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| Maryland Women's Heritage Center | Volume 2, Issue 4
Late Summer 2010
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Did you know that August 26 is Women's Equality Day? First instituted in 1971, Women's Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which grants women the right to vote. It is also a day to celebrate women's continuing efforts toward full equality. Although women did not fully gain the right to vote until 1920, Margaret Brent of St. Mary's City, MD, was the FIRST colonial woman to ask for the right to vote in 1648. Come and celebrate this day at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center on Thursday, August 26, 10 am - noon!
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Maryland Women's Heritage Center
501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization
Frances Hughes Glendening, Former First Lady of Maryland and President of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center
Jill Moss Greenberg, Executive Director
Catherine "Katie" Curran O'Malley, First Lady of Maryland
Kendel S. Ehrlich, Former First Lady of Maryland
Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
Sharon Pinder, The Pinder Group, LLC
Michelle Duffy Orr, Treasurer
Helen Holton, Baltimore City Councilwoman and Chair of the Maryland Commission for Women
Shoshana S. Cardin, Honorary Development Chair
Audrey E. Scott, Co-Chair, Development Committee
Betty Buck, Co-Chair, Development Committee, and President of Buck Distributing Co., Inc.
Linda A. Shevitz, Program/Education Chair and Coordinator of the Maryland Women's History Project and Title IX Coordinator at the Maryland State Department of Education
Susan Morris Shaffer, Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium
Mark L. Shaffer, Counsel and Site Selection Chair Charles Edward Senseney, Accountant Lori Askinazi Diana Bailey Sarian Bouma Linda Busick Penny Chrissomallis Rita R. Colwell Patricia E. Cornish Catherine R. Gira Joanne T. Goldsmith
Artis G. Hampshire-Cowan
William "Brit" Kirwan Juanita Tamayo Lott David H. Nevins Jo-Ann Mayer Orlinsky Maria Torres Queral Rita L. Robinson Carole Sibel Nancy Lindberg Sloane Carolyn B. Stegman Carmen Delgado Votaw Sue Ward Kathy Wilmot Deborah A. Yow Honorary Board:
Dominique Dawes, Olympic Champion
Helen Delich Bentley, Former Congresswoman and First Woman Director of the U. S. Maritime Commission
Barbara A. Mikulski, United States Senator
Cokie Roberts, Commentator and Author
Nora Roberts, International Best-Selling Author of Mystery and Romance Novels
*Lucille Clifton, Poet and Author, Former Maryland Poet Laureate (*Deceased)
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Quarterly Newsletter
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center's quarterly newsletter provides updates on events and activities of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center. If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail us. |
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 Letter from the President
The official opening of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center (MWHC) in June and subsequent festivities have made for an exciting summer! If you have not done so already, I urge you to visit our initial home in Baltimore City located at 39 West Lexington Street in the former Baltimore Gas & Electric Building.
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center welcomes everyone --- female and male, young and old, Maryland and non-Maryland residents, individuals and groups --- to visit and honor, as well as be inspired by, the incredible contributions made by women and girls throughout the state.
We could not have opened in this donated space without the tremendous leadership and generosity of several women in the architecture and construction fields. Diane Cho, head of Cho Benn Holback + Associates Architects, initiated the relationship with the MWHC, and worked with and inspired Anne Dutton who had primary responsibility for the design work, with collaboration from Anath Ranon. Project Director Kelly Stockton of Lewis Contractors oversaw all of the construction, which involved countless details, even for this relatively small space. Kathy Wilmot, an MWHC Board Member, deserves particular thanks for involving the incredible Women of ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors). Special thanks also goes to the team of women who volunteered to both paint the entire space and create the displays. Without question, we are indebted to all of the businesses and volunteers who have contributed their time, talent and other resources to help make the Maryland Women's Heritage Center a reality.
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center welcomes everyone - females and males of all ages, Marylanders and non-Marylanders, individuals and groups - to visit, honor and be inspired by the incredible contributions made by women and girls from throughout the state. Our public hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm. We are closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to allow for special events and meetings. Admission is FREE so we hope you will visit us again and again!
As the first comprehensive, state-based center and museum of its kind in the nation, the MWHC features permanent displays highlighting renowned Maryland women included in the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, the Unsung Heroines in our families and communities and a number of hands-on children's activities. In addition, the Center includes rotating exhibits and window displays on various women and women's organizations from throughout Maryland. I encourage any groups who wish to participate in these exhibits to contact Jill Moss Greenberg, MWHC Executive Director.
