Dorothy Zellner

Overview

Dorothy "Dottie" Miller Zellner born New York, NY January 14, 1938. Feminist; peace advocate; civil rights activist; actively opposed Israeli occupation and Gaza War. Ran New England Regional Office of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which led civil rights movement and opposed Vietnam War; co-editor of its newsletter Student Voice; arrested at CORE demonstration in Miami, 1960; SNCC staff member in Mississippi, summer 1964. She described the civil rights movement as "average women doing heroic things." (Women's Voices for Change, July 29, 2014)

Quotations

"If you're Jewish and you're against the Israeli occupation, you should speak out as a Jew in the name of the Jewish tradition of social justice, you should say to the government of Israel 'No, no, you do not speak for me,' you should come out and demonstrate." (Mondoweis, August 23, 2009; photo Geneseo)

Ellen Lee Ziskind

Overview

Ellen Lee Ziskind born Lowell, MA September 5, 1939. Freedom Rider arrested Jackson MS 1961; became Boston psychiatric social worker.

Quotations

"[T]hey didn’t really have anything interesting to say; they just got on a bus because they believed in equality.  It wasn’t something that they mulled over." (Mississippi Freedom Summer 50th Anniversary, May 29, 2011; photo Miss. Archives)

Jean Zwickel

Overview

Jean Zwickel (née Wicks) born St. Louis, MO August 3, 1913 (d. 2005). Peace activist. Member of Gandhian Harlem Ashram, 1940s. Member of FOR. Lost job as French teacher for refusing to help recruitment efforts during World War II. Co-founded the American League for Puerto Rico’s Independence. Marched with Cesar Chavez; arrested at Concord Depot protest, 1987. Protested Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq War; active in Vieques protest.

Quotations

“It is not our mission to tell Puerto Ricans what methods they should use to achieve their liberation, but rather to appeal to the world community—peacemakers within and without the churches, all those seeking justice—to help bring about a peaceful solution lest further violence erupt.” (Voices for Independence, preface; photo peacehost.net)