Women, A History: Emmeline Pankhurst - Forger of Women's Equality

Emmeline Pankhurst

Forger of Women's Equality

(1858-1928)

      Many women paved the way for social equality between men and women, but no one left such a mark as Emmeline Pankhurst. Any woman who voted in the Brexit and the election of the new prime minister last summer; and even women in the U.S. who voted in the presidential election, all owe a great deal of gratitude to Emmeline Pankhurst. She revolutionized women's suffrage and was not afraid to go beyond the boundaries of the law to make herself heard. 

     Born in Manchester England in 1858, Emmeline Goulden was the daughter of a modest merchant who provided well for his family.  The Gouldens were all active politically and socially. They were fierce abolitionists and Uncle Tom's Cabin was a frequent bedtime story to the Goulden children. Oftetimes abolitionists from the United States were frequent visitors to the Goulden household. Unfortunately, Emmeline's parents did not see much of a future for their daughter for advanced education even though they supported women's suffrage. 

     When Emmeline was fourteen she went and heard known suffragist, Lydia Becker speak. Emmeline was so movied by her speech that she declared herself a suffragist that day. When she was twenty, Emmeline met Richard Pankhurst, a forty-four year old barrister and supporter of women's suffrage. Despite her mother's objections, Emmeline and Richard were married a year later on December 18, 1879. Together they had five children; two of her daughters Christobel and Sylvia accompanied their mother during her suffragette travels. 

     In 1898, Richard Pankhurst died from health problems and Emmline was left to care for her large family with considerable debt. In 1903, Emmmeline founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) which separated itself from political parties. The WSPU was known for its violent activities such as breaking windows, bombings and public disorder all in the name of women's suffrage. Many women, Emmeline included, were arrested and faced abuse, humiliation and public disgrace. While in prison many women went on hunger strikes, became ill and even died.

     Eventually, the tactics of the WSPU were becoming too controversial and soon united with several other moderate organizations to become the National Union of Women's Suffrage Society (NUWSS). Arrests and hunger strikes still continued for the Suffragette movement, but was put on hold due to WWII where Emmeline believed the war should have the aid of all people. During the war, Emmeline traveled to the U.S. to give her aid and support to the Suffragette movement. 

     After spending time in Russia where she was well known due to her autobiography and where she urged the people not to side with Germany, Emmeline returned to England after the war ended and continued with her work. In 1918, the political atmosphere started to turn in favor to women's rights. Emmeline tried to put together an all women's political party, but was unsuccessful. Eventually, she became more active in the politics of British Unity than in women's suffrage but still continued to support the cause. 

     Years of travel and campaigning for different causes as well as issues with her daughter, Sylvia, began to wear on Emmeline's health. On June 14, 1928, Emmeline died at sixty-nine and is buried in London. She left behind an incredible legacy that is paralleled by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It wasn't just her role in women's suffrage, but her role in politics in general that defined her as a formidable women with the intelligence and integrity to take on anyone who challenged her position, her thoughts and her beliefs. 

Women, A History: Anne Bradstreet - Domestic Poet

Anne Bradstreet

Domestic Poet

(1612-1672)

      Like most Puritan women of her time, Anne Bradstreet was probably expected to fulfill the only duties women were expected to perform. Marry well and have children. Of which she did both. However, Anne Bradstreet was the first women to ever break beyond the boundaries of her societal expectations and become the first recognized female poet in North America. Drawing inspiration from her family life as a wife and mother, Anne wrote about her family, her love of nature, her faith and the happiness and hardships in her life. There was sensitivity, but strength in Anne's poems and she had an uncanny ability to speak to all people on all levels, not just with women.

     Born Anne Dudley in Northampton, England 1612, Anne grew up in a wealthy family where she was highly educated. She married Simon Bradstreet when she was sixteen and with him left England and sailed to Massachusetts. Anne and Simon had eight children of which seven of them manged to live to adulthood (a rarity back then). Simon Bradstreet was influential in the building of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was governor from 1679-1686 and from 1689-1692. 

