Women peacemakers born today

1863 Therese Schlesinger-Eckstein born Vienna, Austria (d. 1940). Austrian Socialist suffragist and social reformer. Led the opposition to World War I. First woman elected to Parliament, 1918.

1889 Betsy Graves Reyneau born Battle Creek, MI (d. 1964). American portrait artist. Suffragist; jailed for suffrage protest, Occoquan Prison, 1917. Fought racism by painting portraits of eminent black leaders, 1939. Gave refuge to Jews fleeing from Hitler.

1904 Helen McCloy born New York, NY (d. 1992). Journalist and author; Quaker. Wrote mystery novels under the pseudonym Helen Clarkson.

1939 Marian Wright Edelman born Bennettsville, SC. First black woman admitted to state bar. Executive committee Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, 1961-63; led Mississippi voter registration, 1964-66. Founding president of Children's Defense Fund, 1973. Awarded Schweitzer Prize, 1988; Merton Prize, 1990.

1949 Holly Near born Ukiah, CA. Antiwar singer. Sang against Iraq War outside White House, 2006.
1952 Annette Klapstein. Attorney; environmental activist; arrested 2015 for chaining herself in rocking chair with six Raging Grannies to block Seattle oil terminal; arrested for direct action cutting Enbridge tar sands oil pipeline Leonard MN 2016.
1988 Maria Alyokhina born Moscow. Russian journalist; member of punk protest collective Pussy Riot. Charged with “hooliganism,” arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for performance protest in Moscow cathedral, 2012. Protested Crimea invasion, 2014.

Women's peacemaking on this day

1955 Four Golders Green Guild women met at Vera Leff's house to plan for what became Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

1984 Ellen Thomas arrested for camping outside White House; served 3-month prison term.
1990 WILPF Middle East Peace Mission through 14th.

2006 Swedish journalist Ingrid Segerstedt-Wiberg won €3000 suit in European Human Rights court against Swedish government for US espionage.