Irene Marryat Parlby born London, England January 9, 1868 (d. 1965). Canadian delegate to League of Nations, 1930; one of the Famous Five, a group of women who greatly impacted women's rights in Canada.
"Evolution cannot be brought about by the use of dynamite." (Status of Women Canada, www.swc-cfc.gc.ca; photo http://bit.ly/xt2Cfc)
Elsie Clews Parsons born New York, NY November 27, 1875 (d. 1941). American anthropologist and sociologist; self-styled “militant pacifist,” publicly opposed World War I, as member of Women’s Peace Party. Leader of American League to Limit Armaments, 1915. Feminist member of Heterodoxy Club; co-founder New School.
“One may be a nonresistant in war because of a very passionate resistance against adding to the pain and suffering of the world.” (New York Tribune, Jan. 22, 1918; photo Spartacus-educational.com)
Susan Partnow born Los Angeles, CA February 20, 1947. Speech pathologist; peace activist; mediator; co-founded Families for Peace, Seattle, 1983-1990, citizen diplomat Middle East Listening Project, 1992, Peace Trees Vietnam, 1998; compassionate listening project.
“It is within the families themselves where peace can begin. If families can learn to respect their members, and deal with conflict resolution, that would be the first step to keeping peace on a global level.” (Puget Sound Consumers Coop Newsletter, Spring 1986; photo engagingptresence.org)
Miriam Patchen (née Oikemus) born Waverley, Belmont, MA September 28, 1914 (d. 2000). Anarchist pacifist; 15 years of weekly demonstration against war Palo Alto; wife of rebel poet.
"I always wanted to straighten out the world." (May 3, 1995, paloaltoonline; photo Independent UK)
Abby Hutchinson Patton born Milford, NH August 29, 1829 (d. 1892). Singer for peace, abolition and women's rights; poet and member of famous troupe of itinerant singers, song "Kind Words Can Never Die" (1855).
"Man's life on this earth is so short that he needs not war to hasten his own or his neighbor's destruction. In this age of enlightenment nations should go to war no more." (A Handful of Pebbles, p. 37, 1891; portrait by Frank Carpenter, coolohio.com)
Alexandra Paul born Manhattan, NY July 29, 1963. American actress and athlete, twice arrested for civil disobedience in protest against Iraq War; jailed 5 days; dozen arrests for peaceful protest at Nevada Test Site; Great Peace March for global nuclear disarmament across US 1986; sponsored aid to South Africa and Guatemala.
"Civil disobedience is done as a last resort, because someone feels so strongly about something, they are willing to get arrested for their beliefs." (June 11, 2003 trial, on website; photo PBS)
Alice Paul born Laurel Hill, NJ January 11, 1886 (d. 1977). Quaker pacifist; suffragist; member of the National Women's Suffrage Association; later founded National Woman’s Party, 1913; organized first nonviolent pickets of the White House, 1917.
"Well, I think that we feel that we ought to continue and I feel that we will continue."(June 1917, when threatened with arrest, A. Fry interview, Dec. 24-26, 1972; 1920 photo Wikipedia)
Sita Akka Paulickpulle born Sri Lanka August 15, 1908 (d. 2003). American nurse and teacher. Peace poet at Washington Peace Center; protested against war at White House.
Should not all religious, worldwide, unite to happily live together,
As loving sister, brother? Ensure no nation indulges any war activity!
All truly religious, worldwide, realize people must love, never kill another—
When all nations live happily together, humanity will surely be war free!
(photo prop1.org/sita/index.html)
Ava Helen Pauling (née Miller) born Beavercreek, OR December 25, 1903 (d. 1981). American pacifist speaker and organizer; anti-nuclear advocate. Three-time national vice-president of WILPF. Founding member, Women Strike for Peace, 1961. Honorary chairwoman, Women Act for Disarmament. Introduced her chemist husband Linus Pauling to peace advocacy, for which he won his second Nobel Prize, 1962. Opposed internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Spoke against Cold War militarism.
“Say NO to the war in Cambodia
NO to the war in Vietnam
...NO to imperialism
NO to Pentagonism
Let us fight the real enemies of mankind.
Hunger, disease, poverty, illiteracy, discrimination, and exploitation.”
(San Diego City College, May 14, 1970, in Mina Carson, Ava Helen Pauling, p. 166)
“No woman wants to be put up on a pedestal, where she can be easily ignored and neglected... She wants to be taking and doing her part in the affairs of the world with her feet on the ground and sharing in and contributing to the life around her.” (paulingblog, July 25, 2012; photo scarc.library.oregonstate.edu)
Carolyn Robertson Payton born Norfolk, VA May 13, 1925 (d. 2001). Psychologist; first woman and first African-American to head US Peace Corps, 1977-78; resigned in protest.
