Author: jeanne56

JOSEPHINE BAKER- Let’s Sculpt a Legacy

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JOSEPHINE BAKER (6/1906 to 4/1975)

MUSIC HALL ARTIST, WW11 HERO, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST

“Light the fire in you.” JB

            Some women do one thing extraordinarily well, which often leads to fame and success. Then funding is raised and an artist is selected to carve or sculpture their likeness into a statue so her accomplishments can be memorialized. If you’ve been following this blog, you know that’s been the case with most of the woman I’ve highlighted (see Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller). But with Josephine Baker, the ultimate over-achiever, she used her multitude of talents in a variety of ways, which lead to numerous successful outcomes. Bad news though; we’re still waiting for her statue to debut in America.

            Born into poverty, she used her preternatural singing ability to earn income for the family. When just a child, she was “married” to an older man who took her to Paris so she could perform without racial profiling, segregation and stereotyping. Josephine was also a woman who liked to push the boundaries of decency, morality and many of her acts were considered to be outrageous, even decadent. But her gamble paid off. Soon she was known as the “Creole Goddess of France” and became the first black woman to support herself as an entertainer. Soon movies, tours, sellout performances and exclusive private venues followed. Sure, she was controversial and had many naysayers, but nobody squelched her success. Not even the men in her life.

            Until Hitler entered the picture. Then she became the subject of hate and scorn. Hitler referred to her as the “Black Devil.” When the temperature became too hot, she took refuge in a chateau in France where she secretly housed people fleeing the Nazi regime. You’d think that would slow her down, but it didn’t. She used her celebrity to entertain the enemy and soon she was recruited by the resistance. “Keep your friends close and the enemy closer” was the motto she embraced. When it was time for her to return to London and then the USA, she stowed 50 classified documents in her sheet music. Her bravery led General Charles de Gaulle to award her the Croix de Guerre for her resistance work.

            When she arrived back in the states, she found herself smack in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. Motivated by injustice, racism and inequality, she  said, “ I have walked in the palaces of kings and queens and houses of presidents But I could not walk to a hotel room in America and get a cup of coffee.” Her efforts to fight discrimination, misogyny, and outdated Jim Crow laws, soon led her to the March on Washington (1963) where she became the only female to deliver and address the nation alongside Martin Luther King, Jr.

            Josephine Baler was a charming, intelligent woman who not only toppled the glass ceiling, she made a second story. Although there currently isn’t a statue of Josephine in America– there’s good news –  a funding campaign to celebrate her 100th anniversary of her journey to France has been established. Check out an art gallery (claggettrey.com) where you can contribute to the proposed project that has captured artist Jane DeDecker’s interest (see statue sketch). In the meantime, you can read books about her, watch her movies and documentaries. There’s also an upcoming biopic in the works. If you want to travel to France, you can find a cenotaph (empty tomb) inside the Pantheon of Paris, established in 2006; and there’s a statue of her erected in France’s National Museum.

            WOW: That’s a lot of life to live in 68 years. Where some women sparkle, Josephine shines. “Light the fire inside” is good advice.

             Ladies, get out there and light it up. Become your best self. Don’t let the patriarchy get you down. Josephine surely didn’t.

ABIGAIL ADAMS: Founding Mother, Feminist, A Woman Who Spoke Her Mind

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ABIGAIL ADAMS (1744-1818)

Founding Mother, Feminist, Prolific Letter-Writer

“ Remember the ladies in your new Code of Law.” A. Adams

 

               As we celebrate our 250th anniversary of independence, it’s only fitting to highlight one of our Founding Mothers. Once you learn more about Abby, you’ll understand why there are numerous statues scattered throughout the country and why President once said, “Abigail Adams would’ve been a better president than her husband”. Ouch.

Let’s see what made her tick. Abigail wed her husband, John Adams, when she was 18 while he was a young lawyer. Abigail was raised and educated by a progressive minister and his wife who both believed that a woman should read widely. Perhaps that’s why Abigail fell easily into the role of “unofficial advisor” to her husband, even after he became President of the United states. Some even went as far as calling her “Mr. President.” A Harvard law professor is quoted as saying, “You cannot understand John without understanding Abby.”

            So what’s to understand? As the wife of the second US president, and mother of the sixth president, John Quincy Adams, there’s lots to unpack. She was the mother of six children but four only made it to adulthood. According to records, losing two children almost broke her but resilience not only helped her grieve but paved a way for her to find her voice. And what a voice she had.

            Most of the insights we have about Abby are in the form of 1,000 letters she wrote to her husband, John, while diplomatic missions for the Continental Congress kept him away. In one of her most famous correspondences, she wrote:

            “Remember the ladies in your new Code of Laws. Do not put unlimited power in the hands of the husbands. All men can be tyrants. Pay attention to the ladies- we will not hold ourselves bound by any laws that do not give us representation. No representation,  no voice.”

            All men can be tyrants. WOW! Can you imagine his face when he read her letter? Just to put this kind of overt feminism into perspective –  we’re still in the 1700’s here – when Women obeyed their husband and remained quiet, even if they disagreed with them. And disagree they did, on top such as immigration, France, and the XYZ affair. We don’t know that when Abby wrote the letters, she had any idea that hundreds of years later, these letters would fall into the public domain, but still- most woman didn’t even have those kinds of matriarchal thoughts. I like to think it was because she was well read. I can just see her wearing this logo on her nightshirt, “A well-read woman is a dangerous thing.” To men, that is. Except Abby had the president in her bed and the other founding fathers on speed dial (ok, maybe not that ) but it was common knowledge she and Thomas Jefferson shared a decades long platonic relationship based on their mutual love of intellectual freedom.

            Numerous statues of Abigail can be found through the country. One of them places her on Quincy Hancock Commons in from of Quincy City Hall. The bronze statute, sculpted by Sergey Eylanbekov placed a quill in one hand, a letter in the other, a table beside her that hold an inkwell. She’s positioned as to appear that she’s looking toward her husband, whose statue is nearby. One of my favorite statues of her is where she’s standing alongside her son, John Quincy Adams future President of The United States, when he was ten. Another statue of Abby can be found with two other founding mothers in the Commonwealth Ave Mall. This time she’s standing next to  Lucy Stone and Phillis Whatley (look them up, they’re remarkable in their own right.)

            Numerous books have been written about Abigail Adams, most of them detail the thousands of letters that she’s written. There’s also few picture books, a miniseries based on her and John (John Adams, 2008) and in the play, 1776, her role in the revolution is highlighted. There’s more about her and John but there is not one standalone biopic. Actors, directors, producers, screenwriters ,are you listening? Abby deserves her own star-studded biopic. Nicole Kidman, drop everything and greenlight project.

            Abigail Adams was a woman who spoke her mind. Luckily for the floundering country, people were listening. They didn’t always like what she said, but bygone, she was heard. We should all take a page from her life- write, blog, post, make a podcast or a Substack- do what you can to get the word out.

