Elisa Branco

Overview

Elisa Branco Batista born Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil December 29, 1912 (d. 2001). Brazilian feminist, textile worker, and peace activist. Vice-President, Council of Brazilian Peace Advocates, 1949-50; member of World Peace Council, 1951-64. Received 51-month prison sentence for opposing mobilization of Brazilian troops in Korean War, 1950; served 20 months. Other arrests followed, 1964, 1971. Awarded Stalin Peace Prize, 1952.

Quotations

“Our boys will not go to Korea as solders” (banner, Sept. 7, 1950; photo wikicommons)

Genny Bove

Overview

Genny Bove born London, England February 27, 1962 (d. 2018). Welsh peace activist. “Cyclists Say No To War” trip to Aldermaston, 2008; led nine women in protest at Raytheon missile plant, Broughton, Wales, 2008. Arrested for posting peace banners, 2013.

Quotations

“NATO is, after all, responsible for countless civilian deaths around the world and—as a heavily nuclear-armed power engaged in wars of aggression, and planning more—NATO poses a significant threat to all life on earth.” (wiseup wales, Sept. 2, 2014; photo wiseupaction/BBC)

Ada C. Bowles

Overview

Ada C. Bowles (née Adeline Chastina Burpee) born Gloucester, MA August 2,1836 (d. 1928). Universalist minister; abolitionist; suffragist. Feminist author of hymn “Rise Up! Rise Up! O Women!” Recording Secretary, Woman’s Ministerial Conference, 1882. Supported Julia Ward Howe’s Peace Crusade for Mothers Day for peace.

Quotations

“[If women were given political power], as long as they were the mothers, wives and sisters of these who would be victims of a war’s cruelty, (war) as an argument would carry little weight.” (Bucks County Gazette, Nov. 29, 1877; photo Wikipedia)

Gail Bradbrook

Overview

Gail Bradbrook born South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, England April 30, 1972. Environmental activist. Co-founded Compassionate Revolution, 2015, and its successor Extinction Rebellion, 2018.

Quotations

“Our children are at risk of not having food to eat in a few years’ time. . . the severity of this is incredible. It’s unprecedented in humanity. Human extinction in our children’s lifetime.” (BBC, Apr. 18, 2019; photo independent.academia)

Louie Bennett

Overview

Louie Bennett born Rathgar, Dublin, Ireland January 7, 1870 (d. 1956). Irish suffragist, peace activist, labor leader, and novelist. Anti-colonialist; anti-militarist. Member of WILPF and Fellowship of Reconciliation; delegate to League of Nations and International Labor Organization. Opposed World War I, conscription, 1918. Women’s Peace Committee mediator in civil war, 1922. Life partner of pacifist Helen Chenevix. Post-World War II advocate of nuclear disarmament.

Quotations

“A pacifist first, and before anything.” (Ellen Hazelkorn, Saothar, p. 34)

“I do not care for a pacifism which is not truly international, which is not tolerant toward all nations.” (Sep. 3, 1966 to Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, Hazelkorn, p. 34; photo irishtimes.com)

Eva Bacon

Overview

Eva Bacon (née Goldner) born Vienna, Austria October 1, 1890 (d. 1994). Austrian dress designer; socialist; feminist; pacifist. Secretary for International Women’s Day; WILPF member. Resisted Hitler and Nazi regime. Opposed Vietnam War, Gulf War, nuclear weapons and tests; supported conscientious objection.

Quotations

“I will die a rebel!” (Pam Young Obituaries Australia; photo flickr.com)

Claire Brady

Overview

Claire Brady born September 9, 1968. Catholic Worker and nonviolent peace activist. Took part in Griffiss Plowshares protest, 1983. Sentenced to six months in prison for St. Patrick’s Day protest, pouring blood on Ithaca recruiting office, 2003; jailed two weeks for protest against stolen indigenous land, 2012. Arrested at Pentagon protest against war on terror, 2008; Plowshares protest at Kings Bay Trident submarine base, 2018.