Now that the Maryland Women's Heritage Center has established its initial home, which has so much history in itself, our next step is to reach out to Charter Members and donors to help us work toward making our permanent home a reality. I encourage each of you to consider supporting us in this effort! Specific details will be forthcoming, and fully tax-deductible donations can be made online through our website.
Last but not least, please remember that August 26 marks the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage. For your information, Maryland is planning a major celebration to honor the 100th anniversary. If you would like to be involved, please e-mail us. Because women have struggled so hard to win the right to vote, whatever your political position, I encourage you to exercise that right on November 2!
I look forward to our paths crossing again soon.
My very best to you always,
Frances Hughes Glendening
President |
 Letter from Executive Board Member and Program / Education Chair
Following the exciting celebratory events as the Maryland Women's Heritage Center opened its doors this summer, we are looking forward to having many informative and enjoyable programs throughout the year. Most of the programs will be at our new site at 39 West Lexington Street in Baltimore, but several will continue to be outreach events held in other locations around the state.
Here are some examples of some of the summer programs held at the Center (more information, including photos, of our past events can be found under "Heritage Happenings" below). Please continue to check our website for ongoing program updates.
- A highly interactive silent auction and reception was presented by the Women of ABC (Association of Builders and Contractors), to encourage girls to enter the construction trades and raise scholarship funds for a female high school student interested in a college education in the area of the trades. Students applying for the scholarship will each prepare a display or video for the Maryland Women's Heritage Center about a Maryland woman in construction, and the winner of the award will be chosen by a special panel. The Heritage Center will then display the materials developed by the students.
- August 26 is the concluding summer program at the Center. This is Women's Equality Day, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the date that the 19th Amendment became law and women in the United States won the right to vote. The "open house" program from 10 am to noon will celebrate suffrage and the struggle to achieve it, and will include a film, participant activities, and refreshments. See flier for more information (PDF). Please join us for this event!
Planning programs for the Heritage Center are always a collaborative process, and we often work directly with other organizations. In the Fall, we will be part of Free Fall Baltimore events, with programs featuring three Maryland women historical performers portraying notable Maryland women.
We will also be co-sponsoring, with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, events related to the national traveling "Freedom's Sisters" exhibition, which will be displayed at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. This exhibition honors national women civil rights leaders, including Maryland women.
The Heritage Center has an active Program Committee, which you can join by contacting me. We also welcome your ideas for programs, as individuals or organizations, in order to meet your interests in promoting the recognition of Maryland women and girls from diverse backgrounds, or to address current issues impacting on girls, women, families and communities. Please e-mail me your ideas.
Linda A. Shevitz
Executive Board Member; Program/Education Chair
Title IX Coordinator, Maryland State Department of Education
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 MWHC New Hours of Operation
Download a Flier about the Center
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center is now open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm (closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday). Admission is FREE!
The Center is also available for special events and rentals. Contact us for more information.
We welcome individuals, families, school groups, and other organizations to visit the Center --- again and again!
39 West Lexington Street, Baltimore
Admission is Free
Hours of operation: Wednesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm
Public phone number: 410-767-0675
Parking & Directions
Edison Parking Garage, 100 West Fayette Street;
Rennert Garage, 227 North Liberty Street; Central Parking, 16 West Saratoga Street
Limited street parking is also located in the vicinity
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 Remembering Mom
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center not only highlights the renowned Maryland women and girls, such as those in the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, but the Unsung Heroines in each of our lives.
The Center has received many submissions of Unsung Heroines, some of which are also on our website. We encourage you to tell your stories of your mothers, grandmothers, spouses, partners, daughters, sisters, teachers, nurses, crossing guards, or other girls and women who have played significant roles in your lives, your communities, or your workplaces.*** Of particular note, Hyattsville-based artist Crisley McCarson (pictured above) has loaned her beautiful work, in the form of paper doll cutout clothing, to the Maryland Women's Heritage Center. The piece, created in memory of her mother, titled "Remembering Mom," is pictured below. McCarson's piece sets an inspiring and touching tone to our gallery of Unsung Heroines.
As she wrote,
There are many things I remember about Mom. She passed away about five years ago and I still miss her very, very much. My memories bring me happiness for what was, sorrow for what was lost and longing for the past. I wish I could give her one more hug and kiss!