             Women are coming! 2028 is our year. Thanks, Abby.  

MARY CASSATT: Artist, American expatriate, Feminist

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MARY CASSATT (5/22/1844 to 6/14/1936)

Artist, American expatriate, Feminist

 

“I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up.”               M. Cassatt

 

            I recently visited a local art museum with an artist friend and because she focused on the artist and not just the painting, I had a different experience than I’ve had at other art museums. One of the artists my friend adored was Mary Cassaat. I’ve always loved impressionism—favoring Claude Monet over all the others – but on this visit my eyes were opened to the way Mary and the other women impressionists were treated; misogyny, sexism, inequality and social standing significantly impacted their success tenfold. While it was an arduous task for male artists to attain recognition, acceptance and financial security, the obstacles women endured were insurmountable. But Mary made it to the summit and remained there for decades. That’s when I knew it was Mary’s turn to sit at the top of my pedestal.

            Mary was born in the mid-1800’s and during those times, women were expected to be subservient to the men in their lives: even women of high social standing and education. When Mary came of age in the 1879’s, it was rare for women to have their own aspirations. But Mary was an exception – moving to Paris when she was in her 20’s and then quickly immersing herself in the impression style of painting. Impressions was an avant-garde style of painting that used unblended colors, visible brush strokes, and applied a unique method of capturing color and time. It’s said to have been coined by an art critic in 1824 when he mocked Claude Monet’s painting (How dare he?) titled “Impression: Sunrise,” saying it looked like an unfinished sketch. But instead of rebuking Monet, the art community embraced this softer style and a “movement” was born. And Mary, like all women who knew a good thing when they saw it, placed herself right in the thick of things.

            Recognizing Edgar Dega as a kindred spirit, Mary embarked on a personal and professional relationship with him that lasted decades. Mary, blessed with good luck, an abundance of talent, family money, a keen sense of intuition, and friends like Berthe Morisot, Renoir, Manet, Pissarro and Cezanne, she soon became known as the “first great American female artist.” Unlike many women, Mary was able to not only support herself, she also bankrolled some of the early suffragette movements. Many of her famous painting were of women and children in casual settings; Mother & Child; In the Loge; Little Girl with Blue Velvet, The Tea, and Lydia Seated on a Porch. Unfortunately, some of her artwork was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire.

            The 8ft. bronze statue of Mary Cassatt, erected in 2004, can be found in front of the Millikin Fine Arts Bldg. at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. The statue was sculptured by Richard Miller, the same man responsible for creating five other statues of historic women, all of whom had ties to the Fine Arts.

            Let’s celebrate Mary’s beautiful artwork, her bravery as well as her perseverance.  She spent most of her life doing what she loved best, and lucky for us, we still get to enjoy her beautiful paintings; all of which are full of emotional depth and heart. Perhaps Pissarro says it best,  “Blessed are they who see beautiful things where others see nothing.”

 

 

 

 

 

JACQUELINE du PRE: Cellist (1945-1987)

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JACQUELINE du PRE

Extraordinary Australian Cellist (who died too young)

“Her 1962 debut was a swansong of rare and vanishing beauty.”  Jewish Renaissance org.

 

            Since I named this blog “Women Rock. Statues and the Stories they Tell,” you’d think I’d capitalize on the “women rock” angle. But you’d be wrong. Ms. Du Pre is only the second women with a musical pedigree highlighted in this blog. I featured the indubitable Tina Turner and instead of singing her praises, many people complained about how awful the bronzed statue made her look. Sigh. Luckily, Jacqueline’s statute is as lovely and inviting as she was in person.

            Born in Randwick,  Australia Jackie’s excitement over the cello and its wonderful melodies, kicked in at age eight. And after only nine years of extensive training, hours of practice and exhaustive rehearsals, she debuted at one of the most prestigious venues: Wigmore Hall in London. Seventeen-year-old Jacqueline wowed the audience with her exuberant performance and her infectious joy. According to Mr. Barenboim, an Israeli pianist and her future husband (whom she wed at age 22), Jackie was so emotionally carefree that people wished they could capture but didn’t quite manage to do so.”

            “Art can have powerful effects on people and can help educate, inspire and stimulate creativity.”  (randwicknsw.gov)

            Music is an art that allows the arrangement of sounds and silences to combine with melody, harmony and rhythm to produce form, beauty and emotional expression. Emotional expression is the area in which Jacquline shined. She played the cello, which is often known as the tenor of the string section, with bliss, gleeful abandon and freedom from constraint, all of which elevated her performances to that of a virtuoso. Playing the cello isn’t easy. Ask Yo-Yo Ma. First off, you’re in a seated position with a large instrument straddled between your legs, while manipulating strings and simultaneously holding a bow in the right-hand as your left-hand fiddles with a fingerboard. Strength, agility and dexterity along with precise timing are needed. Jackie possessed all these skills, and more.

            Until she didn’t. In 1971, Jackie lost sensitivity in her fingers which impacted her performances, but it wasn’t until 1973 when she received a diagnosis of Multiple Scoliosis (MS) which ultimately led to the termination of her professional career. However, Jackie was able to teach music until her MS progressed. Sadly, her swansong played its last note at the age of 41.

            But that’s not where her story stopped. She was never forgotten, mainly due to a bunch of film makers, documentarians, writers, financial bankers who continued to tell her story in a variety of ways. The Music & Opera Singers Trust commissioned a statue of her and in 2018 and it was finally unveiled in Kensington Park Community Center in Sydney park, Australia. Sculptor Marin Cherina, created a life-sized bronze statue of Jacqueline doing what she did best, playing the cello with an abundance of joy. Visitors to the garden where she is erected are invited to sit for a while so they can find the peace that resides in their soul. I might bring a headset so I could listen to one of her performances as I honor her memory.  

            You can also check out an array of YouTube videos and movies such as Hilary and Jackie; A Swan Song of Rare and Vanishing Beauty and a PBS documentary, Jacquelien du Pre: A Genius and Tragedy. I suppose you could look at her life as a tragedy because of her untimely death, but even though she lived a short life she brought more joy to the masses than most of will do in our  lifetime. Don’t leave out these two non-fiction books: Jacquline du Pre: Her Life. Her Music. Her Legend by E. Wilson and Jacquline du Pre: A Biography be C. Easton

           Rock on Jacqueline. I’m honored to include you in my Monuments of the Matriarchy parade. Travel down the road with us as we continue to dot the landscape with remarkable women, full of fabulous faces of feminist freedom.

 

 

 

 

JANE ADDAMS: peace advocate, feminist, pioneer social worker

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JANE ADDAMS (1860-1935)

Pioneer social worker, feminist, intellectual, internationalist, peace advocate and theorist

“True Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice.” Jane Addams

 

            Jane Addams was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. The award was given to her in 1931 for her decades long work in peace. How do you get the Nobel Prize for peace? Do you cry and whine until someone gives you theirs? No, you denounce war, dedicate your life to peace and then live as a pacifist as Jane has done.

            Born in Illinois, Jane lived during hard times; from the Civil War through WW11 and into the Great Depression. Throughout personal traumas, national crises and world upheavals she remained steadfast in her beliefs even when faced with opposition. I imagine she had Leon Tolsky’s quote taped to her mirror to keep her strong: “Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” Even Theodore Roosevelt, who was rumored to have nicknamed her “Bull Mouse,” had a problem with her pacifism. But thank goodness she didn’t shy away from controversy.

            Throughout her career, Jane not only advocated for peace but she was a proponent of women’s rights, a champion of the poor, especially immigrants, and lobbied to get better health care and education for the youth of America. Perhaps her greatest legacy was the creation of Hull House in 1889. Using inheritance from her father’s estate, earnings from her writings and public speaking engagements, and some public funding, Jane cobbled together enough money to buy an old mansion and convert it to what became “America’s first settlement house.” The house became a haven for the entire community. Another noteworthy achievement was the establishment of WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom). William James had this to say about Jane: “She inhabited reality. She was not only good, but great.” What a compliment;  I only wish someone would say that about me. Everyone should strive for greatness. Yet few make it across the finish line as Jane has done.

            Unfortunately when I visited Chicago last summer, I didn’t get a chance to visit her monument at the Chicago Women’s Park. Tours are great but the downside is there’s never enough time to see everything. I’m making it a priority next time I’m in Chicago. Please do the same. Created by Louise Bourgeois, the Helping Hand sculpture is a beautiful tribute to this amazing woman’s life long work. The hands symbolize the broad spectrum of people throughout the world whom Jane Addams touched with her unending advocacy.

            In addition to all her social work endeavors she was also prolific author. Here are some of her books to check out: Twenty-Years at Hull House; Second Twenty Years at Hull House and Democracy and Social Ethics. Other writers have also penned details of her historic and memorable life;  see Jane Addams: A Hero of our Times; The Jane Addams Reader and A Useful Woman- The Early Life of Jane Addams.

            So that’s how you get a Noble Peace Prize. You fight the good fight without violent means until you’ve reached your goal. Jane’s tireless and selfless dedication to peace will forever be remembered.

            Rock on Jane. Long live your soul. May your spirit shine down on us.

DOROTHEA DIX: Teacher, mental health advocate and champion of the disenfranchised

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DOROTHEA DIX (4/14/1802 to 7/17/1887)

A WOMAN ON A MISSION: Teacher, mental health advocate and champion of the disenfranchised 

 

Let me tell you about Dorothea Dix, that way you can tell me why this amazing crusader for fair and equitable treatment of the mentally ill and founder of 30 public psychiatric hospitals, doesn’t have a statue of her own.

Yes, she’s founded a few hospitals named after her. Dix Hospital, in my own state of North Carolina, was opened in 1856. North Carolina has also built a park in her honor which has the most splendid art installations in the form of five trolls made of recycled material –  fashioned by Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo—scattered throughout the lush surroundings. Elsewhere, a fountain has been constructed as a tribute to her efforts; a small portrait hangs in the Portrait Gallery; a bronze medallion (pictured) has been issued and there’s a historical marker. In addition, she was inducted into The National Hall of fame in 1979. But no statue.

Exhausting work. Thousands of men, with much less impressive accomplishments have been memorialized with a statue of marble, granite, bronze, silver, glass, or natural fibers. I ask you, what must a woman do in order to have a statue carved in her likeness?

Let’s start again. From the beginner. Perhaps I didn’t explain myself well enough. Dorothea was born to a father with a bad temper. As a result she was sent to her grandmother to be raised in a better environment. She benefited from this change in guardianship and graduated from college with a teaching degree. One Sunday morning in 1843, she volunteered to teach a class at the local jail. That’s where her advocacy began. As soon as she stepped inside the prison, the conditions of the prisoners shocked, appalled and horrified her, many of whom were not criminals but mentally ill people who had nowhere else to go. Most were denied medical care and everyone she met suffered from malnutrition. Some were naked and locked in cages. The rooms were covered in feces.

 I’m not sure what you would do when faced with the same situation. But she hopped on the first train and headed straight to the nearest legislative office. Remember this is 1843. Sure took a lot of guts.

Here is an excerpt of her speech: “I come to the legislature to advocate for the miserable, the desolate, the helpless and the forgotten men and women deemed insane. Everyone should be horrified by the conditions and treatment of the mentally ill. I imply you to do better.” They listened and for a while, the country did a better job. Dorothea was successful in her endeavors to change public perception of mental illness but unfortunately it didn’t stick.

We all remember the horrific conditions uncovered by Geraldo Rivera during the 1970s when he visited Willlowbrook. Please don’t blame Dorothea for something that happened 100 years after she died. And we’re well aware that soldiers are sent back into harm’s way with untreated Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Then there are the drug-addicted, many of whom suffer concomitant  mental illness.  She left us in good shape and we messed up.

Time to continue the conversation. One way to start the discussion is to erect a statue of Dorothea Dix so we can remember her call to duty. See something. Say something. Do something. We all need to follow her spirit and pledge to be better human beings when it comes to the infirmed, especially those who lack the capacity for coherent thought.

Rock on Dorothea! May you be chiseled in stone for all eternity.

 

CHRISTA McAUILFFE: Teacher and Astronaut

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Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space (9/2/48-1/28/86)

“ I touch the future. I teach.”

 

            A bronze statue of Christa McAuliffe – the woman who lost her life soon after becoming the first private citizen to fly into space – has been erected and unveiled on Sept. 2, 2024 in Concord, New Hampshire.  The 8 ft. tall bronze statue, created by Benjamin Victor, sits atop a granite pedestal. The monument depicts a smiling Christa, clad in a NASA flight suit, as she strides to the launch pad. I came across this statue by happenstance when I was visiting my son and his family. And I’m so glad I did. Christa’s contribution to the world, to science and to women should never be forgotten.  She gave her life for the pursuit of knowledge as she searched for the perfect lesson. Christa wanted to show her students that reaching for the stars was an attainable goal. My kind of woman.

            Christa was a 37-year-old high school science teacher teaching in Concord, New Hampshire, when she was selected from 11,000 applicants to become the first private citizen to become an astronaut. She definitely had the right stuff. After training as a payloads specialist, Christa was assigned a 6-day mission on the Challenger that would deploy and track satellite data  But tragically, seven seconds into flight, one of the shuttle’s solid rocket boosters failed, resulting in the vehicle breaking apart, killing McAuliffe and her crewmates. She left behind a husband and 2 children. A horrific day.

            If you believe in silver linings, you’ll take comfort in knowing that Christa has become a Lasting Legacy, a title so revered it’s usually reserved for heads of state, gifted athletes, award-winning actors, beloved musicians and prolific writers. Yet the city of Concord considers Christa a hometown hero and in her honor, they’ve recently established a McAuliffe-Shephard Discovery Center which houses science exhibits, space observation lookouts, model jets, a planetarium as well as an outdoor science playground. Also, Gov. Sununu issued an executive order that resulted in the creation and implementation of the statue that’s housed on the grounds of Concord’s US Capital Hall, along with other men of historic prominence. She’s the only woman that’s been given this honor.  The space world has also remembered her well. Thirty-two years after the accident, two former teachers/astronauts  who’ve been working on the International Space Center have videotaped a few of her science lessons she’d planned to teach from space. Her place in the space mission has not been ignored.

            Christa has become a symbol of hope and opportunity. For the Everyman. For teachers. For children. For women. Ms. McAuliffe loved to tell her students “Reach for it. Push yourself as far as you can go.”

         Remember Christa’s bravery the next you watch a space launch. Remember Christa’s unflinching faith in the unknown as you reach for the stars.

         Rock on Christa!

 

VICTORIA WOODHULL: First Woman to Run for President

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Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927)

“I have an inalienable, constitutional and natural right to love whom I love.”

 

            It’s 1872 and Victoria Woodhull wages a presidential campaign. Wait. That can’t be right. True, but a loophole allowed her to add her name to the ballot even though she wasn’t old enough to legally hold the office. She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t take no for an answer. She lost, of course, but not before raising awareness to women’s rights, even if she had  to spend a night in jail. In addition to being the first woman to run for president she was also the first woman to address The House of Judicial Congress when she argued that women had already won the right to vote when the country passed the 14th and 15th amendments.

            Amazing, no? But it wasn’t until 2016 that a monument to honor her accomplishments was erected. Well, it wasn’t exactly a monument or even a proper statue but an eye-catching addition to a bell clock tower that sits atop the west side wall of the Robbins Hunter Museum in Homer, Ohio. Every hour a replica of Victoria Woodhull pops out of the grand clock to say hello (don’t even think cuckoo clock!). Victoria, whip smart and full of charisma, wakes up the world every hour on the hour with this eminent message: Wake up everyone. It’s time for a woman president.

            Why should we listen to her? Here’s what we know so far about her. She wasn’t born into high society although she became upwardly mobile due to multiple marriages. Some people who were jealous of her success called her a gold digger. Other naysayers called her “Mrs. Satan” and “Impudent Witch.” Tsk, tsk. But that didn’t stop her. In 1868, she met Cornelius Vanderbilt after he hired her as his “spiritual advisor.” Mr. Vanderbilt, whom some claimed became entangled romantically entangled with her sister, helped the sisters to create a weekly pamphlet where they discussed unpopular topics such as birth control, free love, divorce, and women’s rights. She and her sister even organized the first Equal Rights Party. Then the two women, along with Mr. Vanderbilt’s assistance, started a business and became the first women stock brokers. Some naysayers referred to the sisters as “Bewitching Brokers”  But the joke was on the spoiled sports – in their first six weeks of business, the duo reportedly made 13 million dollars (in today’s net worth). By the time Ms. Woodhull ran for president, she had some cash to spend and ran on issues that all Americans needed: regulations of monopolies, 8-hour workdays, fair taxation and welfare for the poor. Nonetheless, she lost. But she made history as well-behaved women never do. After she lost the election, she moved to England where she ended up suing a British Museum for libel. But with her strong will, intelligence, and perseverance she prospered. You just can’t keep a good women down.

            It’s hard to believe that this remarkable women was almost erased from history. To find out more about Ms. Woodhull, there’s lots of resources you can explore such as, The Improbable Victoria Woodhull by Eden Collinswoeth; a NY Times article, Victorious, by Jennifer Szalai; numerous websites such as savingplaces.org/stories/meet-Victoria; robbinshunter.org/news and You Tube clips, such as (Ohio History Connection/Victoria Woodhull: Pioneering Women’s Rights and Presidential Aspirations)

             Last words from Victoria: “If Congress refuses to listen to and grant what women want, what is left to pursue but to became the “mother of future government?” VW

            It’s 2026, 154 years since Victoria put her hand in the ring, and so far only a few women have been on the ticket for President of the United States. That could all change in 2028.

           Women. Wake up! Now is the time to change the world. Become the “mother of future government.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

NOVEMBER: MARIA BEATRICE D’ESTE, Duchess of Massa

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NOVEMBER STATUE

MARIA BEATRICE d’ ESTE: DUCHESS OF MASSA (1750-1829)

 

            First things first. Before I tell you about the Duchess of Massa, let me explain why I selected her. My route into her life is a little different from the way I choose other statues for this blog and thus, the outcome is atypical. Usually, I come across a women whose story touches me on an emotional level and I’m moved to honor her feminist spirit and altruistic spark with a spot on my landscape of monumental women. I want the whole world to remember their name. Not so with Maria.

            In fact, I found very little information about the duchess, except that she married into royalty and reined over a beautiful and profitable marble quarry in Italy that excavated Carrara marble for wealthy leaders. She was a patron of the arts, as were most wealthy women of her era but that’s all I knew. So why did I feature her in this month’s blog entry? The reasons are twofold;  serendipitous and cautionary.  

            A few years ago when I was renovating my kitchen and was in need of countertops, the contractor suggested I pick up a remnant of granite or marble at a local stone vendor. He said there were pieces that had been cut for other projects and I could probably find something for a good price. I fell in love with a long slab of Carrara marble with it’s pure white sheen, fine grey lines than ran through the rock as if Michelangelo himself had painted them. It elevated the look of the entire kitchen.  The stone needs care but ten years later, it’s as glistening as it was the day it was installed.

          Then last summer while on a cruise of the Mediterranean, we drove past The Apuan Alps  while on a bus tour from Naples to The Leaning Tower of Pisa. At first we all thought the shock of bright white atop a picturesque mountain range was snow but soon it was revealed that the bright alabaster sheets were actually slabs of Carrara marble; acres of glorious living stone that seemed to pave a pathway to heaven. The view was impeccable; the marble shone with an unmatched beauty. “Gorgeous” doesn’t even quite do it justice. It’s easy to see why Michelangelo went to great lengths to excavate this very malleable material so he could mold it into his angelic creation, The Pieta. Once you’ve seen Carrara marble in its natural state, it’s makes perfect sense that it’s the stuff of places, temples and extraordinary building like The Taj Mahal.

            This summer I found myself in possession of the book, “A View from lake Cuomo.” While I knew that it was a bestseller about a woman who moved to Italy after her uncle died and left her his share in a business in Italy, I had no idea the business was a marble quarry in Carrera, Italy. Coincidence? Maybe, but once I found out that the act of excavating Carrara marble is dangerous and many people die every years just brining it down the mountain, it touched a nerve and made me look at marble in a different light.

            About the statue. Maria Beatrice’s statue sits in a town square in Carrara, Italy. Carrara is located in the foothills of the Alps. The statue is a beautiful work of art (carved in Carrara marble, the statue stands on a pedestal, wearing a while alabaster robe and holding a staff and scroll while a lion keeps her safe.) But The Duchess was a rich woman who probably commissioned an artist and sculptor to create a monument in her image so she could live in perpetuity. Blood money; riches made from the broken backs and skulls of her employees. Does the end justify the means?

           I often encourage readers to erect more statues of women so we can dot the landscape with women who have been left out of history or will be ignored if we don’t honor them now. But what if using precious minerals isn’t the way to go? While I love my Carrara marble countertop, was there not some other material I could’ve selected that didn’t rob the earth of its precious resource or contribute to the death of its worker? I’ve already mentioned artists who use recycled products, biodegradable materials and 3-D printers. But are these materials environmentally friendlier than the rest? Will they stand the test of time?

          Hmm- What do you think? Should we continue to use bronze, marble, granite, metal, glass or even wood and plastic when we design statues? Hard to say. But I still stick with my mission. We need more statues of women to even the playing field. How we accomplish this is neither easy nor cheap, but women still need to be seen and remembered for all the things they do to make the world better for all its inhabitants.

OCTOBER: TINA TURNER

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TINA TURNER (1939-2023)

SIMPLY THE BEST

“For anyone who’s in an abusive relationship, I say Go. Nothing can be worse than where you are now.” T. Turner

 

            In September 2025, a ten-foot bronze statue of Tina Turner was unveiled in Brownsville, Tennessee. Almost immediately it drew backlash from spectators and fans alike, calling it an “abomination” and an “insult.” Say what?

            The statue, sculpted by Fred Ajanogha, has been placed in Heritage Park, near a high school Tina attended. The Bronze Beauty, as some appreciative folks are calling the statue, is depicted holding a microphone, complete with Tina’s signature wild hair, tones legs clad in a short min skirt, wearing spiky heels. According to the sculptor, the monument emphasized her strength as a woman who wore her hair like a lion’s mane. What’s not to like?

            Plenty, according to the naysayers. But art is subjective, often abstract, confounded by personal taste and the eye of the beholder. Other statues of women, especially that of Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe, have also received negative feedback from visitors. What’s the point? When I gaze upon a statue, I choose to look at the life of the woman being honored. It’s already been decided by numerous committees that the woman’s likeness should be carved in stone and memorialized for centuries. In all likelihood the Bronze Beauty will outlive her naysayers. To me, she’s glorious, heartfelt and mesmerizing. You can’t take your eyes off her; even in death and in bronze, Tina is riveting.

            Tina led an extraordinary life; she’s a rags to riches success (to learn more about her life go to www.americansongwriter.com or read her memoir, “My Love Story”). Most people know her music, which is legendary, but they also know she escaped from an abusive relationship. But Tina is much more than the sum of her parts. Talented, yes, but she also possessed hutzpah and an ability to keep moving forward. Songs like Proud Mary, Simply The Best, and What’s love got to do with it? “might highlight her raspy, raw voice but her no-holds-bar dancing style and explosive energy on stage elevated her to a higher level. That’s why she earned Rock and Rock Hall of Fame status and numerous Grammy Awards.

           But it was her advocacy for domestic violence survivors that makes her stand out. That’s what makes the statue so important. To me, it depicts a woman with a “don’t mess with me bravado” and while it might not look pretty to some, I find it beautiful. While it’s true that her legs appear quite muscular (as do most dancers), to me they evoke a domestic violence survivor’s motto “touch me like that again and I’ll kick you into tomorrow.”  My kind of woman.

       Rock on Tina! I’m happy that we can add another monument of the matriarchy to our landscape. We need more statues of strong women who stand proud of their accomplishments. You will be remembered.

 

DICKEY CHAPELLE: WAR CORRESPONDENT

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DICKEY CHAPELLE (3/14/1918 to 11/4/65)   

 Trailblazer, war correspondent, photojournalist, free speech advocate, truth teller

“If you can’t prove it happened with a photo, it never happened.”  D. Chapelle

 

            There are many fascinating women that I come across in my work as a writer who uses a variety of genres to tell a story. Some of the women that I’ve read about haven’t been nationally recognized or memorialized in stone, as they should be. Yet Dickey Chapelle might just be leading the list of “Most Underappreciated Women of the Twentieth Century.” If you’ve never heard of her, you’re not alone. So hold on and listen to the contributions and sacrifices she made to photograph war with all its graphic depictions laid bare for the world to see. Did she face scrutiny and harsh criticism? You betcha. Did it stop her? Only in death. Sadly.

            Born over a century ago, even as a young child Dickey was noticeably intelligent, feisty and she possessed an uncanny ability to capture a moment. I won’t list all her accomplishments but let’s just say she hit the ground running. At 16, she graduated from high school as the valedictorian who then received a scholarship to MIT. She quit when she realized she’d rather be flying in an airplane than studying about aviation. A go-getter, she sweet-talked her way into a job as a photographer for TWA and then again into a job as a war correspondence with the marines. Yes, the actual marines. In combat.

            Let’s pause for a minute. This happened in 1960. Women weren’t allowed to be soldiers  let alone trapezing into the battlefield dressed in fatigues. They were expected to be homemakers and baby factories. Not Dickey, although she was married for a while to a fellow photojournalist and was once quoted as saying that the job of a woman was to “glorify men.” Nothing in my research lead me to believe that a woman who had to fight sexism, misogyny and unchivalrous talk (“Get that broad the hell out of here”) would make herself small so a man could shine brighter. However she did pen a memoir titled, “What’s a Woman Doing Here?” and wore a pearl earring to highlight her femineity  (I like to think that the earring signified “Don’t shoot me, I’m unarmed”).  But most of all, she placed herself in combat so she could get the best shot. Bringing the truth home, especially during the Vietnam war, was her mission. Her photos screamed- war isn’t pretty-we’re not winning- and death and gore are the backdrop of a soldier’s life.

            Her immersive style of journalism paid off. Before Dickey, most of the war correspondents and photographers stayed a safe distance away from combat. In 1963 the Press Photographer’s Association awarded her “Photograph of The Year’ for a picture she snapped in battle. It was the first photo of an American in combat in Vietnam. She would never have made that shot if she watched in the shadows. The sidelines were no place for Dickey.

                        “You’ve got to survive to get the story out in the world.” D. Chapelle

            Unfortunately her decision to stay in the fray cost this hard-bitten, tough as nails reporter her life. On that fateful day in November she was not in battle, but walking the perimeter with a few other soldiers. It’s not clear if something tripped a wire or someone stepped on a mine field but she died at the scene, nonetheless. Dickey was the first woman to die in combat during the Vietnam War.

            The life of a war correspondent is dangerous. Not only do they have to worry about dying trying to get “the shot” but so many have become pawns in the game of war, taken as hostages, tortured for information or killed, just for sport. The truth needs to be told, yes, and now with the use of drones, hopefully less photographers will lose their life in search of a story.  I’m an advocate for truth, the kind of truth that doesn’t gloss over the ugliness, stays away from using “touch-up” programs and glam shots. But with the advent of social media, popularity of memes, fake news and AI,  I fear for the hard truth, the grittiness of life and for stories and photos that make our hearts hurt. Dickey got it, but what a price she had to pay.

            If you wan to learn more about Dickey, check out the resource list at the bottom. Sadly, despite all of Dickey’s accomplishments and sacrifices, she doesn’t have a statue or monument erected in her likeness. There is a memorial marker at her gravesite and a plaque that was etched by the marines. However, this is not enough. I find the oversight a travesty. Let’s get chiseling! It starts with one person. Coud be you? Get a petition started with signatures of people who would support this endeavor. Find an organization with deep pockets that could help move this quest alone. Find a sculptor with a soul and a parcel of land. We must honor Dickey with the monument she so deserves.

            Rock on Dickey Chapelle! Your legacy is a beautiful testament to women and the power of the story. Long may you inspire women to “tell the truth all, the whole truth nothing and but the truth.”

SOWING THE SEEDS STATUE

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SOWING THE SEEDS OF THE FUTURE

 

“There’s nothing like seeing the statue in person. It will change your life.” M.G.

(Women’s Heritage Trail Leadership)

 

            The full title of this blog for those that aren’t frequent readers is “Women Rock: Statues and the Stories They Tell” but for publication purposes it was condensed to www.womenrockstatues.com which gives the reader the impression that we only talk about statues of women. While true, we also include other artifacts that leave behind imprints of accomplishments of great women such as mile markers, grave stones, plaques, stamps, busts, photos, and even original art work; and when appropriate we include men, if they happen to be a part of the statue (see The Embrace, Embracing Peace). But to me, as a writer, it’s the stories the statues tell that intrigue me the most. Without hearing their stories, we can’t appreciate what it was like to walk a mile in their larger-than-life shoes. As I like to say, behind every great statue of the matriarchy, there’s an awe-inspiring story be told.

            This month’s fabulous statue, Sowing the Seeds, has a story you won’t soon forget.  The statue first caught my eye in an article in Carolina Country, a local magazine created to connect members of a rural electric cooperative. There were only a few sentences in the magazine about the statue but I was curious about the three women depicted in the monument. I was also interested in how a small town such as Franklin, North Carolina could pull off such a momentous feat.

            It began with women, of course. The Fork Heritage Association of Macon Country was in the process of developing a Women’s History Trail, a twenty-stop path through the town of Franklin that highlighted women whose cultural contributions were instrumental in the development of the town, when Barbara McRae, vice-mayor of Franklin, had an idea for a signature show stopper. She soon recruited a team of hard-working women who then enlisted sculptor Wesley Wofford to design, build and then erect a bronze statue that would not only honor women but also inspire future women to become cultural icons and civic heroes. When all was said and done, the sculpture became a national sensation.

            According to the artist, the sculpture is a metaphor. The base of the statue represents the passage of time and the transfer of knowledge from one culture to another while the seeds represent the importance of agriculture. The touching of hands represent the sisterhood of women, often considered to be the bridge that crosses the cultural divide. The children represent  the future.

The three females depicted in the statue are based on real women from the Franklin area. Na-Ka was a Cherokee women who married a Baptist minister (who was then forced to change her name to Rebecca Moss). Na-Ka and her husband bought acres of farming land to plant corn which was then taken from during the hellish period of time known as “The Removal.” Once they returned to the reservation, she promptly took her name back and then used the farming skills she acquired to become one of the most successful corn growers in the region.

            Salley was an enslaved woman who found freedom on Na-Ka’s farm. She moved with Na-ka back to the reservation and then became instrumental in finding creative ways to use corn to make it more profitable.

            Harriet Timoxena Siles was the daughter of pioneers who inherited a business sense from her parents. She befriended Na-Ka and Salley, and together they became entrepreneurial spirits.

            The statue, the first of its kind in North Carolina, is a magnificent work of art. Not only is it beautiful on the outside with chiseled details and exquisite workmanship, but it also has an impactful message of a sisterhood that can cross cultural barriers while finding a path to empowerment without breaking the bonds that bind them.  A skill we could all use more of right about now.

            Rock on ladies! From the three women depicted in the statue to the mayor to The Fork Heritage Association, team work is what drives everything home. Women get the job done. But in the case, let’s not leave out the men who helped see this project to fruition  (men in leadership roles at The Fork and Mr. Wofford, the sculptor, we see you and we thank you.)

            This statue is larger than Franklin. A community composed of men and women who understand that it takes different cultures, genders and backgrounds to create beautiful paths to equality is a model for the entire world.

            We have more seeds to sow and many more statues to erect.    

 

THE FOUNTAIN OF THE GREAT LAKES

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THE FOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT LAKES

 

“Listen to the wind. It talks. Listen to the silence. It speaks. Listen to the heart. It knows.

Native America proverb

 

          My husband and I recently went on a cruise of the Great Lakes. We began in Toronto (see June’s submission) and disembarked in Chicago. It was my hope that along the way I’d encounter dozens of statues of women. But sadly that was not the case, which I realize shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me since I’ve been writing this blog for five years about that very topic-the lack of statues of women. Why does it still hurt my feminist soul to know we still have miles of matriarchal steps to walk before we erase the patriarchal impact on art and history? Because women’s work is never done and we must carry this heavy load. So I pull up my big girl bloomers, as women before me have done, and carry on just as the suffragettes did. Their victory is my beacon of hope.

            In Chicago, a lovely yet breezy and drizzly city even in the summer, rewarded me with an exquisitely crafted cluster of women, or rather goddesses, in the form of The Fountain of the Great Lakes. But before I go on, a word about Chicago and it’s faceted array of fountains is needed. Also, the inclusion of fountains in this blog gave me a slight pause which up until this point included statues, monuments, sculptures, historic markers, busts, but never fountains. Would fountains meet the criteria I had imposed on myself? Maybe it was the water that threw me because last year on a trip to the Mediterranean hardly any of the fountains we saw had free-flowing water due to water restrictions. But Chicago, with its easy access to fresh water, displayed these fountains with such pride; they even considered some of them to be “must-see-tourist attractions.” So I made my decision- fountains could be included as long as they highlighted the feminine soul and the spirit of the matriarchy.

            The Fountain of the Great Lakes, unlike the Crown Fountain, Buckingham Fountain and the Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain, aren’t visible from the street. You have to enter the south wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, but it’s well worth the extra effort. Created by Lorado Taft, the fountain depicts five female nymphs clustered together so that the water flows through the shells they’re holding in their hands in the same way it passes through the Great Lakes. Lake Superior, the deepest and largest of the lakes sits atop while Lake Michigan flows down into Lake Huron which carries the stream of water into Lake Eris until Lake Ontario where it cascades out to the ocean. The fountain is an allegorical representation of the lakes and while its gorgeous in and of itself, it’s the flow of water that makes it a visually stunning work of art.

            But it left me wanting more. Why did the females depicted have to be nymphs? Why couldn’t they have been sculptured as historic women from the region? I found it preposterous than this life-sustaining area was barren of trail-blazing women. I was right- my cursory search led me to five inspirational women (I chose Canadian women but you can do your own research). First off, I selected  Kateri Tekakwitha who was called “North America’s First Nation Saint.” Then there was Thanadelthur, a Hudson Bay interpreter, followed by Marie-Madeline Jarret de Vercheres, a homemaker who thwarted an Iroquois invasion. Charlotte Small, a married woman who assisted her husband in the mapping of the uncharted lands, came next.  Lastly, I selected Nahnebahwequay, a Christian minister. I felt it was my duty as a feminist to replace the nymphs with fully realized women.

            The Great Lakes are a wild and wonderful place and before they were colonized and modernized, it was a tough existence. Just existing in this cold, icy wonderland required grit, determination and a hefty dose of ingenuity. Maybe it was a sign of the times or a gross oversight, but women were left out of the narrative. Surely they played a significant role in the civilization of the Great Lake territories. Women had much more to offer mankind than the beauty of their female figure. Our bodies are not just vessels, as they have been portrayed in the fountain, albeit artistically rendered, they are conduits to all that is good in the world.

            Have you found a monument of the matriarchy that while beautiful, tugged at your core as if to say, “something was either lost in translation or women have been overlooked, underappreciated and erased from the story longer than we ever could’ve  imagined?

Tell me about it. I want to know. Together we can rally our voices. Women not only rock, they roll, gather momentum till they overcome any obstacle that gets in the way.

 

 

THE STATUE OF PEACE: COMFORT WOMAN

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COMFORT WOMAN/THE STATUE OF PEACE

“Who will tell my story to the next generation?” Unknown

 

            Before I travel, I search for statues of women located in the areas I’ll be visiting. It’s always my goal to take pictures of these statues in “reel time.” This year, I hit pay dirt when I searched for monuments of the matriarchy on my travel plans to cruise The Great Lakes from Toronto to Chicago. First off, in Toronto I discovered Comfort Woman/The Statue of Peace located in front of the Korean Cultural Center near Chinatown and then again, in Chicago, I uncovered the treasured Fountain Of the Great Lakes statue located in the Art Institute of Chicago (see July’s submission). My quick search made it seem as if statues of women were popping up all around the world, but were they?

            Toronto was the first leg of my cruise and wow; I was pleasantly pleased with this Canadian’s cities accessibility. The large cosmopolitan city with walkable streets, wonderful views of Lake Ontario, innovative architecture had a historic charm often lost in many American cities. But this busy metropolis evoked a safe haven aura that seemed to say, “Relax, you’re with friends.” This “we’ve got you” laid back attitude reminded me that our sister country was just as honest and inviting as it’s always been, despite what some naysayer may want you to think.

            Our visit was short- less than a day but we packed a lot into it. We walked the bustling harbor, visited the amazing Hockey Hall of Fame and ate or way through the St. Lawrence Market. Our favorite food (if you can call donutlike cookies a food source) were the Nutella and Bananas treat we stumbled upon at Beavertails. After dinner, we ubered over to the Korean district where we focused our attention on the Comfort Woman Statue/The Statue of Peace (which is part of a larger world-wide movement.) Sculpted by Steven Whyte, Comfort Woman is considered to be one of the most controversial statues ever erected. It was built to remember the women (numbers are reported to be between 200-400,000 girls, young women of Asian descent) who were either kidnapped, trafficked or tricked into Japanese Military-run brothels and then forced to provide “comfort” in the form of sexual acts to the Japanese solders during WW11. Survivors tell horrific tales where they were often forced to serve as many as 70 men in one day (without birth control or medical assistance). Thousands of women did not survive; reports have uncovered that less than 10% of the girls left the brothels alive).

            The controversy arises from the discomfort of men, most of whom can’t handle their own guilt when confronted with their own propensity towards violence, their inhumane treatment of women and their own cowardice (by saying nothing and remaining quiet in the face of atrocity they were ultimately labeled co-conspirators). Bravo for Toronto for showcasing this controversial statue. Only a city that values women and believes in decency and justice would have the guts to display a statue that irks the feelings of men.

            Hey America- we’re still devaluing women (just listen to the rhetoric surrounding the Epstein case).  We need more statues joining the Statues for Peace movement (see Korea, Tokyo Berlin, Sydney, San Francisco).  When I first heard about Comfort Woman, I thought it would be depressing to visit, but it was so beautiful it hurt my heart just to look at her peaceful face. How could anyone look in her eyes and treat her with such cruelty? All I wanted to do was give her a hug.

            Men, it’s on you. Not her.

Right a wrong. Gather support for a Comfort Woman statue in your city. It is only when you confront the darkness within you, can you let in the healing light.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: A Woman Who Answered the Call

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FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: A WOMAN WHO ANSWERED THE CALL

“ God spoke to me and called me to His Service. What form this service was to take, he did not say.”

 

            When we think of Florence Nightingale, we think of her as a nurse advocating for better sanitary care for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and because of that role she was often referred to as the “Angel in White,” the “Lady With the Lamp” or the “Mother of Modern Nursing.” But she was much more— an English reformer, a statistician, a prolific writer, a champion of education for women, and a mathematician who believed in data visualization (while she didn’t herself create the pie chart of the Venn diagram she certainly paved the way for its inception). In addition, Florence was  a devout Catholic who was called by God to do his work (much like Joan of Arc, another young girl who answered God’s call to service) but fortunately for Florence we had stopped burning non-conforming women at the stake by the 1800’s.

            Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy to parents of British nobility. Her parents, liberal humanitarians, believed in education for women and thus gave both their daughters a college edge, but while they supported her endeavors, they also hoped marriage and children were in the cards for Florence. But she didn’t share their views. While Florence adhered to a going-against-the-grain view on matrimony, she didn’t consider herself a feminist. She often praised white men in power for her success (notably her father and Sidney Herbert, the British Secretary of War.)

            Years later, after receiving many awards and medals, (Royal Red Cross and the Order of Merit), monuments erected in her likeness (there are 3 statues of Florence in Dober alone), other adornments (a stained-glass window in Waterloo) and numerous acknowledgments (the poem “Welcome Eumenides,” Flight of the Swan, a book, and a few movies about her life), I wonder if she might’ve seen herself in a feminist light. I imagine that her induction into the Royal Statistical Society; a high honor for anyone let alone an unmarried woman, was the highlight of her life. Footnote from the author—While Florence was brilliant and decades ahead of her time, others factors contributed to her success. First off- there was the social status of her parents and the doors they were able to open. Then there was her wealth and whiteness that made it palpable for people to digest her independence and intellect. But it goes without saying- her perseverance, grit and take-no-for-an-answer determination led her across the finish line, and for this she should be celebrated and memorialized.

