October 2

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1857 Leonie La Fontaine born Brussels, Belgium (d. 1949). Belgian feminist; pacifist; founding member of WILPF.

  • 1885 Ruth Bryan Owen born Jacksonville, IL (d. 1954). First female American ambassador, posted to Denmark, 1933; delegate to UN founding San Francisco, 1945; UN representative, 1949; twice US Representative; First woman on US House Foreign Affairs Committee; influential speaker on peace and UN; plan of world government, 1942. Served in Jane Addams's Hull House; administered relief in Belgium; served as nurse in World War I; promoted women as "Mothers of Humanity."

  • 1889 Margaret Chung born Santa Barbara, California October 2, 1889 (d. January 5, 1959). First known American-born Chinese female physician. After graduating from the University of Southern California Medical School in 1916 and completing her internship and residency in Illinois, she established one of the first Western medical clinics in San Francisco's Chinatown in the early 1920s.

  • 1906 Willa Taggart born OR (d. 2000). Maintained 40-year-long weekly vigil against Titan missles, Chico, CA, 1960-2000; arrested for chaining self to IRS office in protest of Central America war, 1984; lifelong member of FOR.

  • 1910 Peg McIntyre born New York (d. 2008). Grandmothers for Peace activist; opposed Iraq War, School of Americas; arrested over 12 times for nonviolent protests; jailed 30 days for protest against Cassini rocket at the age of 89.

  • 1920 Casey Davis. Peace activist, Houston, TX.

  • 1934 Cora Weiss born Harlem, NY. Peace activist; social worker. Supported Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, c. 1961. Co-founded Women Strike for Peace against nuclear weapons, 1961; formed Jeannette Rankin Brigade against Vietnam War, 1969. Active member of SANE; major supporter of UN. President of International Peace Bureau, 2000-06. Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2002.

  • 1963 Maria Ressa born Manila, Philippines. American journalist and co-founder and CEO of Rappler. Time's Person of the Year 2018 issue featuring a collection of journalists from around the world actively combating fake news. Ressa is one of the 25 leading figures on the Information and Democracy Commission launched by Reporters Without Borders. She was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Dmitry Muratov for "their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1924 Helena Swanwick gave first official speech on international politics in Geneva Protocol.

  • 1935 Virginia Woolf started "Three Guineas" after Brighton Labour conference.

  • 1960 Wilhelmina Taggart began 50-year vigil against Titan missiles on her birthday, Chico, CA.

  • 1977 All-Ireland women's liberation conference.

  • 1990 Elizabeth McAlister arrested for painting White House sidewalk with Pope's words "No More War Never Again."

  • 1992 Lynne Guenther sentenced to 5 years probation for protest at UN.

  • 1998 The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sentenced Jean-Paul Akayesu to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity, sexual assault, and genocide.

  • 2002 Code Pink founded, opposing Iraq War.