August 3

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1802 Sarah Platt Doremus born Manhattan, NY (d. 1877). "Jewel of New York" who organized international relief to Greece 1828, Ireland 1869; inspired by appeals of oppressed Chinese women, she started single women's missions.

  • 1868 Cathinca Olsen born Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1947). Gandhian ceramist, painter and designer. Leader of Gandhian Friends of India; stayed at his ashram 1928-9 where she painted.

  • 1893 Elsa Cedergren born Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1996 aged 102). Quaker granddaughter of Swedish King Oscar II; leader of Action Group against Swedish Nuclear Bomb; head of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), the international association of Quakers 1959-61; the first worldwide meeting of FWCC in Africa, Nairobi 1961.

  • 1905 Maggie Kuhn born Buffalo, NY (d. 1995). Radical nonviolent social reformer; founded Grey Panthers 1970 against agism, sexism and militarism; first protest opposed Vietnam War Aug. 1970.

  • 1920 Nicola Geiger born Germany (d. 2006). Buddhist Peace activist; joined White Rose resistance to Hitler; lost husband and 2 babies in World War II; raped at end of war Berlin 1945; turned to life of peace: aided postwar refugees; helped Korean survivors of Japanese occupation, and Hiroshima victims; opposed Marcos regime in Philippines; sat-in segregated restaurants; 8 years at Resource Center for Nonviolence Santa Cruz; opposed Vietnam War; active in Women Strike for Peace and WILPF.

  • 1935 Myrna Lamb born Newark, NJ. Feminist playwright led United Women's Contingent in massive protest of 500,000 against Vietnam War 1971.

  • 1936 Catherine Lalumiere born Rennes, France. Secretary General Council of Europe 1989-94; Vice President European Movement International.

  • 1949 Lynne Greenwald born Erie, PA (d. 2014). American anti-nuclear activist; protested Vietnam War inside Pentagon. Arrested for climbing onto missile, Great Falls, MT, sentenced to six months while pregnant, but released after one month,1982; led protests against missile carrying White Train; arrested for cutting three fences into Kitsap missile base, Bangor, WA, served 6 months prison, 2009.

  • 1949 Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis born Limossol, Cyprus. First woman Foreign Minister of Cyprus 2007; poet; sociologist; delegate to UN active in securing independence of Namibia.

  • 1964 Annick Girardin born St. Malo, France. French politician. Member of National Assembly, 2007-14. Junior Minister for Development, 2014-present.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1529 Ladies Peace of Cambrai negotiated by Louise of Savoy, Regent of France, and Margaret of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands, ending war between France and Austria.

  • 1983 Puget Sound Women's Peace Camp demonstration against pornography.

  • 1986 World Sing-Out for Peace organized Milwaukee by Ruth Johnson.

  • 1986 Laurie MacBride led the Motherpeace action civil disobedience at Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island. Eight women were arrested for holding a picnic protest at Winchelsea Island, center of the Nanoose naval weapons testing range.