Mom wasn't much for saying the words "I love you" but she sure showed me her love through actions. As a child, I was a bit of a handful; I was strong willed without realizing the consequences. So parenting me required a delicate balance of patience and humor from Mom.
She was a great homemaker. Even though Mom worked part time as a local school librarian, she had breakfast for us every morning, a lunch to take to school and always cooked a dinner.
She made her liver and the best French fried onion rings when dad was away on business; helped pack my bag when I "ran away" (once around the block); and sewed many Halloween costumes, ballet outfits, and fancy dresses for special occasions (two of which I still have). As a derailed teen, she would manage to get me back on track and negotiate my way with Dad. She always wanted to help me do my best but never was overly controlling or demanding.
After our mom passed away, my sister and I went through her clothes to give them to Goodwill. Most items had no special meaning but there were a few of her favorites: a blouse and a sweater on which she embroidered little flowers and a blue plaid skirt. Mom also enjoyed wearing colorful beaded necklaces. These few things are in my closet as gentle reminders. Making paper cutouts of these pieces helped me deal with my grief.
As I have gotten older and watch my grown daughter raise her children, I recognize that we both have many of mom's qualities. At first, this realization surprised me and caused me to laugh to myself, but I quickly grew to relish those similarities as gifts from Mom.
 
***Unsung Heroines can be nominated for inclusion at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center (39 West Lexington Street, Baltimore) during operating hours or by using our online form.
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 Maryland Women's Hall of Fame Nominations
The Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legislators of Maryland are seeking recommendations of
outstanding Maryland women for induction into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.
Historical and contemporary women are inducted each year. Among those honored are past legislators, political and social activists, scientists, educators, writers and spiritual and community leaders. They represent the
women who have helped shape Maryland, the United States and the world. Their induction into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame enhances the visibility of their contributions to their work, communities, and the status of
women. Maryland continues to flourish because of its strong women
The Maryland Women's Hall of Fame at last has a home at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center.
View the criteria - nomination form (PDF) View the general rules (PDF)
The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 22, 2010. Contact the Maryland Commission for Women at 410-767-3049 if you have any questions.
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 Volunteers and Docents Needed
We are still in need of volunteers, especially docents.
Docents are needed to staff the Maryland Women's Heritage Center in Baltimore during our operating hours, Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm. We are looking for docents to be able to at least staff the Center one day per month.
One day docent training sessions are held Thursdays and Fridays from 10:30 am - noon. Please contact us if you are willing to donate your time! We are also always looking for volunteers to help with our programs and events and other tasks. Contact us if you would like to help!
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 Support the MWHC
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center has joined GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com and we hope that you will help to support our cause online!
You can use GoodSearch.com to search the internet just like you normally would (just like other search engines, such as Yahoo or Google). Make sure that you specify that your charity is the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, so that any proceeds that you generate from your searches benefits us. 50% of the revenue generated from the sponsored search advertisers is shared with the nonprofit organization of your choosing.
GoodShop.com works in a similar way. Every time you click over to one of the partner merchants from the GoodShop.com website and make a purchase, your specified charity, the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, earns money. Stores include 1-800-Flowers, Amazon.com, Best Buy, eBay, Kohl's, Macy's, Oriental Trading, Staples, Target, and more!
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MWHC Store
It's not too early to start your holiday shopping by purchasing items from the Maryland Women's Heritage Center store! All items are available to be purchased at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center during regular hours of operation, and many are even available for purchase online on our website.
Proceeds from the purchase of any of these items goes directly to the Maryland Women's Heritage Center!
Below are some items that are available. Prices listed do not include extra shipping and handling charges for online orders.
"Women of Achievement in Maryland History" by Carolyn B. Stegman ($50). This inspiring hardcover coffee-table book explores the history of women throughout Maryland. This is a perfect gift for special occasions and for those interested in history and/or women's contributions.
Maryland Women's History Poster ($15). This colorful poster was originally designed by Elizabeth A. Harty in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Maryland Women's History Project. Titled "Celebrating the Past, Creating the Future," it shows women emerging from the shadows into full joy and participation.
