June 4, 1995 - Episode 310 - Women of Achievement and Herstory

      I have in my files the following:
      "Event June 4, 1648, Margaret Jones, of Charlestown was the
first woman in Massachusetts to be executed for being a witch. She
was hung while protesting her innocence. Gov. John Winthrop's
revealing diary indicated she dispensed herbs for healing and thus
was a witch."
      I lost the source when my hard drive crashed some time back
and would appreciate any help with this item. The witch executions
during the infamous year of 1692 in Concord, Massachusetts, get all
the publicity and obscures the fact that women were murdered as
witches for being healers and independent during much of the 17th
century in the American colonies.

06-04 Anniversaries ...............................................

      B. June 4, 1830, Mary Hannan Hanchett Hunt, temperance leader
who used scientific methods in her writings against alcohol use.

      B. June 4, 1878, Alla Nazimova*, Russian-born actress who
became one of the most influential actress of the American stage in
the 1920's and 30's. Starred in several movies.  Her career was
eclipsed when her lesbianism became well known.

      B. June 4, 1895, Nora Waln, author who during a visit in
Germany wrote _Reaching for the Star_ (1939) which depicted Hitler
as not being representative of the German people's soul.  She mailed
her only three copies of the manuscript from three different postal
zones but none of them arrived at their destination and she had to
rewrite the books from her notes after she returned to the U.S.  She
also wrote _House of Exile, the Lin family of China_ (1938).

      B. June 4, 1908(12), Rosalind Russell, one of the great comedic
actors of stage and screen who was just as perfect as the
sophisticated career women.  Nominated for four Academy Awards and
received the "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award" from the Academy in
1972.  Best known for her work in _Auntie Mame_ (1958) and _Gypsy_
(1962).  Was very active in Roman Catholic charities and affairs. Her
mother was Clara McKnight, editor of _Vogue_ magazine.

      Event June 4, 1920, Julia Catherine Stimson, superintendent of
the Army Nurses Corps was given a "relative rank of major" by the
US Congress.  

      B. June 4, 1940, Dorothy Rudd Moore, composer, poet, singer,
and founder of the Society for Black Composers.#127

      Event June 4, 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down an
Alabama law that permits daily "silent meditation or prayer" and
states the "government must pursue a course of complete neutrality
toward religion."

Quotes du jour ...............................................

      Event June 4, 1972, U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm, holds
a press conference and says: "I am a candidate for the Presidency of
the United States. I make that statement proudly, in the full
knowledge that, as a black person and as a female person, I do not
have a chance of actually gaining that office in this election year. I
make that statement seriously, knowing that my candidacy itself can
change the face and future of American politics -- that it will be
important to the needs and hopes of every one of you -- even
though in the conventional sense, I will not win."

                   -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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. >>(C) 1995 Irene Stuber, PO Box 6185, Hot
Springs National Park, AR 71902, 501-624-5262 for direct fax or voice
mail ID #300, irenestuber@delphi.com. Distribute verbatim copies freely
with copyright notice for non-profit use.  We are accepting *limited*
donations (only what can be spared) to help offset the online costs
of posting Women of Achievement and Herstory.