July 8

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1739 Rebecca Jones born Philadelphia, PA (d. 1818). Quaker schoolmistress 1761-84; traveling minister and philanthropist who worked for Indian rights; opposed all wars and slave trade.

  • 1862 Ella Reeve Bloor born Staten Island, NY (d. 1951). "Mother Bloor." American Socialist, and Communist party founder who opposed both World Wars, but changed views 1941; led counseling of conscientious objection in first war; nearly arrested for antiwar stand; led US delegation to Women’s International Congress Against War and Fascism Paris 1934.

  • 1867 Käthe Kollwitz born Königsberg, E. Prussia (d. 1945). “Mother of Expressionist Artists.” German anti-war artist.

  • 1882 Mary Agnes Hamilton born Withington, Manchester, England (d. 1966). Suffragist; pacifist opposed to WWI. Member of Parliament, 1928-31; delegate to League of Nations 1929-30; advocated League sanctions on Italy, 1935. BBC broadcaster on politics for women.

  • 1886 Frances Witherspoon born Meridian, MS (d. 1973). Absolute pacifist; Christian Socialist; suffragist; co-founded Anti-Enlistment League 1915, and War Resisters League 1923; poet and playwright; Lesbian partner of anti-war leader Tracy Mygatt; early member of Women's Peace Party, WILPF and FOR, SANE.

  • 1945 Micheline Calmy-Rey born Chermignon, Sion, Valais. First woman Swiss Foreign Minister 2003, second female President 2007; Social Democrat; member Council of Women World Leaders; co-author of UN report on "The Future We Want", Global Sustainablility 2012.

  • 1948 Ruby Sales born Jemison, AL. American theologian and nonviolent historian who organized SNCC protests; arrested at age 17 during civil rights movement; jailed six days 1965 Hayneville AL, nearly escaping assassination; founded Spirit House 2001 promoting nonviolence.

  • 1952 Marianne Williamson born Houston, TX. Founded Peace Alliance for U.S. Department of Peace; Unity church minister and spiritual adviser.

  • 1961 Nadine Bloch born Boston, MA. Nonviolent protest organizer and direct-action trainer. Helped organize anti-trade globalization WTO protests, Seattle, 1999.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1915 In The Hague, Emily Balch, Aletta Jacobs, Chrystal MacMillan, Cornelia Ramondt-Hirschmann, and Rosika Schwimmer made their final peace appeal to Dutch Prime Minister Loudon to intervene for peace.

  • 1917 Women's Monster Peace Parade Glasgow organized by Helen Crawfurd.

  • 1917 Emma Goldman sentenced to two years in prison for anti-conscription drive.

  • 1983 66 women arrested in Greenham Common protests.

  • 1998 Five women arrested for pulling up 200 genetically engineered plants at Monsanto site Watlington, Oxfordshire.

  • 2002 Nigerian women occupied Chevron oil terminal at Escravos.

  • 2011 Hilde Johnson of Norway appointed head of UN special mission to South Sudan.

  • 2015 On the first anniversary of the Gaza War, Israel's Women Wage Peace began a 50-day fast—the duration of the war—for peace.