 Maryland Women's Heritage Center Tea ($8). A terrific gift for everything - including thank yous, birthdays, new job, get well, encouragement, congratulations - or for the hostess of social or business events. The tea contained in this unique packaging, exclusive to the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, bears Eleanor Roosevelt's quote: "A woman is like a tea bag ~ you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." Includes an assortment of 4 teas (20 tea bags total). Each tea bag is individually wrapped in gold foil so it will keep fresh indefinitely.
"We Are Our Mothers' Daughters" 10th Anniversary Edition (Autographed) by acclaimed author, political commentator, and member of the MWHC Honorary Board Cokie Roberts ($25). This book examines the nature of women's roles. A must have book for every mother and daughter, woman and girl - and every Cokie Roberts fan!
"Shoshana:" Memoirs of Shoshana Shoubin Cardin (Autographed) edited by Karen L. Falk ($25). This memoir chronicles Baltimore's own Shoshana S. Cardin's lifetime of service. A world renown woman, leader, legend and peacemaker, it includes more than 100 images drawn from her extensive archives and a DVD of a few of her most unforgettable speeches. She is a member of the Executive Board and Honorary Chair of the of the MWHC Development Committee.
 "Puerto Rican Women" ("Mujeres Puertorriquenas") (Autographed) by Carmen Delgado Votaw, a national and international leader, and current MWHC Board Member ($20). This bilingual book contains biographical profiles of 42 women of Puerto Rican heritage who have made contributions to the cultural, political, educational, economic and social climate of Puerto Rico and the international community.
Additional items are also available online and at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, 39 West Lexington Street, Baltimore!
***Another GREAT gift option*** Make a tax-deductible gift to the Maryland Women's Heritage Center in honor of or in memory of a Maryland woman or girl important in your life. A beautiful card will be sent to the person letting her know of the donation. Click here to donate online.
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 Women's Equality Day
Download the Flier about the event (PDF)
Join the Maryland Women's Heritage Center in celebration of Women's Equality Day and the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the Woman Suffrage Amendment.
This special open house event takes place Thursday, August 26, from 10 am - noon, at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center (39 West Lexington Street, Baltimore). The film "Votes for Women," will be screened at 10:30 am and other activities will also take place throughout the morning. E-mail us for more information.
Gail Collins, journalist and author, recently published an op-ed in The New York Times about how women officially gained the right to vote.
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The Power Conference: Women Doing Business
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center is also proud to support:
The Power Conference: Women Doing Business
Wednesday, September 1
Bethesda Marriott Conference Center
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center is a supporter of this joint event also presented by the Women's Business Consortium. The conference addresses hot topics in business, including Business Development and Contracting, Technology and Marketing, and Personal Development for Business Growth. For more information, contact Naomi. |
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 Free Fall Baltimore
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center is a proud recipient of a Free Fall Baltimore grant for 2010!
Free Fall Baltimore takes place in October and is a month-long, citywide occasion offering free performances, events, workshops, and exhibits.
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center will be hosting a Living History Series titled "Maryland Women We Should Know" on select Saturdays in October. Three Maryland women performing
artists will individually portray the diverse and extraordinary women
of Maryland who are highlighted in this series and interact with participants. The schedule is as follows:
- Saturday, October 23, 2 pm
Harriet Lynn as Ella Shields, the Baltimore-born vaudeville and British Music Hall legend
- Saturday, October 30, 2 pm
Kate Campbell Stevenson as Rachel Carson, noted environmentalist and author
In addition, the Maryland Women's Heritage Center continues to offer free admission Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm. Visitors are encouraged to identify Unsung Heroines in their lives and submit them for inclusion in the gallery. Nominations can also be made online.
Adding "herstory to history to tell ourstory"
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 Freedom's Sisters
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center is a supporter of Freedom's Sisters, a special exhibition at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore.
From October 23, 2010 - January 17, 2011, the exhibit celebrates 20 extraordinary African American women who fought for freedom and changed the course of history, including Maryland's Harriet Tubman and Frances Watkins Harper.
Organized around the themes of "Dare to Dream," "Inspire Lives," "Serve the Public," and "Look to the Future," interactive stations and images tell the stories of key 19th-century historical figures to contemporary leaders, who have fought for equality for all Americans. Freedom's Sisters is made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund.
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 Anna Ella Carroll
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center has partnered with the Friends of Anna Ella Carroll for the Anna Ella Carroll Recognition Day and world premiere of the film The Lost River, a newly released film based on the true life story of Anna Ella Carroll, on Saturday, November 20, 2010. The event takes place at The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort in Cambridge on Maryland's Eastern Shore (100 Heron Blvd.).
