Amelia Earhart
Marguerite Earhart
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Here are 17 of the countless women who, in their respective fields, have made the world a better place:
Nevertheless, they have managed to overcome adversity, break barriers and distinguish themselves in virtually all fields, making contributions that have changed the course of history.
Susan B. Anthony
Marguerite Higgins
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Black historic figures continued.
Coretta Scott King Indisputably one of the most important and influential civil rights activists of our time, King fought tirelessly for Black equality. Even following the assassination of her husband, Martin Luther King Jr., in 1968, she never slowed down. She founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and later lobbied for her late husband’s birthday to be recognized as a federal holiday. King played a prominent role in the women’s movement and LGBT advocacy. Dolley Madison During James Madison’s presidency, from 1809 to 1817, Dolley was the country’s fourth first lady. She helped furnish the newly reconstructed White House in 1814. She helped define the role of first lady and establish the traditions and precedents her successors would follow, such as working with local charities and organizations on social issues important to her and overseeing the decoration of the executive mansion to reflect the importance of the presidency. Rita Moreno The Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer and one of the few artists to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony. She was the first-ever Hispanic American woman to win an Academy Award. She was first known worldwide for her portrait of Anita in 1961’s West Side Story. Sally Ride Ride, the first American woman in space for NASA, was one of five astronauts for the space shuttle Challenger as flight engineer. She was passionate about improving science education and helping young women and girls gain an interest in science. Ride also served as the Director of the California Space Science Institute, a research institute of the University of California. She worked as a physicist and physics professor at the University of California, San Diego. Eleanor Roosevelt First lady Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was nvolved in numerous humanitarian causes throughout her life. She participated in politics through the Democratic Party as well as several social reform organizations. She was the first presidential spouse to hold regular press conferences, write a daily newspaper column, write a monthly magazine column, host a weekly radio show, and speak at a national party convention. After her husband’s death, she was a delegate to the United Nations. She was a prolific writer until her death in 1962. Sacagawea This Lemhi Shoshone woman was known for her expedition with explorers Lewis and Clark through the territory of the Louisiana Purchase. She traveled from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean with the explorers. Sonia Sotomayor Sotomayor is the first Hispanic American, of Puerto Rican descendent, to serve as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1976 and received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1979, where she was an editor at the Yale Law Journal. While on the court, Sotomayor has supported the informal liberal bloc of justices when they divide along the commonly perceived ideological lines. Sotomayor has been identified with concern for the rights of defendants, calls for reform of the criminal justice system, and making impassioned dissents on issues of race, gender, and ethnic identity. Gloria Steinem Journalist, feminist and political activist, she has been a prominent voice in the women’s rights movement and gender equality. She gained attention in 1963 when Show magazine hired her as an undercover writer to report on the working conditions at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club, about which she wrote an expose. She also joined forces with several others in establishing Ms. Magazine. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2017. Sojourner Truth Escaping from slavery in 1826, Truth was an African American abolitionist and women’s rights activist best-known for her speech on racial inequalities, “Ain’t I a Woman?” delivered extemporaneously in 1851 at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention. Her work during the Civil War earned her an invitation to meet President Abraham Lincoln in 1864. Oprah Winfrey Both a legend and a groundbreaker, it would be impossible to list all the firsts Winfrey has accomplished since the first national broadcast of her talk show in 1986. She has made her mark in TV, film and print. Winfrey has also earned a reputation as one of the nation’s great American philanthropists. Winfrey is seen as one of the most influential women in the world, creating opportunities for all, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Ida B. Wells
Coretta Scott King
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Dolly Madison
Sally Ride
Sonia Sotomayor
Gloria Steinem
Oprah WInfrey
Oprah Winfrey, both a legend and a groundbreaker, is one of the nation’s great American philanthropists.
