September 18

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Women peacemakers born today

  • 1879 Welthy Honsinger Fisher born Rome, NY (d. 1980). American missionary, friend of Gandhi; established literacy centers in Allahabad, Lucknow at Gandhi’s request, 1947; founded World Education in 50 countries, 1951; founded World Literacy Canada, 1955.

  • 1889 Doris Blackburn born Melbourne, Victoria (d. 1970). Australian peace activist and politician; opposed World War I as Socialist; founded Aborigines Advancement League; headed Australian WILPF.

  • 1898 Irene Laure born Lausanne, Switzerland (d. 1987). French Resistance fighter; as Socialist, first woman member of Parliament, 1946; led reconciliation with Germany.

  • 1925 Erica-Irene Daes born Chania, Crete. Greek human rights advocate; UN human rights prize 1993; Chair/Rapporter UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations 1982 which produced Draft Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples 1993, adopted by General Assembly 2007.

  • 1942 Meredith Tax born Milwaukee, WI. Feminist; antiwar activist; author and essayist. Published writings opposing the Israeli occupation of Gaza, nuclear weapons, and wars in Vietnam, the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

  • 1945 Bettina Carr-Allinson born Netherlands. Founder European Youth Parliament, which aims to "Promote international understanding, intercultural dialogue and diversity of ideas and practices," 1987. British European Woman of the Year, 1997.

  • 1949 Mo Mowlam born Watford, Hertfordshire, England (d. 2005). British politician. Member of Parliament, 1987-2001; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1997-99. Helped negotiate Good Friday Peace Agreement, ending the Troubles, 1998.

Women's peacemaking on this day

  • 1838 Abby Kelley, Maria Chapman, Susan Sisson, Thankful Southwick, Anne Weston among founders of world's first nonviolence society, Boston.

  • 1889 Jane Addams opened Hull House, Chicago.

  • 1914 Rosika Schwimmer presented women's peace petition to President Wilson.

  • 1938 WILPF urged FDR to protest Japanese invasion of Manchuria; an early attempt to prevent war, which was rejected.

  • 1963 Diane Nash proposed Selma Campaign to Martin Luther King Jr.

  • 1993 Tender Women's Rally, Somobor, near Zagreb, "to weave a nurturing love net."

  • 2013 Nine women arrested for chaining themselves to Vermont Yankee nuclear plant gate. “Shut it down today!”