     Anne's poetry ranged from humorously sweet to suddenly dark and heartbreaking. The death of her child, her grandchildren and her daughter in law all impacted her greatly and more than once her faith was shaken. As a Puritan women she was expected to keep her feelings and private opinions to herself and to never speak of them out loud. Anne's poetry was her internal expression of her thoughts of her life as a wife and mother, as a women who loved God, but also as a person who struggled with loss and grief. You can view all of Anne's works here.

     Oddly enough, Anne never intended to be published. Women were not considered intelligent enough to understand the intellectual mind and for a women to even write about anything was unheard of. However, Anne's brother in law took her works and had them published without her knowing. Afterwards, Anne's poetry become the sound of the new America. While Anne may have broken several gender barriers, women still had a long way to go before they obtained social equality. Anne's insight on life as told through a homemaker and a Christian continues to inspire people today and is why she considered one of the most influential writers of the early American period. 

Women, A History: Mary Rowlandson - True American Survivor

Mary Rowlandson 

True American Survivor 

(1637-1711)

     I had never heard of Mary Rowlandson prior to taking my American Lierature class last semester. However, her personal narrative of her capture by several Indian tribes during King Philip's War, her hellish journey of loss and survival, and her miraculous homecoming left me amazed. One lonely women, a wife and mother, who had nothing but her domestic skills and her faith to overcome separation from her family, the death of her daughter and a never-ending fear of losing her life to her enemies. 

      She was born Mary White in Somerset, England. Her family moved to Salem and then to Lancaster, Massachusetts in the 1650's. When she was nineteen she married Reverand Joseph Rowlandson and they had four children. As was typical of the time, Mary was devoted to her young children and was a very skilled as a seamstress, a talent that would ultimately save her life. 

     In 1657, King Philip's War was raging on between the Native Americans and the European colonists. There had been attacks and raids from the Indians and overtime they came closer to Lancaster. On February 10, Lancaster was attacked by three different allied Indian tribes and she and her children, Joseph, Mary and Sarah were taken hostage. Sarah was badly wounded and died days later and Mary was soon separated from her other two children.

  

     In her narrative Mary described her eleven weeks of captivity where she was sold off from tribe to tribe. Sometimes she was treated kindly, but most of the times she suffered terrible physical abuse. Mary's only salvation was her seamstress skills. She sewed clothes and blankets as well as mended all for a little bit of food at the end of a long day of travel. While she was alone Mary would repeat Scripture and pray constantly for her children. 

     Finally, Mary was freed by King Philip through a ransom by the people of Boston and was soon reunited with her husband and three children. Afterwards, Joseph Rowlandson moved his family Westherfield, Connecticut, but died a year later. Mary moved her family to Boston where she  eventually married Captain Sumuel Talcott. Six years after her capture, Mary wrote her narrative of her survival, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God: Being a Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. Her narrative was published in 1692, and was a success in both the colonies and England and is thought to be the first "American Bestseller."

     Mary died on January 5, 1711. Her bravery and heroism is marked in Puritan history and literature and to this day, Mary is considered one of the greatest survivors in American history.

   

Women, A History: Matoaka "Pocahontas" //Rebecca Rolfe - Mother of Two Nations

Matoaka"Pocahontas"//Rebecca Rolfe
Mother of Two Nations

(c. 1596-1617)

The Baptism of Pocahontas (1840) by John Gadsby Chapman

     Most people nowadays associate Pocahontas with the 1995 animated Disney film Pocahontas which is based on the actual historical figure and centers on her relationship with Captain John Smith. While many people (primarily the Christian/fundamentalist/homeschooling community) despise the film as being either historically inaccurate (no, there are no cliffs in Virginia) or promoting cultural religions such as animism (which is what the Native people would have practiced, so wouldn't that be considered accurate??), the movie launched a worldwide fascination with Pocahontas to the millennial generation. Pocahontas is one of the greatest and most beloved figures in American history who has continued to intrigue and inspire long after her death. 