Tickets for the film screening are $12.50 in advance ($15 at the door), and can be purchased by contacting the Maryland Women's Heritage Center at 410-767-0675, and shortly on the MWHC website. Tickets can also be purchased through the Dorchester County Visitors Center (410-228-1000), Troika Gallery (410-770-9190), or the Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce (410-228-3575). Overnight accommodations can be made directly with The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort at 410-901-1234.
See the "WOW: Women of Wonder Spotlight" article below for more information.
Additional details will be forthcoming, and will be posted to the Maryland Women's Heritage Center website as they become available.
Anna Ella Carroll of Dorchester County served as military advisor to President Lincoln and was likely a member of his Cabinet. Her role as a military strategist was controversial and her reports resulted in major military strategies that eventually defeated the Confederacy. Her authorship of the Union plans remained a secret. It's time to learn her story and honor her amazing contributions to our nation. Don't miss this World Premiere!
Click here for a full bio of Anna Ella Carroll.
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Red Hats Club of the North Oaks Retirement Community
Members of the Red Hats Club of the North Oaks Retirement Community in the Baltimore area visited and toured the Maryland Women's Heritage Center on Wednesday, July 14.
If you are interested in bringing a group to visit the Maryland Women's Heritage Center or would like to have someone from the Maryland Women's Heritage Center speak to your group, please contact us.
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 Legendary Ladies
The current issue of Maryland Life magazine (July/August 2010) features "Legendary Ladies: 10 Women who have changed the face of Maryland." It also has a close-up photo on the cover of 39 West Lexington Street, the building that houses the Maryland Women's Heritage Center.
Maryland Women's Heritage Center Executive Director Jill Moss Greenberg; Executive Board members Sharon Pinder and Linda Shevitz; and Carolyn Stegman and Carmen Delgado Votaw, members of the Board of Directors; were among the panelists to choose the women to be featured this year (along with Alexandra Deutsch, chief curator at the Maryland Historical Society, and Marlene Young, vice president of Great Southern Enterprises Inc., a founding partner of Great State Publishing, LLC, a trustee of the Delaplaine Foundation, and an inaugural member of the Women's Giving Circle of Frederick County).
The women recognized were Rachel Carson, Carmen Delgado Votaw, Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, Jill Moss Greenberg, Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, Claire McCardell, Pauli Murray, Alta Schrock, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Harriet Ross Tubman. The article also featured the Unsung Heroines and highlighted the opening of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center.
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 Vote for the MWHC!
Voting is currently underway in the Baltimore City Paper Readers' Poll. The deadline is September 1.
Log-in online and vote for the Maryland Women's Heritage Center as "Best Non-Art Museum." Please encourage others to vote, as well!
For your ballot to be valid, you need to vote in at least 25 categories, and cannot use the same answer in more than 3 categories. You also need to provide your name and contact information.
Also, be on the lookout for the September/October issue of Maryland Life magazine for the "FreeState's Finest" Readers' Poll and please vote for the Maryland Women's Heritage Center in the museum category. Voting begins September 1.
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Special Congratulations!
Congratulations to several members of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center's Executive Board, Board of Directors, and Honorary Board:
 Juanita Tamayo Lott, a member of the Board of Directors, has relocated to California. Nationally known as a pioneer in the field of Filipino American and Asian American Studies, she is the founder of the first Asian American Studies program in the United States at San Francisco State University and the first (and only) College of Ethnic Studies. In 2007, she co-founded the Filipino American Studies program at the University of Maryland, College Park. As a demographer, she has been instrumental in diversifying the U.S. Census.
 Honorary Board member Dominique Daweswas appointed co-chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. The President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) mission is to engage, educate and empower all Americans across the lifespan to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.
 Carmen Delgado Votaw, a member of the Board of Directors, attended the Clearinghouse on Women's Issues meeting, which took place Tuesday, June 22, representing the Maryland Women's Heritage Center. Other organizations in attendance included the Feminist Majority Foundation; Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women; National Organization for Women; National Women's Law Center; Wider Opportunities for Women; and others. She was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 1992.
 Sue Ward, a member of the Board of Directors, received an award from the Maryland Gerontological Association. Ward is the former Secretary of Aging in Prince George's County. She served as the Director for the Department of Aging in Prince George's County for nearly 10 years, as well as the Director of the Department of Family Services within Prince George's County.