Sacagawera
Rita Moreno
Sojourner Truth
Eleanor Roosevelt
Houston women flex their influence to better the community
Brittany Hebert Franklin In 2007, Louisiana native Brittany Hebert Franklin founded Sky High for Kids, a nonprofit organization with the mission to provide comfort, fund research and save the lives of those fighting pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Sky High for Kids now funds many life-saving projects, including the first and only pediatric cancer immunotherapy center at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center and building three training facilities in sub-Saharan Africa with Texas Children’s Hospital’s Global HOPE Program to increase capacity of medical care for the 100,000 children battling cancer and blood disorders in that region. Click here for more information on Sky High for Kids. Lupe and Mayra Guillén Lupe and Mayra Guillén are the sisters of Houston soldier Vanessa Guillén, who was assaulted and later murdered at Fort Hood last year. The sisters have been vocal in calling on Congress to pass the “I Am Vanessa Guillén Act,” legislation that would institute several reforms, including explicitly listing sexual harassment as a crime in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, established a confidential means of lodging a sexual harassment complaint and moving legal decisions on whether to prosecute a sexual offense outside of the existing military chain of command. Click here to read about the “I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.” Kelly Ingram Kelly Ingram was unsuccessful when confronting her Houston-area employer during the COVID-19 pandemic on the many steps that needed to be taken to make the store where she worked safe for employees and customers. She realized her employer was not the only example of malfeasance, so she created COVID-Call Outs, a public Facebook group committed to exposing bad practices during the pandemic. The group has amassed over 3,700 members. To visit COVID-Call Outs, visit www.facebook.com/groups/213636073064940. Linda Lorelle Linda Lorelle is many things — former journalist and anchor for Houston’s NBC affiliate KPRC-TV; Emmy Award-winner; Gracie Award-winner, bestowed by the American Women in Radio and Television; CEO of Lorelle Media; and host and producer of “Our Voices Matter” podcast. But the achievement of which Lorelle is most proud is founding the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund. “We have provided life skills training and awarded more than $4.5 million in college scholarships to 372 students,” Lorelle said. “And what I am most proud of is that the majority of our board is now made up of former Lorelle Scholars, five to be exact. In celebration of the 30th anniversary year, we’re about to launch the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund 2.0: The Next Generation – stay tuned!” For information on the scholarship fund, visit www.lindalorelle.org.
Jackie Robinson's Memorial at the Rose Bowl. He also was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.
Houston is home to countless women who are changing and improving their communities.
By Jennifer Kimrey | FREELANCE WRITER
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Linda Lorelle
Photo courtesy of Alexander’s Fine Photography
Whether they are working for systemic change in the city and across the country, providing their communities better access to resources or shedding light on major issues, the following women are some of the most prominent and influential in Houston, and we celebrate them and others during Women’s History Month.
Houston women flex their power and influence to better the community
Atlantis M. Narcisse For years, Atlantis Narcisse was consistently being contacted by Houston-area transgender women of color looking for information and assistance. “I began to think about what would happen if I were not here to find these answers for these women. I kept wondering, ‘Why isn’t there a place for us that represents us?” Narcisse said. In response to what was a clear need in the community, Narcisse founded Save Our Sisters United in 2016, a safe place for Black transgender and cisgender women to find support services. For more information on SOSU, visit www.saveoursistersunitedinc.com.
Houston is home to countless women who are changing andimproving their communities. Whether they are working for systemic change in the city and across the country, providing their communities better access to resources or shedding light on major issues, the following women are some of the most prominent and influential in Houston, and we celebrate them and others during Women’s History Month.
Katie Stone Katie Stone is continuing the legacy of her mother, Cleverly Stone, who established Houston Restaurant Week in 2003, the annual fundraiser that has raised tens of millions of dollars for the Houston Food Bank. Cleverly Stone passed away in May after a battle with cancer. In years past, Houston Restaurant Week has raised $16.6 million for the Houston Food Bank and enabled the distribution of more than 49.8 million meals for food insecure Houstonians. To learn more about the annual fundraiser, visit www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com. Kandice Webber Not only has Kandice Webber worked in health care as a registered nurse for more than 20 years in Houston, but she has become a leading voice in Houston’s movement for Black and queer rights and is cofounder of various local organizations, including Black Lives Matter: Houston, Houston March for Black Women and Houston Rising. Webber serves as the lead organizer of BLM’s Houston chapter, which was established during the aftermath of the murder of Mike Brown and was started on the ground in Ferguson and St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit www.blmhouston.com.
Photo courtesy of A. M. Narcisse
Cleverly Stone created Houston Restaurant Week helped raise $16.6 million for the Houston Food Bank and enabled the distribution of more than 49.8 million meals.
The achievement of which Lorelle is most proud of is founding the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund.
Brittany Hebert Franklin founded Sky High for Kids, with the mission to provide comfort, fund research and save the lives of those fighting pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
ouston is home to countless women who are changing andimproving their communities. Whether they are working for systemic change in the city and across the country, providing their communities better access to resources or shedding light on major issues, the following women are some of the most prominent and influential in Houston, and we celebrate them and others during Women’s History Month.
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