"It is wrong to use the Peace Corps as a means of delivering a message to particular constituencies in the US, or to export a particular political ideology." (photo feministvoices.com)
Josephine Preston Peabody born Brooklyn, NY May 30, 1874 (d. 1922). Feminist, suffragist, pacifist, poet and playwright.
I gave the breath to men,
For men to slay again;
Lording it over anguish, all to give
My life, that men might live,
For this.
You will be laughing now, remembering
We called you once Dead World, and barren thing.
Yes, so we called you then,
You, far more wise
Than to give life to men.
(“Harvest Moon”)
Warring together, great and small:—
. . . Yes, warring all!—
The very bread they struggled for, They spill and waste in war—
. . . War!
(“The Wolf of Gubbio”, end of Act II; photo Wikipedia)
Senator Landon Mackenzie Pearson born Toronto November 16, 1930. Canadian peace leader; wife of diplomat; human rights advocate, esp. children.
"To diminish the potential for violence in a world where the impact of even a minor war can affect us all is a crucial foreign policy objective." (Skelton Lec. Winnipeg, March 17, 1997)
Maria Pearson AKA Hai-Mecha Eunka ("Running Moccasins") born Springfield, ND July 12, 1932 (d. 2003). Yankton Sioux militant peacemaker; "founding mother of native American repatriation"; Nobel prize nominee.
"Warriors are capable of love, concern for their family; they help people. They have a readiness to help; they have gentle souls. They are also determined that justice is for everybody and they find ways to solve problems." (Colleen Kelley & Anna Eblen, Women Who Speak for Peace, p. 73, 2002; photo Ames Hist. Soc.)
Frances “Finley” Peavey born Twin Falls, ID August 16, 1941 (d. 2010). Peace activist and writer. Tax refuser against nuclear weapons. Held international show “Nuclear Comedians” about the absurdity of nukes. Promoted Ganges River cleanup. Led nonviolent protest on behalf of Filipinos expelled from International Hotel, San Francisco, 1977.
“What angers me most about war is what it does to our confidence in our fellow human beings. War is the ultimate succumbing, the final failure of resolve to make things work out well for everyone involved.” (Heart Politics, pp. 116-7; photo pt.slideshare.net)
Lillie M. Peck born Gloversville, NY December 28, 1888 (d. 1957). Founder of International Federation of Settlements, 1922; president of IFS, 1949-51; active in postwar reconstruction.
Ellen Fitz Pendleton born Westerly, RI August 7, 1864 (d. 1936). President of Wellesley College who opposed firing of pacifist professor Emily Balch; mathematician; only woman juror for Bok American Peace Prize 1923.
"The step [of cooperation] is an exceedingly short one, but it is the longest the American people are prepared to take." (Harvard Crimson, March 25, 1924; photo Britannica from Library of Congress)
Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich born Petersburg, AK July 4, 1911 (d. 1958). Tlingit human rights leader who achieved Anti-Discrimination Act 1945.
"No law will eliminate crimes but at least you as legislators can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak your intent to help us overcome discrimination." (to Alaska Senate, Feb. 8, 1945; photo Wikipedia)
Kredelle Petway born Camden, AL April 9, 1941. Freedom Rider math student arrested Jackson MS airport 1961, jailed 3 days; sit-ins Montgomery and Tallahassee.
"Racism is still alive and well; it's just more subtle." (Feb. 28, 2006, tampabay.com; photo breachofpeace.com)
Ann Terry Greene Phillips born Boston, MA November 19, 1813 (d. 1886). Nonviolent abolitionist; converted husband Wendell to cause of abolition, of which he became major orator and leader with Garrison; delegate to 1840 Anti-Slavery Convention, London.
"Wendell, don't shilly-shally," (encouraging him to move recognition of women, June 20, 1840 London; cameo 1838 Mass. Hist. Soc.)
Concepcion “Connie” Picciotto (née Concepción Martín) born Vigo, Spain January 15, 1936 (d. 2016). Maintained the longest-running US peace vigil, located outside the White House, from 1981 until her death; began as anti-nuclear protest, featuring signs: "Live by the Bomb, Die by the Bomb", "Ban All Nuclear Weapons or Have a Nice Doomsday", "Don't Be a Lemming. Save Yourself."
"I am in pursuit of Peace and Justice to make people aware, so that they wake up to the reality that weapons of mass destruction threaten the extinction of mankind. The people have to make the change. The governments do not represent the people, they represent the corporations. We have to start from scratch. If the people lead, the leaders will follow. That's when revolutions happen, when the people cannot tolerate anymore. . . People just want to be heard.” (Malaysia Daily Express, Sept. 19, 1993; photo thefullwiki.org)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