      Although she has been disputed to have many names, here childhood nickname Pocahontas is what has made her legendary. Historians believe that she was given the name Matoaka by her father Powhatan, the paramount chief of the Tsenacommacah nation. Little is known about Pocahontas' early life, but that she was described as a playful child (hence her nickname which literally means "playful one") and a favorite of the tribe. She was said to be the youngest of Powhatan's children and had a multitude of brothers and sisters. As a child, Pocahontas would have learned how to garden, plant, plow, care for animals, gather wood and make her own clothes.

     Then in 1607, the English came to Virginia and settled in Jamestown. Among them was Captain John Smith who was intent on discovery and adventure and certainly found it when he was captured by Powhatan's people. As the supposed history goes, the natives were fearful of the white men and their weapons and were about to put Smith to death. However, Pocahontas (who was between the ages ten and twelve) begged her father to spare his life. Powhatan complied and set Smith free. As supposed historians say, Pocahontas and Smith were good friends, but anything beyond that is pure speculation. 

The Marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe by John Gadsby Chapman?

     Eventually, Smith had to return to England and Pocahontas herself became a a captive prisoner during a the first Anglo-Powhatan War in 1613. She was captured by the English and held prisoner there for over a year. During a standstill in the war, Pocahontas supposedly rebuked her father for choosing war over his own daughter and said she would rather stay with the English.

       Through her imprisonment she met John Rolfe, a widower from England who was the first successful planter and distributor of the tobacco plant. Overtime, Pocahontas began to adapt to the Anglo-Saxon ways of the English people, learned to read and write, started to dress like the women and converted to Christianity, taking on the name Rebecca. Eventually, John Rolfe felt that marriage to Rebecca could resolve many of the social and political problems between the English and the Powhatans. Through a great deal of trial, he convinced the governor of Virginia to let him marry Rebecca. They were married on April 5, 1614 and had one son, Thomas. Rebecca's feelings for Rolfe were unknown, but many said that they were a happy couple and loved their son dearly. 

     John and Rebecca's marriage helped bring temporary peace between the settlers and the natives and ended the war for a short time. In 1616, the Rolfe's traveled to England where Rebecca was considered quite a speculator sight to the English. After living in England for almost a year, John and Rebecca boarded to go back to Virginia in March of 1617, but Rebecca became ill with either smallpox or pneumonia and they had to stay in England. Rebecca died a few days later in John's arms. She was buried on March 21, 1617 in England. John and Thomas returned to Virgina and stayed there until their deaths. Pocahontas has several well known descendants, including First Ladies, Edith Wilson and Nancy Reagan. 

Women, A History: Katherine 'Kat' Ashley - Loyal Lady-in-Waiting

Katherine Champernowne Ashley

Loyal Lady-in-Waiting

(1502?-1565)

     This is going to be considerably shorter, because not much is known about Katherine Ashley except that she was governess to Queen Elizabeth I when she was a child and eventually became her most trusted lady-in-waiting. When Anne Boleyn was beheaded, Elizabeth went through several different governesses before she was put into the care of Katherine Champernonwne. Kat was a brilliant young women who was well educated and had a good reputation among the nobility. She cared for the little princess as if she was her own child. 

     Kat was also Elizabeth's tutor and instructed her in history, grammar, astronomy, mathematics, and taught her how to speak Flemish, Spanish, Italian and French. She was also supplementary in training Elizabeth in needlework, horseback riding and dancing. Elizabeth once commented that Kat worked tirelessly to bring her up as a proper young woman. Elizabeth and Katherine were inseparable and Elizabeth truly saw her governess as her own mother at times. In 1545, Kat married John Ashley who was a distant cousin of Anne Boleyn.

  

     As life in the King Henry's court became more and more complicated, Kat tried to shield her charge the best she could. However, it was difficult because Elizabeth tended to belligerent and independent. One such issue was Elizabeth's blossoming relationship with Thomas Seymour (brother to Jane Seymour). At first, Kat was excepting of their friendship, but then they were becoming to physical with one another and eventually Kat told Thomas to leave Elizabeth. However, Thomas was accused of treason against the king and due to his relationship with Elizabeth, Kat was arrested and called into questioning, but was eventually let go when they realized she knew nothing.