 Helen Delich Bentley, Honorary Board member, received the 2010 William Donald Schaefer Industrialist of the Year award from the Baltimore Museum of Industry for her decades of involvement with Baltimore's shipping port. The award is presented each spring to visionary local business leaders.
 Debbie Yow, a member of the Board of Directors, was appointed Athletic Director at North Carolina State University. She was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.
 The Washington Post included an article about society's real heroes, such as Artis Hampshire-Cowan, a member of the Board of Directors and senior vice president of Howard University ("Hey Bravo: Try spotlighting social heroes instead of social climbers," Thursday, August 5). She is working to start a science and math charter school for middle-school girls in Prince George's County. Click here to read the article.
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 National News:
Paycheck Fairness Act
The AAUW praised Vice President Joe Biden, the White House Middle Class Task Force, and the White House Council on Women and Girls, in their recommendation that the Paycheck Fairness Act be passed in order to improve equal pay and work-family balance for all Americans.
The AAUW specifically pointed out when Vice President Biden said, "It is an issue that you're going to have to look into the eyes of your granddaughters and you're going to have to look into the eyes of the young women who you have hired, the young women who in fact are equally as qualified as any man you've ever hired and say, when it came time I didn't step up....Get on the right side. Get on the right side now. Pass this act."
Others who voiced their support were Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, pay equity advocate Lilly Ledbetter, and President Obama issued a statement calling on the Senate to pass the bill "swiftly so that I can sign it into law."
View the article in the USA Today.
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 Fourth Female Justice Confirmed to Supreme Court
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court's 112th justice, marking the first time that three female justices will serve together. Kagan is only the fourth woman to serve on the Court (others are Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor).
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WOW: Women of Wonder Spotlight
By Carolyn Stegman, Ed.D.
Each edition of the newsletter will feature a Maryland Woman of Wonder. This spotlight is on Anna Ella Carroll (photos below).
The painting above by Francis Bicknell Carpenter (1864) depicts the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln. It shows an empty chair to the right that is believed to represent Anna Ella Carroll.
Photo below: Carolyn Stegman, Ed.D.
On November 20, 2010, Cambridge, Maryland will host the world premiere of the film, The Lost River, which documents the significant Civil War contributions of Somerset County native Anna Ella Carroll. Carroll's recognition is long overdue.
Carroll is credited with helping to prevent Maryland's secession from the Union with her publication of Reply, a reaction to one senator's urging to secede. The War Department commissioned ten thousand copies to be printed and circulated among the states. After that, at President Lincoln's request, Carroll composed two lengthy pamphlets entitled The Relation of Revolted Citizens to the National Government (1862) and The War Powers of the Government (1861). In these Carroll outlined a theory that claims the southern states' secession was unconstitutional. She held that the general rebellion was merely the sum of numerous individual acts of rebellion and thus fell under the authority of the executive branch rather than the legislative branch of government. In short, she provided constitutional ground on which Lincoln, as head of the executive branch, could declare war on the rebellious states despite competing claims of authority from Congress.
In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln asked Carroll to accompany an army officer to the western theater of the war to prepare Civil War strategy. Until then, the Union had intended to send a gunboat expedition directly down the Mississippi River. But, after observing the heavy fortifications along the river, Carroll devised a new plan that changed the area of attack to the Tennessee River, a largely unfortified area, and submitted the new strategy to the War Department. Realizing the merit of Carroll's plan, War Department leaders enacted it, thereafter capturing two Confederate forts and severely disabling communication lines. The victories preceded the fall of Vicksburg, another battle influenced by Carroll's strategy.
Carroll's involvement in the war was kept secret from the public and the military, fearing that Union generals and soldiers would not follow a plan devised by a woman civilian. In fact, the 1864 Francis Carpenter painting depicting Lincoln and his cabinet prominently displays an empty chair filled with notes and maps, similar to the ones Carroll often carried. Many historians now feel it was Carpenter's way of acknowledging Carroll, the unrecognized member of the cabinet.
Once the war was over, Carroll was largely ignored, until, in 1870, she officially appealed to Congress for both recognition and compensation, which she was finally granted in 1881. Carroll's story became a banner for the women's suffrage movement. To many, she remains an historical symbol of women's inequity.
