Massachusetts Women's History

Founded in 1837 as Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, and sometimes written as Mt. Holyoke, this was the first of the Seven Sisters colleges to be established.

A philanthropist and folk song collector, she was born in Boston.

This Harlem Renaissance writers was born and educated in Massachusetts. She moved in her later life to Chicago, Illinois, where she taught school.

The story of Emily Dickinson, one of America's best-known poets, practically an Amherst institution. Her poetry was found in her room after her death, and nearly lost to posterity. Biography, quotations, poems and links to many more resources on this site and on the Net.

Mary Dyer was a Quaker martyr in 17th century Massachusetts.

Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking-School Cook Book was an event in cooking and housekeeping history. She included very specific and accurate measurements, instead of estimates.

A Hicksite Quaker from Massachusetts, Mott worked against slavery and for women's rights.

Lucy Stone, known as the first woman to keep her own name after marriage (at least in the modern era in America), worked for suffrage and against slavery.

Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, Smith and University of Massachusetts records and manuscripts on women's history and women's education.

Picture of her headstone in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Mount Holyoke began as a female seminary, founded by Mary Lyon.

Want to take a vacation to see where women's history was made? The US National Park Service put together this list of 74 destinations in New York and Massachusetts.

Danvers, Massachusetts, memorial, with names of and quotes from many of the victims.

Canton, Massachusetts, Historical Society on the official heroine of the state of Massachusetts. Site plays music (controls at bottom of page).

If you think violence in the schools is something new, read this account of the 1870 stoning of Etta Barstow in Canton, Massachusetts.