September 28

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1839 Frances Willard born Churchville, NY (d. 1898). "Saint Frances"; suffragist leader; first woman college president, Northwestern Female College 1871; international temperance leader 1891; Vice President of Universal Peace Union 1888; first president of the National Council of Women of US 1888; "Polyglot Petition" 7 million signatures against international drug trade 1883.

  • 1905 Hetty Bower born Dalston, East London. Marched in over 30 antiwar parades, including 2011 when she was 106, and 2012 three mile Oxfam hike for Palestinian olive farmers.

  • 1914 Miriam Patchen born Waverley, Belmont MA (d. 2000). Anarchist pacifist; 15 years of weekly demonstration against war Palo Alto; wife of rebel poet.

  • 1929 Tsering Dolma Gyaltong born Lhasa, Tibet. Member, International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. Founding member, Tibetan Women's Association, reestablished 1984.

  • 1937 Alice Mahon born Halifax, England. Represented Labour Party as Member of Parliament, 1987-2005. Headed Committee for Peace in the Balkans, 1993; stood against NATO’s Kosovo bombing. Opposed Bush’s nuclear threat; opposed Iraq War, exposing US use of white phosphorus.

  • 1954 Margot Wallstrom born Skellefteå, Sweden. UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict 2010; European Environment Commissioner 1999-2004; First Vice President European Commission 2004-10.

  • 1962 Janeane Garofalo born Newton, NJ. American comedian and TV and film actress; antiwar activist, Code Pink march 2003 against Iraq and Afghan Wars.

  • 1968 Latifah Anum Siregar born Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia. Indonesian human rights advocate. General Secretary Papua Muslim Assembly 2007-11; chair of Alliance for Democracy in Papua; member of Papua parliament.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1982 Greenham Peace Camp covered with rocks by Ministry of Transport.

  • 1991 European Peace Caravan comprised of 400 activists toured Yugoslavia in an effort to prevent war.

  • 2004 Women, War and Peace conference Brussels sponsored by Hélène Ryckmans of World According to Women.

  • 2008 In New York City, Vietnamese Women Agent Orange Victims began 10-city tour of United States to hold Dow and Monsanto accountable for their actions.

  • 2009 Four women protested: “Yom Kippur, September 28, Time to Atone, Shut Down Vermont Yankee.”

  • 2011 South Asian women peace activists presented resolution to UN Secretary General for more participation of women in peace.