Betty A. Reardon born Rye, NY June 12, 1929. "The Mother of Peace Education." Pioneering peace educator. Co-founded International Institute of Peace Education, 1972, and Global Campaign for Peace Education, 1999. Awarded Sean MacBride Peace Prize, 2009.
"Sexism and the war system are two interdependent manifestations of a common problem: social violence." (Sexism and the War System, p. 5, 1996; photo sgi-usa.org)
Jeannette Rankin born Missoula, MT June 11, 1880 (d. 1973). Only congressperson to vote against both World Wars.
"I love my country, but I cannot vote for war." (April 5, 1917)
"You can no more win a war than an earthquake." (Daniella Giosefffi, Women on War, p. 12, 1988; photo biography.com)
Laura Roskos born Wisconsin February 6, 1956. Professor of peace studies. Co-President, US WILPF, 2009-2014.
“If nonviolence is in the ascendency as the preferred means of resolving conflict then we have the know-how needed to further and consolidate that ascent. . . Women have the Power to Stop War; not just the war on women but stop war on all human beings, who wish to live a life of peace and freedom. Women are the majority of the world’s population. Women could end war if we and our allies owned our power as thought leaders, educators, workers, owners, parents, voters.” (World Peace Foundation, Jan. 16, 2014; photo Univ. N. Texas)
Meta Riseman (née Rosenberg) born Düsseldorf, Germany June 6, 1904 (d. 1994). American peace activist; Latin teacher. 66-year member of WILPF, 1928-94; President, Detroit Chapter, 1941; Michigan Chapter, 1943. As WILPF National President, opposed all atomic tests, 1955-57. Chaired national committee on human rights. Ran for Congress as Socialist, 1948. Protested Red-baiting.
On accusations of communism: “With these threats leveled at her mind, at the minds of her children and friends, as well as at her husband’s job—the very economic foundation of her existence—Mrs. Everybody will begin to ask herself: 'How will I be able to keep the home secure in the face of these serious threats to my way of life?’” (Nov. 1951, Kathleen Endres, “Women’s Periodicals”, p. 270; 1963 photo Swarthmore Peace Collection #D2)
Lou Rogers (née Annie Lucasta Rogers) born Patten, ME November 26, 1879 (d. 1952). American writer, cartoonist, and radio host. Feminist, pacifist, socialist, suffragist. Sailed on Ford’s peace ship to stop World War I, 1915; opposed war after US intervention.
“She will spike war’s gun.” (Sep. 17, 1912, Judge; photo Wikipedia)
Henrietta Rodman born Queens, NY August 28, 1877 (d. 1923). Educational reformer. Bohemian socialist; lectured and wrote about peace. Founded Feminist Alliance, 1914. Pacifist executive of Women’s Peace Party opposing World War I; Heterodoxy Club. Agitated for racial equality.
“Feminism is the attempt of women to grow up, to accept the responsibilities of life, to outgrow those characteristics of childhood—selfishness and cowardliness—that we require our boys to outgrow, but that we permit and by our social system encourage our girls to retain.” (1915, Jane Sochen, The New Feminism, p. 50; photo Wikipedia)
Deborah Rogers Willitts born Pembroke, MA August 28, 1788 (d. 1880). American educator. Headmistress of Quaker Nine Partners School; teacher of Lucretia Mott; Underground Railroad conductor. Founding member of New England Non-Resistance Society, world's first nonviolence organization, 1828.
Jesselyn Radack (née Brown) born Washington DC December 12, 1970. American attorney and whistleblower. Took up the cause of American Taliban John Walker Lindh over concerns of illegal interrogation. Legal adviser to whistleblower Edward Snowden. National Security & Human Rights Director, Government Accountability Project, 2008-present.
On Edward Snowden: “I really think he’s had a wonderful effect for the US and for the world. . . Courage is contagious.” (channelnewsasia.com, Oct 12, 2013; photo Wikipedia)
Dachine Rainer (née Sylvia Newman) born New York, NY January 13, 1921 (d. 2000). American-English anarchopacifist poet and writer follower of Tolstoi’s nonviolence; edited pacifist Retort magazine 1942-1951; book Prison Etiquette (1950) supported 6.000 imprisoned conscientious objectors.
“In a world of annihilating relativism, I have come to view support of any war, or capital punishment, or coercion of any sort—including 'volunteer' coercion—absolute evil.” (on Orwell, Retort, Spring 1947, p. 35; photo Penny’s poetry page)
Bonnie Raitt born Burbank, CA November 8, 1949. Quaker antiwar singer; performer at No Nukes Rally, 1979; participant in Earth Day protest, 1999; climbed redwood with Joan Baez.