Quotations

“We say, ‘the ultimate logic of Trident is omnicide,’ and yet, the explosive power of this weapon is only part of what we want to make visible. We see that nuclear weapons kill every day by their mere existence. Their production requires mining, refining, testing, and dumping of radioactive material, which poisons sacred Earth and Water, all on Indigenous land. We see the billions of dollars it takes to build and maintain the Trident system as stolen resources, which are desperately needed for human needs.” (Nuclear Resister, Apr. 16, 2018; photo peter de mott peace trot)

Adrienne Maree Brown

Overview

Adrienne Maree Brown born El Paso, TX September 6, 1978. African-American feminist and social justice leader. Director of nonviolent direct action Ruckus Society for environmental justice, indigenous rights and migrant aid, 2006-10.

Quotations

“Nonviolent direct action has been and should be a deeply transformational and spiritual practice—we are warriors in each nonviolent direct action we do—our action is us extending ourselves towards our visions.” (“Deep Change”, Jun. 9, 2009)

“Love reaches over and under the border wall, extending care and compassion and family to those brutalized by the regressive half of our citizenry. . . Love shows us what to move toward to both free and protect what we so deeply care about. And love teaches us who will be by our sides when the terror comes.” (“Let us resolve to organize with Love”, Jan. 2, 2019; photo kresgee arts)

Marguerite Barankitse

Overview

Marguerite “Maggy” Barankitse born Ruyigi, Burundi July 21, 1957. Rescued children during massacre, 1993. Founded Maison Shalom for 20,000 war orphans, 1993. Exiled to Rwanda, 2015; established Oasis for Peace to carry on mission of Maison Shalom, 2017. Awarded French Human Rights Prize, 1998; Bandres Prize for Asylum Rights, 1998; World Children’s Prize, 2003; Voices of Courage Award, 2004; Eleanor Roosevelt  Four Freedoms Award, 2004; Nansen Refugee Award, 2005; UNESCO Prize, 2008; Prize for Conflict Prevention, 2011; Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, 2016.

Quotations

"I want the new generation, Hutu and Tutsi together, who will break this cycle of violence. I will raise them in dignity, and love. When you have conviction, nobody can stop you. . . I don't want to hate. I want to believe in human beings. For me, even criminals, they are still my brothers, and I will continue to show them the light." (Christian Post, Jun. 17, 2016; photo zimbio.com)

Mabel Byrd

Overview

Mabel Janet Byrd born Canonsburg, PA July 3, 1895 (d. 1988). Early African-American civil rights activist; internationalist. Spoke at WILPF congress on peace and racism, Prague, 1927. Worked for ILO Geneva on labor in African mandates, 1927-29. Head of Chicago Women’s Committee Against War and Fascism, 1934; chaired women’s committee against war at International Women’s Conference, Paris, 1934.

Quotations

“[I]t is difficult to understand how cooperation and be substituted for conflict until those whose rule is dominant are led to change their attitude toward to minority or dominated group.” (Craig LaMay Higher Education for African Americans; photo uoregon.edu)

Virginia M. Bouvier

Overview

Virginia “Ginny” Marie Bouvier born New Haven, CT November 9, 1960 (d. 2018). Professor of Latin American literature. Trained peacemakers. U.S. Institute of Peace facilitator of Colombia peace, 2016.

Quotations

“The quality of women’s engagement and whether or not their voices are heard is essential to the sustainability of peace.” (“Gender and the Role of Women in Colombia’s Peace Process”, Mar. 4, 2016, p. 28; photo dignity memorial)

Cecile Brunschwigg

Overview

Cecile Brunschwigg (née Cécile Kahn) born Enghien-les-Bains, France July 19, 1877 (d. 1946). French militant feminist; pacifist. Vice-President, Feminist Union for the League of Nations; Undersecretary of State for Education, 1936. Aided German refugees.

Quotations

“[Women should] raise their voices so that Statesmen make war on war.” (“Le problème du désarmement à la Conférence de Paris”, La Française, Dec. 1931; photo Her Blueprint: Clio)

Judy Beaumont

Overview

Judith Ann “Judy” Beaumont born Chicago, IL December 10, 1937 (d. 2018). Benedictine nun and math teacher; ordained priest, 2011. Trident Nein protester; served year in prison for damaging nuclear sub U.S.S. Florida, New London, CT, July 4, 1983; arrested at Pentagon for Hiroshima protest, 1981.

