April 10

/

Women peacemakers born today

  • 1926 Johnnie Tillmon born Scott, AR (d. 1995). Organizer and welfare rights advocate. Co-founded first welfare rights group ANC Mothers Anonymous of Watts, 1963; founded National Welfare Rights Association (NWRA), 1967.

  • 1928 Berit Ås (née Skarpaas) born Fredrikstad, Norway. Norwegian feminist politician; peace activist; started Women Strike for Peace Norway 1961; social psychology professor; parliament member 1973-7, founding Socialist Left party 1975; co-founded campaign "Women for Peace” 1980, a petition demanding end to nuclear arms race and using war industry to produce food for world's poor, got 500,000 signatures worldwide.

  • 1930 Dolores Huerta born Dawson, NM. Woman leader and co-founder of nonviolent United Farm Workers, 1962. Organized successful national grape boycott. Inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame, 1993.

  • 1936 Ardeth Platte born Westphalia, MI. Nonviolent Dominican nun who led "loving" nonviolent protests against war, militarism and nuclear weapons, leading to closing Wurtsmith AFB and Roberts AFB.

  • 1958 Mona Juul born Steinkjer, Norway. Norwegian diplomat mediated successful Oslo Peace Accords on Middle East 1993; State Secretary Foreign Affairs 2000-1; Ambassador to Israel 2001-4; UN 2005-10, UK 2014.

  • 1979 Rachel Corrie born Olympia, WA (d. 2003). Jewish-American activist with nonviolent International Solidarity Movement; killed in Gaza by Israeli bulldozer, 2003.

  • 1984 Mandy Moore born Nashua, NH. Singer/songwriter; actress. UN Goodwill Ambassador against malaria; led campaign to get mosquito nets in Africa.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1955 Death of pacifist leader Jessie W. Hughan.

  • 1971 The Jeannette Rankin Brigade of 8,000 women, led by 90-year-old Jeannette Rankin, marched on the Pentagon for nuclear disarmament.

  • 1990 Molly Rush and Anne Montgomery of Ploughshares Eight exonerated by court for King of Prussia protest.

  • 1995 Carol Bellamy, head of US Peace Corps appointed first woman head of UNICEF.

  • 1998 Mo Mowlam signed Good Friday Peace Agreement, ending the Ulster civil war.

  • 2008 Ukrainian "sextremist" protest group FEMEN founded in Kiev.