November 8
/Women peacemakers born today
1342 Julian of Norwich. English altruist; mystic.
1897 Dorothy Day born Brooklyn, NY (d. 1980). Founder of nonviolent Catholic Workers, 1930.
1908 Martha Gellhorn born St. Louis, MO (d. 1998). Pacifist author; war correspondent; opposed war in Vietnam, Contra War, nuclear weapons.
1949 Bonnie Raitt born Burbank, CA. Quaker antiwar singer; performer at No Nukes Rally, 1979; participant in Earth Day protest, 1999; climbed redwood with Joan Baez.
1962 Isabelle F. Picco born Monaco. Monegasque diplomat; delegate to UN since Monaco’s accession 1993; Permanent Representative 2009; Vice President UN General Assembly 2013.
Women's peacemaking on this day
1837 Mt. Holyoke, first American women's college, opened.
1938 Crystal Bird Fauset elected first African-American in state legislature, Pennsylvania.
1967 Thich Ku Thuong immolated self in Vietnam War protest.
1983 Pine Gap Women's Peace Camp set up in Alice Springs, Australia.
1986 40 Finnish women protested nuclear plant Oikiluola.
1991 First Women's Conference for a Healthy Planet Miami, organized by Bella Abzug.
2000 Coalition of Women for a Just Peace founded, uniting 8 Israeli women’s peace groups.
2005 In Eugene, Oregon, Code Pink blocked ROTC classes, hanging a banner that read, “Outraged Women Say NO to War.”
2005 Zimbabwe authorities arrested Netsai Mushonga for organizing training session on nonviolent conflict resolution.
2006 Cindy Sheehan and three women arrested in Iraq War protest at White House.
2007 Breasts Not Bombs protest at White House.
2010 Ten-day fast at White House by 11 women of La Mujer Obrera in protest of poverty and violence on US-Mexican border.
2012 Praying for Peace in the Land of Buddha Kathmandu, Nepal 12th meeting of 13 indigenous Grandmothers.