"Everybody`s crying peace on earth
Just as soon as we win this war. . . "
(Everybody's Cryin' Mercy; photo Rolling Stone)
Edna Ramseyer Kaufman born Wayne County, OH January 18, 1910 (d.2001). Pacifist college professor and dean who opposed “the Good War” (WWII); got women into Civilian Public Service; aided Spanish refugee children Marseille 1940.
“To give expression to and develop convictions on peace and war.” (”C. O. Girls”, Aug. 12, 1943, in Rachel Waltner Goossen, Women Against the Good War, 1997, p. 102)
Ruth Randall-Edstrőm born Wilmington, IL June 24, 1867 (d. 1944). Swedish delegate to founding of WILPF The Hague 1915; organizer of third WILPF congress Vienna 1921; active in International Alliance of Women 1908ff; suffragist; granddaughter Birgitta Hambraeus headed Swedish WILPF.
“We are gathered today to dedicate this home to love, social joy, for the common good and the building with the support of the Religion seeking promoting truth, justice and love in the world.” (dedication of her home, Dec. 2, 1908; photo wikipedia)
Keith Ransom-Kehler (née Nannie Keith Bean) born Dayton, KY February 14, 1876 (d. 1933). Prominent Baha'i envoy; lectured throughout the world for peace and equality on behalf of her faith. Friend of Jane Addams; charter member of WILPF. (photo http://bit.ly/J4Zdof)
Elizabeth Fisher Read born New Brighton, PA September 8, 1872 (d. 1943). American international lawyer and suffragist; personal attorney and mentor of Eleanor Roosevelt; life partner of internationalist peace advocate Esther Lape; translated book on World Court; author of International Law and International Relations 1926.
Bernice Johnson Reagon born Dougherty City, GA October 4, 1942. Historian; singer and composer; arrested with SNCC, 1961.
"A people free to choose will always choose peace." (photo Wikipedia)
Patricia A. Reif born Los Angeles, CA May 6, 1929 (d. 2012). Catholic nun; philosophy professor teaching feminist spirituality; co-founder Women Strike for Peace 1961; leader of dissident feminist community Women-Church 1985; co-founder Southern California Interfaith Task Force on Central America (SCITCA) opposing US intervention; founded Interfaith Hunger Coalition which opposed international infant formula over breastfeeding.
“You cannot be a Feminist without Praxis.” (Teresa Yugar, Oct. 16, 2012; photo gettyimages)
Aurelia Reinhardt (née Henry) born San Francisco, CA April 1, 1877 (d. 1948). Pacifist orator. President of Mills College, 1916-43. Early supporter of League to Enforce Peace, 1915. Sought improvement of conditions for Japanese-American internees. American Association of University Women (AAUW) representative to United Nations conference, San Francisco, 1945. Promoted League of Nations Non-Partisan Association, National Council for the Prevention of War, Conference on the Cause and Cure of War, National Committee on Japanese Relations, Near East Relief Organization, and Institute of Pacific Relations. (photo harvardsquare.org)
Elizabeth Reynard born October 4, 1898 (d. 1962). Cape Cod author; professor of English; companion and assistant to Virginia Gildersleeve in drafting UN Charter, 1945.
"We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which in our time has brought untold sorrow to mankind. . ." (Opening of UN Charter, for which Virginia Gildersleeve credited her as co-author: Many a Good Crusade, p. 345; photo http://bit.ly/yV7hla)
Betsy Graves Reyneau born Battle Creek, MI June 6, 1889 (d. 1964). American portrait artist; suffragist jailed Occoquan Prison 1917 for suffrage protest; gave refuge to Jews fleeing from Hitler; fought racism by painting portraits of eminent Black leaders 1939.
Barbara Leonard Reynolds born Milwaukee, WI June 12, 1915 (d. 1990). Quaker protester; anti-nuclear activist; tax resister. Sailed Phoenix into Eniwetok test zone, 1958; world tour with hibakusha (survivors of the atomic bombings), 1964; created World Friendship Center, Hiroshima, 1965.
"They [the hibakusha] only wanted everyone in the world to know what had happened to them so that it would never happen again to anyone, anywhere. I wanted to do whatever I could to help the hibakusha. . . But I realized it would not be easy for I had learned that there are many problems to be solved if we are to make peace in a divided world." (Phoenix and the Dove, 1986; photo World Friendship Center)
Women in Peace
is dedicated to highlighting the achievements of extraordinary, peacemaking women from around the world.