Click here to find out more about the film and Carroll.
Additional information can also be found at http://www.friendsofannaellacarroll.org or www.missannaellacarroll.com.
Tickets for the world premiere of the film are $12.50 each ($15 at the door) and can be purchased by contacting the Maryland Women's Heritage Center at 410-767-0675. Spread the word!
MWHC Board Member Carolyn B. Stegman is author of the book, Women of Achievement in Maryland History. Cambridge, Maryland, resident Frank Bittner, a member of Friends of Anna Ella Carroll, contributed to this article.
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Maryland Women's Heritage Center Opening Celebration
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center's initial site at 39 West Lexington Street in Baltimore opened to the general public on Saturday, June 19, 2010, with a special celebration. Historic portrayers also depicted renowned Maryland women.
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Recent Heritage Happenings
*Annual Women Spanning the Globe
Thursday, June 3, 2010
American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore
The
Maryland Women's Heritage Center was a cooperating partner of this
women-only annual event hosted by The World Trade Center Institute.
This year's theme was "The Power of Purpose: Successful Women in
International Roles."
(Photos courtesy of the World Trade Center Institute)
 
*Women's History Symposium
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Maryland Women's Heritage Center, Baltimore
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center and Maryland NOW presented a Women's History Symposium discussing the following questions: "Where were the women?" and "How might history be different if women's contributions were recognized?" Attendees listened to several speakers focusing on anything and everything revolving women in history, including women's suffrage, how women's roles have changed throughout history and the role feminism plays in today's culture.
 
*Baltimore Women's Classic 5K
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Rash Field, Baltimore
The Maryland Women's Heritage Center was a proud sponsor of the 35th anniversary of this female-only race in Baltimore and the second oldest women-only race in the U.S.! The Baltimore Women's Classic 5K provides vital fundraising support to women undergoing gynecologic cancer treatments. Volunteers from the Maryland Women's Heritage Center staffed a waterstop during the race. The Maryland Women's Heritage Center also had a display table set-up in the Festival Village and provided fliers and other information about the Center.
 
 
*Women in ABC (WABC) Wine and Cheese Tasting & Silent Auction (invitation-only)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Maryland Women's Heritage Center, Baltimore
The Women in ABC (WABC), a committee of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Baltimore Chapter, held a special invitation-only event at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center to raise money for an inaugural Scholarship Program. Young women will be asked to research and construct a display about women who have made a significant contribution to the construction industry in Maryland and the most outstanding submissions are intended to become a part of the permanent collection at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center. A scholarship will also be awarded to the winner's choice of college.
 
 
*Women of Tomorrow
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Miller Office Building, Annapolis
This
special event, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Human Resources,
Maryland Commission for Women, Maryland State Department of Education,
and the friends of the Maryland Commission for Women, and supported by
the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, honored girls who are outstanding
students and members of their communities and who have a strong vision
for the future.
Honorees
included First Place Winner for Grades 7-8 Emily Brooke Zimmerman
(Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County) and Honorable Mention
Madeline L. Henwood (Northern Middle School, Calvert County), First
Place Winner for Grades 9-10 Asmi Panigrahi (Atholton High School,
Howard County) and Honorable Mention Josephine Ann Grant (Francis Scott
Key High School, Carroll County), First Place Winner for Grades 11-12
Allegra Hawkins (Easton High School, Talbot County) and Honorable
Mentions Thuy-Vy Duong (Rockville High School, Montgomery County) and
Bianca C. Datta (Thomas S. Wootton High School, Montgomery County).
(Photos courtesy of the Maryland Commission for Women)
 
 
*Chesapeake Professional Women's Network (CPWN) Women's Equality Day Luncheon Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Wetlands Golf Course, Aberdeen
Jill
Moss Greenberg, Executive Director of the Maryland Women's Heritage
Center, served as the keynote speaker for this luncheon presented by
the Chesapeake Professional Women's Network.
(Photos courtesy of B K Williams Photography)
 
*Spirited Woman of Baltimore Awards and Power Lunch
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Morton's The Steakhouse, Baltimore |
Maryland Women's Heritage Center Mission
The mission of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center is to preserve the past, understand the present, and shape the future by recognizing, respecting, and transmitting the experiences and contributions of Maryland women of diverse backgrounds and regions.
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Maryland Women's Heritage Center
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We are proud to partner with the following organizations that support the creation of this historic first:
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