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Veteran Feminists of America Newsletter |
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| Winter E-Newsletter |
February 2009 |
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HONORING BETTY FRIEDAN ON HER BIRTHDAY
FEBRUARY 4TH
Betty Friedan will always be with us in spirit. On the third anniversary of her death on her 88th birthday, we are declaring February 4th BETTY FRIEDAN DAY to honor the woman who jump-started the Second Wave of the Feminist Movement and led it for years.
In 1963 thousands of women were mesmerized by "The Feminine Mystique." Encouraged by their letters and calls, and urged on by women like Catherine East, Mary Eastwood and Pauli Murray to start an NAACP for women, Betty took advantage of her renown to help launch NOW, giving all of us a vehicle to drive ourselves over the rough roads to justice, equality and freedom.
At the same time Women's Liberation groups, started by young women from the Civil Rights and antiwar movements, were popping up all around the country. Betty united all feminists in 1970 and brought in thousands more when she promoted the nation-wide STRIKE FOR EQUALITY. In city after city, women (and men) were demonstrating, and the historic Fifth Avenue March for Equality in New York was one of the most exciting. As Kate Millett proclaimed after that success, "We're a Movement now!"
Betty is widely acclaimed as the Mother of the Movement. However, she was not the most loving sort, but her kind of mothering sustained us and propelled us. Her vision, brilliance, chutzpa and unceasing determination shook the movement and made it roll; and we, the veterans of that epic era, owe her eternal gratitude, as do all future generations. VFA, founded to honor all pioneers of the Second Wave, on this day and always, honors the woman who made it all possible: Betty Friedan.
She's gone
She could walk down an aisle
In the middle of a meeting
All heads turned
She would talk and gesture
Make some of us mad
Catch our hearts
Inflame our minds
When she finished
We all followed her
To the next door
We would batter
To the next barrier we would break
Betty Friedan Died
She's not gone
Marjorie DeFazio
February 7, 2006
photo: NY Times J. P. Laffont/Corbis Sygma
BETTY FRIEDAN MEMORIAL COMMITTEE:
Virginia Watkins, head of our Betty Friedan Memorial Committee, says: "Betty Friedan was one of the most influential people of the 20th Century, but how will she fare in history? Most cities and towns have one or more statues, but mostly of males. There should be a statue of Betty somewhere! Also, what about names of streets and buildings? The powers-that-be won't make even a modest effort to have her so honored. If we don't do it, who will? Who has had experience with any of this?
If you can help us in any way with these projects, please send your ideas and comments to Ginny Watkins: ginnylsw@q.com |
VFA ANNOUNCES NEW MONTHLY FEATURE
YOUNGER WOMEN BY YOUNGER WOMEN - PASSING THE TORCH
 VFA is dedicated to saluting the past but also to addressing the future, so we're starting a monthly feature devoted to Younger Women by Younger Women.
We hope they will tell us how they see the world today -- their, past, their present, and what they hope for the future. We want their takes on television, movies, books, theater, dance, music, art, medicine, law, academia, research, politics, gender issues, science, business -- everything! We'd like to know if they "get" that things have changed since the feminist movement -- and especially want to know what they think still needs to be done.
If you know of young women interested in any of these disciplines who'd express themselves for love, not money, please ask them to contact womansvoice@aol.com for details. Their thoughts will be read by our members and the many visitors to our website -- and they would get mileage for their projects as we'd include a link to their websites.
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HISTORIC VFA FILES NOW HOUSED AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
VFA's archives--which include personal letters, notes, photographs and a multitude of fascinating emails, medals, posters, greeting cards, autographed books, scripts, as well as Barbara Love's monumental "Feminists Who Changed America"--have found a forever home at the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History at the Duke University Library, assuring that what over 3,000 pioneer feminists have accomplished will not be forgotten. The files will be archived and open to the public. The library has also purchased our wonderful DVD collection of 30 VFA events held since 1993.
 An advantage that comes with this is that we can expect Duke to ask us to co-sponsor themed events with the inclusive title Sally Bingham/VFA, and the publicity VFA will receive in the Bingham Library's newsletters is a big plus for us. In addition to this collaboration, VFA will continue working with other academic and feminist institutions. Many of our members have donated materials to the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, which has also purchased our DVD collection. Backup materials are housed in the Sophia Smith Collection.
Duke's acquisition of our files affirms that VFA has accomplished many of its goals, the most important of which is to "document and preserve our history and honor all who made it happen." But we have much more to do, so don't throw in the towel yet! VFA has several events planned for next two years -- in Florida, Northern California, Phoenix and Dallas. We are now zeroing in on "Passing the Torch," the one goal we've not yet achieved. And younger VFA members vow to see that VFA continues to serve veteran feminists as long as there is a feminist movement.
