July 27

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1831 Helen Taylor born Kent Terrace, London, England (d. 1907). Pioneering British suffragist, feminist, radical social reformer, and actress. Anti-imperialist and democratic socialist. Stepdaughter of John Stuart Mill. As the first woman candidate for Parliament, campaigned on platform of women’s rights, war prevention, and wage raises, 1885. Publicly opposed coercion in Ireland. Active leader of Women’s Peace & Arbitration Association.

  • 1862 Joan Mary Fry born Highgate, London, England (d. 1955). English social reformer; vegetarian; Quaker pacifist who organized relief to Germany after World War I; aided imprisoned conscientious objectors; delegate to first women's Hague Conference 1915.

  • 1866 Eleanor Louisa Lord born Salem, MA (d. 1956). Advocate of international arbitration; history and econ instructor Smith College.

  • 1898 Queen Mother Moore born New Iberia, LA (d. 1996). "Queen Mother" of 1972 All African Women’s Conference, Dar es Salaam; radical civil rights leader and humanitarian; President World Federation of African People; founding president Universal Association of Ethiopian Women; petitioned UN 1957 for reparation for slavery 1963; arrested many times for anti-racial protests.

  • 1927 Gisèle Halimi born La Goulette, Tunisia. French-Tunisian human rights lawyer; feminist activist. Presided over war crimes tribunal, condemning American actions in Vietnam as war crimes of genocide and torture, 1967. Publicly condemned Algeria War, 1961. Founded feminist reproductive freedom organization Choisir, 1971.

  • 1930 Shirley Williams born London. Daughter of pacifist Vera Brittain; co-founder internationalist Social Democratic Party 1981; Labour Minister of Education 1976-79; helped draft constitutions of South Africa, Russia, Ukraine as Harvard professor; leader in effort to reduce nuclear weapons.

  • 1951 Bronagh Hinds born Belfast, Northern Ireland. Contributed to peacemaking efforts in Iraq, Liberia, Timor, and Colombia. Founded DemocraShe to empower women in politics, policy influence, and peace-building, 2000.

  • 1960 Emily Thornberry born Guildford, Surrey, England. Labour Party politician, member of Parliament 2005; shadow Foreign Secretary 2016; human rights lawyer; leader Stop the War Coalition against Iraq War 2003; longtime supporter of CND questioned Trident missile; condemned war on Libya “reckless”; moved ending support of Yemen War 2016; condemned US missile strike on Syria 2017.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1937 Ninth (and last before WWII) WILPF conference, Luhacovice, Czechoslovakia urged arms embargo and sanctions against aggression.

  • 1959 "Alternatives to Violence" 14th WILPF Conference, Stockholm.

  • 1976 Olga del Valle Márquez de Arédez began solitary vigil for disappeared relatives at Ledesma, Jujuy, Argentina.

  • 1985 Final Document of Nairobi Conference: Forward-Looking Strategies.

  • 1995 "Weep for Children" protest Groton CT vs. last Trident nuclear sub; four women arrested.