04-16/17/18-1995 Episodes 261, 262, 263 of Women of Achievement and Herstory combined. I'll be out-of-pocket for the weekend ... Are you kidding historical event 04-17-1972: Nina Kuscik becomes the first woman to *officially* run in the Boston Marathon. In 1966, Roberta Bengay hid in the bushes and then joined the runners just after take-off to get into the race. She ran the Boston Marathon in 3:12.2 and beat two-thirds of the men. Race officials, however, denied a woman had run the race. "I know of no girl who ran in the Boston Marathon. I do know of a girl who is supposed to have run on the same roads as the marathon route today. But that's not the same." Katherine Switzer was refused permission to enter the Boston Marathon, but got a number in 1967 as K. Switzer. While racing she was recognized as a girl and officials chased her trying to pull off her number. (There's a famous photo of the attempts which were foiled by male runners around her, as well as her speed.) She finished the race. A member of the Syracuse University track team, she was promptly suspended from the Amateur Athletic Union for "running without a chaperon!" For those who are shaking their heads, YES - 22 years ago ... Women's rights are VERY young and tender ... 04-16 Anniversaries ............................................... B. 04-16-1865, Grace Livingston Hill, published more than 78 novels from 1887 to 1947 that sold more than four million copies. B. 04-16-1885, Isak Dinesen (Baroness Karen Blixen), Danish writer best known for her short stories and tales of Africa. Event 04-16-1926, Sylvia Townsend Warner's* _Lolly Willowes, or the Loving Huntsman_ became the first selection of the renowned, still continuing Book-of-the-Month Club. Event 04-16-1975, Lila Cockrell became the first woman mayor of San Antonio and the first woman mayor of a top ten city. Event 04-16-1992, the first ever Japanese sexual harassment suit settled in favor of a woman occurred in Fukuoka. The court held the woman's rights had been violated by vile remarks which forced her to quit her job. 04-17 Anniversaries ............................................... B. 04-17-1845, Isabel Barrows, editor and pioneer penologist. B. 04-17-1867, Beverly Sitgreaves, first American actor to play the lead in the Theatre Anglais in Paris. Her acting career spanned 50 years. B. 04-17-1888, Louise Nevelson, Russian-born American sculptor. B. 04-17-1916, Sirimavo Ratwatte Bandaranaike, the world's first woman prime minister. Bandaranaike served as prime minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) following the death of her husband who had been the prime minister from 1956 to 1959. She led the nationalist Sri Lanka Freedom party to win the parliamentary elections of July 1960 and was named prime minister. She served until 1965 and again from 1970 to 1977. In 1980 she was convicted of misuse of power and expelled from Parliament, a usual charge for defeated politicians. 04-18 Anniversaries ............................................... B. 04-18-1921, Virginia O'Brien, she did only one thing in the movies, but did it marvelously: deadpan singing. Event 04-18-1925, the Woman's World Fair in Chicago 0opened. The exhibits included women's progress in major industries and professions and is considered historically as a landmark in the recognition of women's contribution to civilization. Event 04-18-1930, Lotta Caldwell and Mary Ramsdell become the first women on the Massachusetts State Police force. B. 04-18-1959, Susan Faludi, author of _Backlash, the Undeclared War Against Women_. Won 1991 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism. (C) 1995 Irene Stuber, PO Box 6185, Hot Springs National Park, AR 71902, irenestuber@delphi.com. Distribute verbatim copies freely with copyright notice for non-profit use. Don't let anyone tell you there weren't notable and effective women throughout history. They were always there, but historians failed to note them in our histories so that each generation of women has had to reinvent themselves.