Women's History Month

Started by Karl Henning, March 01, 2023, 01:23:48 PM

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Karl Henning

I found this interesting and inspiring. Maybe someone else may, too. This is from a newsletter from Bishop Peggy A. Johnson of the New England United Methodist Church.

QuoteMarch is Women's History Month. It started as "Women's History Week" led by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women in 1978. The movement began to grow and it officially became national Women's History Week in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter's proclamation (womenshistory.org)

In 1987, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 100-9, which designated March as Women's History Month. Since 1985 it has been an annual proclamation by the president, and each year the National Women's History Alliance chooses a theme. This year's theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." 

I would like to celebrate the Leominster UMC (Commonwealth West District), which tells the story of Anna Howard Shaw every year on the second Sunday of February — and they have been doing this for decades! I was privileged to take part in this year's celebration where members of the United Women in Faith conducted the service.

Rev. Anna Howard Shaw (1847-1919) was a pioneer for women's rights. She was born in England, and when she was 4 years old, her family immigrated to Lawrence, Massachusetts and later moved to Michigan. At the age of 15, she became a school teacher and also worked as a seamstress to help support her family.

Anna felt a call to preach at a young age and pursued higher education at Albion College in Albion, MI and then graduate school at Boston University School of Theology. She was the only woman in her class of 43 men. She was refused ordination by the Methodist Episcopal Church, but undeterred, she was ordained in the Methodist Protestant Church in 1880. She also received a medical degree from Boston University. 

Rev. Anna Howard Shaw served a congregation for five years before going on to another kind of preaching: advocating for women's suffrage and promoting the Christian Temperance Union.

Her goal was "to work for women suffrage and then to use the ballot to gain 'home protection' and temperance legislation." She traveled extensively and lectured over 10,000 times for these causes.

The passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote, was largely due to her efforts and the many who worked with her. (wikapedia.org)

Her legacy continues at the Anna Howard Shaw Center at Boston University that exists to "promote structure and practices that empower women and honor diversity."
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

brewski

Quote from: Karl Tirebiter Henning on March 01, 2023, 01:23:48 PMI found this interesting and inspiring. Maybe someone else may, too. This is from a newsletter from Bishop Peggy A. Johnson of the New England United Methodist Church.


Karl, thanks for posting this, and for an ancillary reason, too: I was trying to find out some background on the month and how it started, so voila.

Quote from: pjme on March 04, 2023, 10:38:31 AMI would like to celebrate Flemish choreographer Jeanne Brabants (1920-2014).


And Peter, I have heard of Brabants! Thanks for citing her.

-Bruce
"I set down a beautiful chord on paper—and suddenly it rusts."
—Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

brewski

Thanks for all of that info, Peter!

-Bruce
"I set down a beautiful chord on paper—and suddenly it rusts."
—Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

Karl Henning

Quote from: Karl Tirebiter Henning on March 01, 2023, 01:23:48 PMIt started as "Women's History Week" led by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women in 1978.
California comes in for a lot of scorn (and I don't say that much of it isn't well earned, so it's nice to see an eminently good idea emerging from the Golden State.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Brahmsian

Wasn't there another topic that @pjme started recently?  I can't seem to find it?  :-\

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

Women are prepared to lead as CEOs. Why won't boards hire them?

A new research report found that among the largest 75 public companies in Massachusetts, only six CEOs are women — a mere 8 percent.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Daverz

Quote from: Karl Henning on April 24, 2023, 10:20:52 AMWomen are prepared to lead as CEOs. Why won't boards hire them?

A new research report found that among the largest 75 public companies in Massachusetts, only six CEOs are women — a mere 8 percent.

It's the greedy asshole gap.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh


Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot