Celebrate Women's History Month with GGRWHC!
Women at the Bar: A Century of Women Attorneys in
Grand Rapids, 1870s to 1970s
In the 1960s and 1970s, a new wave of women attorneys began joining the bar in Grand Rapids, paving the way for many who followed. Yet they were not the first female attorneys to practice law in Grand Rapids. In the late 1870s, Elizabeth Eaglesfield, one of the early female graduates of the University of Michigan Law School, hung out her shingle and began advertising for clients. She was followed by Ella Mae Backus, an attorney who became the backbone of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan, and others, such as Gale Saunders, who are largely unknown today. Attorney and Grand Valley professor Ruth Stevens will trace the history of the first century of women attorneys in Grand Rapids, bringing to life the stories of these early women attorneys and linking them to the next wave of pioneers who helped shape the Grand Rapids legal community as it is today.
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Local attorney Ruth Stevens will talk about a century of early female attorneys in Grand Rapids for Women's History Month.
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Ms. Stevens' program is co-sponsored by the
Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council and the
Grand Rapids Historical Society
Gerald R. Ford Museum, 303 Pearl Street NW
7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, 2014
Free and open to the public
Free parking
Reception following
Rediscovering Merze Tate: A Treasure in Our Backyard
Celebrate Women's History Month with the Grand Rapids Study Club! On March 20 the GRSC will host a program on Merze Tate, born an African American girl in 1905 near Blanchard in rural Michigan. She graduated first in her class from Western Michigan University in 1927, earned a doctorate from Oxford University, worked for the State Department, and traveled around the world twice. Tate became a Howard University history professor and sometime U.S. diplomat, held patents, spoke five languages, wrote seven political books, and purchased a ticket for a flight into outer space--before leaving a legacy of millions of dollars to educational institutions.
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| Merze Tate (1905 - 1996) |
Merze Tate captured her world through the lens of her camera. Thus, long after her death in 1996, Kalamazoo journalist Sonya Bernard-Hollins will be able to show you Tate's world through her own eyes. The account of this unique African American woman's life will also illustrate the tenacity and courage necessary for her to defy the odds during the Jim Crow and pre-Civil Rights eras. At one point her own State Department labeled Tate "a public relations risk." Hear her story!
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| Kzoo journalist Sonya Bernard-Hollins will tell Merze Tate's story for Women's History Month. |
Searching for Merze Tate sent Bernard-Hollins on a fascinating journey of her own. Discoveries in the WMU archives have resulted in a traveling photo exhibit, a Kalamazoo youth travel club, and much travel for Bernard-Hollins herself as she spreads the word about this amazing woman whose story should never have been lost in the first place. On March 20, meet Merze Tate with the help of Bernard-Hollins. In the meantime, learn more about both women by visiting the following link: MerzeTate
Noon, Thursday, March 20, 2014
Fair Housing Center of West Michigan
20 Hall Street SE (just east of Division)
Lunch is provided, and parking is available.
Please let us know you're coming at
annie.edwards756@gmail.com or spmiles@comcast.net
This program is co-sponsored by the
Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council.
GGRWHC Membership Drive and Renewal 2014
Earlier in February 2014, you may have received in your snail mail our annual membership letter. This letter brought you important news about our activities and achievements to date and ways to either renew your membership or become a new member. It also brought you our brand new brochure.
Note this year we have changed our membership and sponsorship options. As a sponsor, we are asking for your permission to use your name on our newly redesigned web site.
If you have yet to respond to our letter or go to our web site to renew or become a member, we look forward to hearing from you in March. As Women's History Month, March is always a good time to remember and support the research that honors local, historical women. We thank you always for your present and past support of GGRWHC!
For a copy of our new brochure, click below.
HERE (Page 1)
HERE (Page 2)
For March Historical Fun Facts and other programs and events for Women's History Month, visit our Homepage,
www.ggrwhc.org
