Janet N. Neuman born New York October 14, 1894 (d. 1992). Peace activist poet; co-founder Women Strike for Peace 1961; WILPF leader; idea of laying WSP wreath honoring suffrage founders at Capitol during HUAC hearings 1962; Art for World Friendship exchanged children’s art; poem supporting Vietnam Veterans Against War.
“Might is not always right.” (Washington Post, May 19, 1975)
Margaret Nevinson (née Jones) born Leicester, England January 11, 1858 (d. 1932). British social reformer; suffragist. Co-founded nonviolent Women's Freedom League, 1907; her writings encouraged tax refusal and boycott of the 1911 census. Opposed World War I; promoted the League of Nations; vice-president of Women's Peace Crusade.
"We are going to be guilty of a very great act of rebellion." (Middlesborough, North-Eastern Daily Gazette, March 29, 1911, Liddington, "Women do not count, neither shall they be counted"; photo http://bit.ly/qQve9o)
Hanna Newcombe (née Hammerschlag) born Prague, Czechoslovakia February 5, 1922 (d. 2011). Quaker; chemist; educator. Founded the Canadian Peace Research Institute, 1961; Canadian delegate to UN, 1982; awarded Pearson Medal of Peace, 1997.
"I believe in nonviolence under most conditions but I can think of exceptions. . . humanitarian intervention—the 'Responsibility to Protect.'"(photo http://bit.ly/kfOdAW)
Mabel Newcomer born Oregon, IL July 2, 1891 (d. 1983). Economics professor Vassar; only woman delegate to Breton Woods Conference founding World Bank and IMF, 1945.
"It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement." (New York Times, Sept. 25, 1935; photo vcencyclopedia.vassar.edu)
Lilian Ngoyi born Pretoria, South Africa September 24, 1911 (d. 1980). "Mother of Black Resistance" who insisted on nonviolence; President of ANC Women 1953; won international support 1955; led 20,000 march 1956; arrested and put in solitary jail 71 days; banned 11 years.
Strike the women
Strike a rock
You'll be crushed
(freedom song during march)
"[T]he world would never be safe for black people until they were in the government with the power to make laws." (Barbara Solomon, ed., African Quilt, 2013; photo Wikipedia)
Eugénie Niboyet (née Mouchon) born Montpellier, France September 11, 1796 (d. 1883). French feminist editor; Christian Socialist; her first book against death penalty 1836; first European peace journal 1844; founded first continental peace society LIPL Geneva 1867; sponsored peace essay contests.
"Let's unite, let's all repeat: 'Peace and Fraternity.'" (Peace of Two Worlds, motto)
"Progress, the light of peoples, has no need of cannons and rifles. . . " (Peace of Two Worlds, May 2, 1844; photo Wikipedia)
Elizabeth Pease Nichol born Darlington, England January 5, 1807 (d. 1897). Quaker; suffragist; leading British abolitionist; Chartist. Criticized Britain's policy in India.
"No earthly object can justify the sending of so many souls to eternity." (to Mazzini on Italian war of liberty 1851, Stoddart bio., p. 176; 1841 portrait Wikipedia)
Florence Nightingale born Florence, Tuscany May 12, 1820 (d. 1910). Organized first wartime nursing in Crimean War 1854.
"What the horrors of war are no one can imagine." (May 1855 letter in Woodham-Smith, Florence Nightingale, p. 238, 1983; photo Wikipedia)
Mary Patterson Nitobe (née Elkington) born Philadelphia, PA August 14, 1874 (d. 1938). "First Lady of the World," as hostess at League of Nations for husband, the Under-Secretary; Quaker pacifist.
Nivedita (née Margaret Noble) born Dungannon, Tyrone, Ireland October 28, 1867 (d. 1911). Teacher; author and orator; disciple of Vivekananda, 1898; nonviolent anarchist; militant Indian nationalist. (photo Wikipedia)
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane born Makgobaskloof, Limpopo, South Africa September 30, 1963. Anti-Apartheid leader; diplomat: Minister of International Relations 2009, High Commissioner to India 1999, Malaysia 1995; Chaired UN Climate conference Durban 2011.
On the Libya war: "South Africa condemns the violence against civilians perpetrated by all parties as well as to the damage to civilian infrastructure. South Africa calls on the international community, including the United Nations Security Council to focus its energies on finding a political solution to the Libyan crisis and not a military one." (United Nations, June 16, 2011; photo thenewage.co.za)
Noor of Jordan (née Lisa Halaby) born Washington DC August 23, 1951. Queen of Jordan, 1978-99; led international landmine campaign; promoted aid to Balkans 1998; member International Campaign for Missing Persons 1996; official mediator in Colombia civil war; co-founded Global Zero to eliminate nuclear weapons 2008.
