Women peacemakers born today

1859 Diana Agabeg Apcar (née Gayane Aghabekyan) born Rangoon, Burma (d. 1937). One of first women diplomats, appointed Armenian envoy to Japan 1920; secured Japan’s recognition; anti-imperialist writer on Armenian genocide.
1912 Mahala Ashley Dickerson born Montgomery, AL (d. 2007). African-American; Quaker; lawyer; human rights activist in Alabama and Alaska.
1930 Marian Franz born Newton, KS (d. 2006). Mennonite; tax resister; founder of Peace Tax Fund, 1982; Conscience and Peace Tax International, 1994.
1943 Joyce Ladner born Battles, MS. Sociologist; acting President of Howard University; Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee organizer, 1960s; authority on Tanzanian women.
1948 Wendy Jean Chamberlin born Bethesda, MD. US Ambassador to Laos, 1996-99; US Ambassador to Pakistan, 2001-02; acting head of UN High Commission for Refugees, 2005.
1961 Janet Cherry born Cape Town, South Africa. South African white opponent of Apartheid; underground ANC; Secretary-General National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) 1982; joined Black Sash 1984; led End Conscription Campaign “Troops Out” 1985-88; detained without charges each year 1981, 1985-88; house arrest 1989; trainer for Centre for Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS) Belgrade, professor after liberation.

Women's peacemaking on this day

1913 At the border to Volksrust, South African authorities arrested Fatima Mehtab and her mother, Hanifabai, for taking part in Gandhi's satyagraha civil resistance, and jailed them for 3 months.
1914: Premiere of Katrina Trask’s antiwar play “In the Vanguard”.

1915 Edith Cavell executed for hiding British wounded, Brussels. "Patriotism is not enough; I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone."

1969 Nurse Lt. Susan Schnall dropped antiwar leaflets from plane over Calif. Military base. "End the war now, bring our boys home—bring our boys home alive."
1978 Disarmament advocate Karin Söder named first woman to serve as Foreign Minister of Sweden.
2013 In Ecuador, over 100 women of 7 tribes departed Puyo on the Women’s Mobilization for Life March, to the capital city of Quito to protest oil drilling in the Amazon.
2013 Genny Bove was arrested for posting “Free Bradley Manning” banners on British highways; case later dropped.