Jacqui |
FINDING LOVE ON THE INTERNET HAS JUST GOTTEN EASIER!
BARBARA LOVE ANNOUNCES THAT FEMINISTS WHO CHANGED AMERICA IS ON GOOGLE'S BOOK SEARCH.
Millions of people will now have access to biographies of PIONEER FEMINISTS.
GOOGLE''S Book Search is used by librarians, scholars, booksellers, and readers worldwide. Book Search gives browsers a taste of the book, much like browsing in a bookstore or library. In Limited Preview mode users can search the full text for relevant terms, but they can see only 10% or so of the book's content.
*Feminists Who Changed America ~ 1963 - 1975 edited by Barbara J. Love of the Pioneer Feminists Project in partnership with Veteran Feminists of America, a tax-exempt organization created to document feminist history, inspire younger generations, and rekindle the spirit of the feminist revolution. The book that documents the contributions of more than 2,250 feminist women and men is now a reality after a decade of effort. Feminists Who Changed America, 1963 -- 1975 has been published by the University of Illinois Press, a press with "a good feminist consciousness."
Barbara Love:
BJLove@msn.comGoogle Book Search record for Feminists Who Changed America
Gotta share this with you! My 12-year-old grandson announced to me recently, "You're famous!" "No" I said, "I'm well known in a certain community, yet I'm certainly not famous." But he refused to listen to me. "You are," he insisted. "I googled you and you're listed in a book as a hero! You can't tell me that's not being famous!" Was he proud (and so was I)!
Wouldn't you be happy to know that your grandchildren are proud of you?! Buy Feminists Who Changed America for them, so that your grandchildren and all future generations will now know that you were an activist in this great movement
Jacqui |
ERA HERO FLORA CRATER OF "CRATER'S RAIDERS"
FLORA CRATER, the quiet, unassuming ERA activist who led a group of women known as Crater's Raiders to lobby Congress for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment has left us. Flora would have been 95 on April 19th.
Born Flora Trimmer, in Costa Rica, she married James Crater and they raised their family in Falls Church, Virginia. From early adulthood she was involved in civil rights issues.
 Just a few of her many accomplishments: She convened the Northern Virginia chapter of NOW; was a vice president of the Fairfax County League of Women Voters; served as coordinator of the Virginia Women's Political Caucus; served as action coordinator of the Virginia Women's Network and as vice chair on the Virginia Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Council after the ERA was sent to the states. In 1978 she ran for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
Among the numerous honors she received were VFA's medal of honor and the Distinguished Alumni Award from George Mason University where she received her BA in Government and Politics at the age of 67. Flora's papers are archived at the University of Virginia Library in Charlottesville, Virginia, and some of her memorabilia are in The Smithsonian.
James Crater died in 1982 and Flora is survived by their three children: Walter James, Horace William and Vivian Albertina Gray; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
When Flora was born women did not have the right to vote and segregation was entrenched, but at last she was able to vote for a woman for President (in the party primary) and for an African-American for President (in the general election). Before she died she asked that contributions made in her memory go to the Alice Paul Institute, ERA Education project, P.O. Box 1376, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054.
For more information, contact her daughter, Vivian Gray (9 Yorkridge Trail, Hockessin, DE 19707; 302-235-0621; cell 302-547-9780; vagray@rcn.com). |
VFA TO HONOR FLORIDA PIONEER FEMINISTS AND PASS THE TORCH TO YOUNGER ACTIVISTS
BARBARA LOVE author of Feminists Who Changed America and Veteran Feminists of America on April 20th will host a gala luncheon April 20th at the Pompano Beach Palm Aire Country Club to honor pioneer feminists - native Floridians and transplants. Pioneer feminists who have already been honored will be honored again.
For the first time, fulfilling another goal, VFA will honor some of today's activists who are continuing the work of the 19th and 20th century feminists with our "PASSING THE TORCH AWARD."
Recipients include the presidents of Florida NOW chapters, the South Florida Political Caucus and ERA activists. A special award will go to young women and/ men who are working for women's rights.The event will be emceed by NYC "snowbird", Eleanor Pam.
Pioneer feminists who have already been honored will be introduced, and acknowledged. Price for the huge luncheon (several food choices) is $25.00.
VFA urges Florida feminists to fill in and email the following information to VFA@aol.com:
* Do you plan to attend?
*Have you been honored by VFA before? ____ If so, where? _______ *Is your bio included in Feminists Who Changed America? If not, please send it now to bjlove@msn.com. * What years were you active?.. * Will you need a hotel reservation?
More information, directions, etc. will be sent directly to Florida feminists and all who respond that they will attend.
Contact Barbara Love to buy Feminists Who Changed America bjlove@msn.com. | |
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