"It's women who can contribute to achieving real security, not bombs and bullets and repressive governments." (Larry King Live, April 13, 2005; photo Wikipedia)
Agneta Norberg born Sweden February 6, 1937. Swedish peace activist; vice president Swedish Peace Council; proposed “Making the North a Zone of Peace” opposing NATO militarization against Russia; arrested 1996 Nevada Test Site; Menwith Hill protest 2002; arrested Jeju South Korea 2012; organized peace march to Russia in Cold War; opposed all US wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya.
“Stop the building for War! Start building Peace in Korea and in Sweden.” (Jeju, Feb. 24, 2012)
“The world can no longer allow itself to be dominated by the arrogance and the despotism of one superpower but must instead ensure that the interests of all peoples and nations are safeguarded by international cooperation. To work for the democratisation of the international system is a pressing challenge. It requires the participation of all states and peoples as well as the active popular organisations.
"The prohibition of use of force in the UN charter constitutes the basis for all global peace work.” (Feb. 13, 2003 conference against atom bombs; photo global network against nuclear weapons)
Ellen Trane Nørby born Herning, Denmark February 1, 1980. Leader in Dutch Liberal Youth, 1995; president of European Liberal Youth, 2002-2004; elected to Danish parliament, 2005; UN delegate, 2006.
"We are also concerned that the ‘prevention of terrorism’ could be abused as a pretext for far-reaching actions." (Youth Convention, Brussels, May 21, 2003; photo http://bit.ly/I1Kugi)
Eva Nordland (née Bauge) born Bærum, Akershus, Norway January 3, 1921 (d. 2012). Norwegian peace activist, author; professor of psychology and education; headed Norwegian Peace Association 1986-2003; co-founded No to Nuclear Weapons Oct. 1979, and Women for Peace 1980; led first European Peace March against nuclear weapons Copenhagen to Paris 1981.
On the European Peace March: “[T]oday's great drama, the fight against nuclear weapons: Nuclear weapons can destroy the planet, is in the process of doing so; the storage and accumulation of inventories are threats. It is a march for our children and grandchildren and grandchildren.” (Else Skjønberg, "The women's peace movement in the eighties"; photo nrk.no)
Carolyn R. Nordstrom born Metter, GA September 26, 1963. Professor of anthropology, specializing in war and peace.
"[P]eace begins—indeed must begin—in the thick of battle, among those least armed and often most violated. . . So peace begins when people find violence the worst of all." (Drugs, Violence, p. 61; photo Univ. Notre Dame)
Louise Nørlund born Beder, Denmark November 27, 1854 (d. 1919). Danish suffragist and pacifist teacher. Speaker of Danish Peace Society, wrote for its Peace magazine; delegate to International Women's Peace Congress, The Hague, 1915; founding member of WILPF, to which Danish Women's Peace Chain joined, 1916. Occupation by Danish and German troops in 1864 war inspired her anti-militarism.
Helena Normanton born London, England December 14, 1882 (d. 1957). Pioneering British female barrister; feminist suffragist with nonviolent Women's Freedom League, 1907; lifelong pacifist against World War I; CND women's march against atom bomb, 1953.
"The only thing that women in any country can do to prevent war is to stop the supply of 'cannon fodder.'" (Report of the Annual Council for Equal Citizenship, Daily Telegraph, March 5, 1937 in V. Woolf, Three Guineas, note 10; photo Edgehill Univ.)
Kathleen Norris born San Francisco, CA July 16, 1880 (d. 1966). Popular American author; feminist. Wrote pacifist What Price Peace? A Handbook of Peace for American Women, 1928. Opposed capital punishment, conscription, World War II, and nuclear weapons.
“Not money, or success, or position or travel or love makes happiness—service is the secret.” (Saturday’s Child; photo Wikipedia)
Eleanor Holmes Norton born Washington DC June 13, 1937. Professor of Law; Delegate to House of Representatives 1991-present: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee organizer 1964; opposed Vietnam War; annually introduced bill to reduce nuclear weapons 1994; arrested for Apartheid protest at South African embassy 1984 and Darfur protest at Sudan embassy 2006.
"Considering that the United States is the only nation that has used nuclear weapons in war and still possesses the largest arsenal, this country has an obligation to begin the arduous process of leading the world in the transfer of nuclear weapons funds to urgent domestic needs." (Nuclear Disarmament Bill, March 29, 2007; photo it.Wikipedia)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
