Women's History

Mother's Day as we know it in America was initiated by the efforts of one woman: Anna Jarvis

The British Library has added an oral history collection on feminism and the women's liberation movement of the 1960s to 1980s. You'll find interviews on a variety of themes, plus biographies of those interviewed, a timeline and notes for teachers who want to use the material in the classroom. Learn more: Sisterhood and After: An Oral History of the Women's Liberation Movement

Suggested reading:

• The 1968 Dagenham Women's Strike
• What Is Feminism?
• Woman Suffrage Timeline International

Jeanne d'Albret was a key leader in the Huguenot party in France in the 16th century. Her son became King of France, though he abandoned his mother's Protestantism in assuming the throne. Her mother was the writer Marguerite of Navarre, sister of King Francis I, and educated Jeanne according to Renaissance standards. Marguerite was, in turn, educated by her mother, Louise of Savoy, in languages, theology, philosophy, and history. Read more:

• Jeanne d'Albret - brief profile
• Jeanne d'Albret - longer biography
• Margurerite of Navarre
• Louise of Savoy

The Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is one of the most recognizable faces of ancient history, in large part because of the famous bust that was discovered in 1912. I've summarized here the known facts about Nefertiti's life, as well as several of the theories about her origins and what happened to her when she disappeared from the public record.

More about Nefertiti:

• Nefertiti Biography
• Nefertiti Books and Videos
• Nefertiti Image
• Nefertiti - more

Image (c) 2005 ClipArt.com. Used with permission.

The original liberated woman: Dorothy Parker's pointed verbal wit and satire highlighted a new freedom for middle class women. She was fired from Vanity Fair Magazine -- she said for "having opinions" -- and wrote screenplays, poems (often satiric) and fiction. Here are some selected quotes from Dorothy Parker -- some old favorites and familiar, some likely to be new to you... read more

The Equal Pay Act and many court decisions on pay equity revolve around the requirement that the work being compared be "equal work." But there may still be pay discrepancies between men and women if specific jobs that attract mostly women or mostly men have pay differences, yet have similar requirements for entry and performance. Thus, some have proposed -- and some have tried -- a system which tries to equalize pay based not on job title, but on the activities and entry requirements of the jobs.

• Comparable Worth

She claimed May 1, 1830 as her birthday, but she was really likely born on August 1, 1837. Mother Jones, the white-haired radical labor organizer known especially for her support of United Mine Workers strikes, was well aware of the impact her image had and carefully nurtured that image. While she may have exaggerated her age, she was much beloved within the ranks of labor for her ardent and reliable support. Read more: Mother Jones

Yesterday's post highlighted the voices of American women poets born before the 20th century; today's post includes quotes from such women born in the first three decades of the 20th century. Again, they're a diverse group, and all quite outspoken:

• Anais Nin Quotes (1903 - 1977)
• Gwendolyn Brooks Quotes (1917 - 2000)
• Denise Levertov Quotes (1923 - 1997)
• Maya Angelou Quotes) (1928 -
• Adrienne Rich Quotes (1929 - )

On April 30, 1796, George Washington became the first President of the United States, and Martha Washington the first First Lady. The title "First Lady" was not used during Martha's time in that position, but her gracious hosting in the seats of government -- then New York and Philadelphia -- helped to set a standard for those who followed her. Ironically, Martha Washington did not want her husband to become the president.

Read more about America's First First Lady: Martha Washington

As National Poetry Month winds down, I'm featuring some quotes from American women poets. These five, all born before the 20th century began, include the well-known and the lesser-known, and all have quite a bit to say:

• Anne Bradstreet Quotes (~1612 - 1672)
• Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Quotes (1825 - 1911)
• Emily Dickinson Quotes (1830 - 1886)
• Louise Guiney Quotes (1861 - 1920)
• Edna St. Vincent Millay Quotes (1892 - 1950)