     After Henry's death, Kat stayed with young Elizabeth during Mary's reign of tyranny and was imprisoned with her in The Tower until Elizabeth was taken to court. When Elizabeth became Queen, she named Kat First Lady of the Bedchamber (or Lady in Waiting). Kat stayed with the Queen until she died of a rapid illness in 1565. 

     Kat was more than Elizabeth's governess, she was her mother, her guide and her friend. She stayed close to her Queen in good times and in bad, and never wavered in her loyalty. Anyone would hope to have a friend that loyal in life.

“We are more bound to them that bringeth us up well, than to our parents, for our parents do that which is natural for them, that is bringeth us into the world, but our bringers up are a cause to make us live well in it.”

     ~Queen Elizabeth about Katherine Ashley 

Women, A History: Lydia Litvyak - Hero of The Soviet Union

 

Lydia Litvyak 

 Hero of The Soviet Union 

(August 18, 1921 - August 1, 1943)

     There is no denial that women definitely played their part in WWII. Working in factories, signing up as nurses, and of course the WACs (Women's Air Corps) and the WAVEs (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service - a Women's Navel Reserve). In England they had their own branching for Women's Service to the country that was cleverly designed to look like real army work, however, women in the U.S. and Great Britain never actually saw combat. It was a very different story in Russia, though.

      Due to Communist thought, men and women were considered on equal levels with each other in many areas, especially when it came to service to one's country. No one defined service better than fighter ace, Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak or Lilya Litviak. During her time in the war, she flew 66 combat missions, had twelve solo victories and four shared wins. Lydia was quick and precise with her flying and showed talent at a young age when she joined a flying club at fourteen. She then joined the Kherson military school and after graduation, she became on instructor at the Kalinin Air Club and instructed forty-five pilots.

      When the war broke out in 1939, Lydia (who was 18) was turned down from the Air Force due to her lack of experience, but she soon accepted by the all-female 586th Fighter Regiment of Air Defense Force and was trained in the Yakolev Yak-1 aircraft. Afterwards Lydia and several other female pilots were moved to a men's regiment where all the women, but Lydia especially, earned the respect of their male counterparts with their intense and aggressive fighting. Eventually Lydia and her friends were moved to the 9th Guards Fighter Regiment are were under the commandment of Lev Shestakov, Hero of the Soviet Union (that's our equivalent of the Medal of Honor).

 

     Despite being a male heavy environment, Lydia was known to be very feminine and oftentimes bleached her hair till it was white blonde. She loved flowers, especially lilies and roses and would keep them in the cockpit of her plane. Lydia also loved brightly colored clothes and made her own scarves out of left over parachute material. Not much is known about her personal life, except that she may have been engaged to a fellow pilot, Solomatin, but that was never confirmed or denied. However, when he was killed on a mission, Lydia took his death very hard and wrote to her mother, "I may meet anyone like him again."

     As a pilot, Lydia was aggressive and had a rebellious nature. She was not above taking risks and oftentimes was called out by her superiors. Yet, her daredevil nature is the only way she enjoyed flying. By 1943 Lydia was a senior lieutenant and had earn the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, and two Orders of the Patriotic War and was only twenty-one. In August of 1943, Lydia was flying at Orel during the Battle of Kursk when she was tracked and gunned down by two German fighter pilots. She was never seen again. It took years for people to find and recognize her remains, but it was eventually confirmed that she was killed in battle.

      The Soviet press releases named Lydia the "Lily of Stalingrad" and in 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev awarded Lydia the Hero of the Soviet Union. Over the last several years, Litvyak has gotten a good deal of recognition and several books have been written about her life. In 1985, there was a play called the White Rose which is about Lydia's life as a pilot.

New History Series

     I've hit the halfway point of my blogging year and I've decided to end my royal families series (which I have loved!) and start a new series, this time centering around women in history. Some of these women are well known while others not so much. All of these women were alive during great times expansions, change and war and all of them in some way contribute their own voice to the history of the world.

From left to right: Top - Lydia Litvyak, Kat Ashley and Pocahontas

From left to right: Bottom - Mary Rowlandson, Anne Bradstreet and Emmeline Pankhurst