Quotations

“We long for. . . a good for world with justice for all and compassionate people to prevail. We long for peace and justice to be the order of the day.” (Advent homily, Dec. 6, 2015; photo legacy.com)

Eleanor Barton

Overview

Eleanor Barton (née Stockton) born Manchester, England July 13, 1872 (d. 1960). British cooperative activist. As head of Women’s Co-operative Guild, 1925-37, introduced the pacifist white poppy, 1933. Active in Peace Pledge Union and Hands Off Russia campaign.

Quotations

“It will take great courage to wear white poppies when all your friends and neighbors are wearing red poppies. . . If you can walk in the streets wearing a white poppy when everyone else has a red one, I shall say you are a brave woman.” (Birmingham Gazette, Jun. 22, 1933; photo Wikipedia)

Nicoline Beck-Meyer

Overview

Nicoline Beck-Meyer born Vendsyssel, Denmark November 27, 1856 (d. ?). Danish author and poet. Spoke on “Universal Peace” at World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893.

Quotations

“Peace! What is peace? It is not rest, but growth. Peace is the condition which will be brought on when love is reigning and justice is fulfilled.” (Woman’s War for Peace, Congress of Representative Women, p. 729; photo A Celebration of Women Writers)

Julia Bacha

Overview

Julia Bacha born Rio de Janeiro, Brazil November 17, 1980. Brazilian filmmaker. “Pay Attention to Nonviolence”, TED Talk, 2011; “How Women Wage Conflict Without Violence”, 2016. Filmography includes Budrus: A Story of Nonviolent Protest, 2009; Naila and the Uprising, 2017.

Quotations

“Nonviolence is not glamorous and you don't see the effects right away. But it works.”

“The greatest predictor of a movement’s decision to adopt non-violence is its ideology regarding the role of women in public life. . . when a movement includes in its discourse language of gender equality it increases dramatically the chance it will adopt non-violence and the likelihood it will succeed.” (“How Women Wage Conflict Without Violence”, 2:57, 2016; photo justvision.com)

Barbara Briggs-Letson

Overview

Barbara Briggs-Letson born January 22, 1934. American nurse midwife. Worked in Guatemala and Honduras, 1989. Founded What About Peace? essay contest 2002. Protested drones in Pakistan and at US bases, 2012; opposed School of Americas; supported Women’s Boat to Gaza.

Quotations

"We are not at war with Pakistan and we are within their borders killing people."  (quote & photo, Oct. 23, 2012, Press Democrat)

Eileen Kampakuta Brown

Overview

Eileen Kampakuta Brown born South Australia January 1, 1938. Aboriginal environmental activist. Formed Cooper Pedy Women’s Council to stop dumping nuclear waste at Woomera, 1995. Awarded Goldman Environmental Prize, 2003.

Quotations

“We say NO radioactive waste dump in our ngura in our country. Don’t waste our country. Don’t waste our future.” (Kunga Tjuta, Goldman Prize, 2003; photo Fairfax images)

Zonia Baber

Overview

Zonia Baber (née Mary Arizona) born Kansas, IL August 24, 1862 (d. 1956). Geography professor; feminist; pacifist; anti-racist; anti-imperialist; WILPF member of Balch mission to Haiti 1926 leading to end of US military occupation; promoted Puerto Rican suffrage; mapped world peace monuments.

Quotations

"[A] drift toward imperialism, a movement veiled and therefore more dangerous, dangerous to the liberty of our neighbors, dangerous to our own democracy." (Baber and Balch, Occupied Haiti, p. 149, 1926; 1924 photo Swarthmore Peace Coll. WILPF)

Michelle Bachelet

Overview

Michelle Bachelet born Santiago, Chile September 29, 1951. Headed UN Gender Equality 2010; first woman President of Chile 2006; imprisoned and tortured by Pinochet; as first President of Union of South American Nations (Unasur) 2008 called summit to mediate in Bolivia; pediatrician.

Quotations

"Because I was the victim of hate, I have consecrated my life to converting that hate into understanding, into tolerance, and why not say it, love." (Jan. 15, 2006; photo celebritiesheight.com)