Women peacemakers born today

1858 Rachel Foster Avery born Pittsburgh, PA (d. 1919). Quaker pacifist; suffragist, right hand to Susan B. Anthony; founded International Council of Women, 1888; co-founded International Women's Suffrage Alliance, 1904; national speaker on peace, 1907.
1923 Sara Lidman born Missenträsk, Sweden (d. 2004). Swedish novelist who visited Hanoi in protest of Vietnam War; endorsed Russell War Crimes Tribunal, 1966; opposed Apartheid.
1946 Patti Smith born Chicago, IL. Rock singer and songwriter; antiwar activist. Spoke and sang against Iraq War; outspoken critic of Afghan War.
1947 Fatima Jibrell born Somalia. Somali-American environmentalist. Founded relief organization Adeso, 1991. Played key role in Women's Coalition for Peace, encouraging women to take increased roles in politics and peacemaking. Awarded Goldman Environmental Prize, 2002.
1948 Marcela Lagarde y de los Ríos born Mexico City, Mexico. Marxist feminist and anthropology professor. Created concept of femicide, murder of women with government complicity. As Congresswoman, investigated femicide, 2004-06.

Women's peacemaking on this day

1833 Female Society of Lynn met at Quaker meetinghouse to protest women shoebinder’s wages.
1970 First WILPF conference in Third World, New Delhi, chaired by Elise Boulding.
1989 “Hands Around Jerusalem” 30,000 surrounded city, organized by women’s peace groups.
1994 Shannon Lowney and Leeann Nichols killed at birth control clinics in Brookline, MA.
2005 Darfurian women presented demands to peace negotiators including participation in disarmament, reconciliation and reparation.