            Women Rock! Statues of women dot the landscape with matriarchal prominence while they cause the patriarchy to take notice. It says, loud and clear: Here lies a women of magnificence. If Florence had a little help along the way, I’ll take it. No one ever said women had to go it alone- they just had to go for it. You rock, Florence!

 

Major Charity Adams Early: The Woman Behind “The Six Triple Eight” movie

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MAJOR CHARITY ADAMS EARLY (12/5/1918- 1/13/2002)

The Hero Behind the “The Six Triple Eight” Netflix film

“We have tried to teach you right from wrong. Just do right.”

         

It’s not often I gain mind-blowing historical knowledge from a Netflix movie, at least to that extent that I’m propelled to run to the internet and check the facts and references. If Major Charity Adams was as exemplary as the movie portrayed her, I would’ve heard about her bravery by now. No? Sadly not, she only recently became acknowledged for her war efforts. First, in 2018 when a bust of Major Adams was erected in the Buffalo Soldier Military Park in Kansas along with other African-American individuals and their units. Then again in 2019, the House of Representatives passed legislature to award the 6888th  the Congressional Gold Medal. Recently Major Adams fame blossomed when the bio-pic “The Six-Triple Eight (6888)” was released on Netflix.

The 6888, written and directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, tells the story of Major Charity Adams, a WAC officer, who served during WW11. This wonderful film didn’t need to fictionalize or embellish Major Adams; she was already a dynamic woman with just the right stuff needed to turn her into a household name. She demanded to be chiseled into an everlasting monument that highlighted her dedication, intellect and hutzpah. Sorry it took so long for the world to honor her, but that’s the way it often is with women, especially black women. But some men, like Mr. Perry, are changing the status quo. I hope many more men follow his lead.

While we face uncertain times, especially with the current administration’s canceling of DEI initiatives, Major Adams had to deal with a world war, a nihilistic disaster, discrimination, racism, sexism, misogyny, and soldiers who didn’t want women in their “man’ s army” The majority of men during her tenure refused to accept a women as an authority figure, any woman, but a woman of color was the last straw for many of them. They stacked the deck against her by throwing up obstacles after obstacle; first be giving with an assignment that was doomed to fail from the start, one they themselves had yet to accomplish. So instead of giving her a hand, they amped up the stakes and gave her an impossible completion date- threw in bad working conditions and little supplies- and then waited for her to fail. But guess what? She succeeded. Of course she did; women get shit down.

Major Adams led the all-black battalion of the US Postal Service Women’s Army Corp (WAC) to victory. She was given the task of delivering piles of undelivered letters and packages to the frontlines. The army had declared “No mail. No moral.” Many of theses packages had the wrong name or address on it, were missing address information or were badly mangled. But the army was certain that if the men had “news from home” the tide would turn and the United States would be victorious.  Well, this group of no-nonsense hard-working black women made it happen. They used ingenuity, team work, deductive and inductive reasoning, brute strength, gallons of sleepless nights and an extra dose of wherewithal and sorted it all out in 3 months. Miraculous. Where there’s a woman, there’s a way. But we all know that. About time the patriarchy knows it. It wasn’t until years later that they recognized the tenacity of the women’s battalion, but at least they finally got it right.

I’m honored to highlight Major Charity Adams Early on this blog. We need more and more women like her to dot the landscape with female power. The matriarchy is as strong as ever. Don’t let the patriarchy silence us into complacency. We all have a voice. Let’s use it to rally against the chains of male dominance.

Rock the boat. Rock the world. Rock on!

Muffet McGraw: Queen of March Madness

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MUFFET McGRAW: QUEEN OF MARCH MADNESS (12/5/55 to )

“Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet winning championships and having her way.”

 

            As always, I’m on the lookout for statues of women and you know from reading this blog, it’s not as easy as it should be because only 8% of all statues erected are sculpted in the image of women. So, I was pleased when I was sitting in my living room watching March Madness on ESPN when I glimpsed a quick photo of a female statue wearing a green scarf.

“Stop, ”I said to my husband and hit pause.”

“Why?” he asked as if there was nothing to see.

“I want to find out who that woman is.” He knows full well this is my thing so he’s probably just eager to get back to the game.

“Oh, that’s Muffet McGraw,” he said, “the woman who coached Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team for decades. She’s an icon.”
            An icon, you say. My kind of woman. The kind of woman that lives such an amazingly successful life that someone admired her so much they raised funds, hired an artist and then memorialized her in stone. Like Joan of Arc, Waving Girl, Harriet Tubman, Gertrude Stein and Sacagawea, to name a few.

            Turns out, a statue of Muffet McGraw was unveiled in December 2023 at the Purcell Pavilion at Notre Dame University. Her statue isn’t perched on a pedestal as is often customary but on a lower base to highlight her accessibility. You see, Ms. McGraw is basketball royalty; she led the Irish women’s basketball team during a 33-year career that included 2 national titles and 9 Final Fours; 5 of her players went to on play in the Olympics’ and 10 former students are currently playing in the WNBA. She is the “winningest coach in college basketball history.”

Ms. Muffet retired in 2020 and is currently an analyst with ACC Network.  But her legacy continues. She is a feminist who is an advocate for women’s sports and works diligently to secure  funding. Ms. Muffet’s success off the courts focuses on developing confident, empowered women who hold leadership positions. While her coaching career was impressive and she reached such a high standard of coaching, she now uses her platform for the good of women’s sports, not just for basketball players, but throughout all of women’s sports. Her article published online in  ACLU Indiana, “Elected Officials’ Hypothetical Effort to Save Women’s Sports” criticizes elected officials who say they want to help women’s sports, but then they fail to put the money where their mouth is. All they do is “raise a ruckus about keeping transgender athletes out of women’s sports, and they do nothing to help the women who are – day in and day out – dealing with financial inequality.” Ms. Muffet urges these keepers of the purse to Pay Up!

Like I said, my kind of woman; one who is extraordinary in every aspect, and one who doesn’t back down from advocacy and controversy. I’d want her on my team any day. She’s a winner. We need many more women like Ms. McGraw to memorialize in stone, erect in bronze and sculpt in marble. She rocks. And not just during March Madness but ever single day.

Rock on Muffet McGraw!

JANE AUSTEN: A Legend In Her Own Write

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JANE AUSTEN (12/16/1775 to 7/18/1817): A League In Her Own Write

“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”  J. Austen

 

            It’s hard to imagine that Jane Austen wrote her tongue-in-cheek novels about gender inequality, social class, and the perils of marriage over 200 years ago, when feminism lay like a doormat and women were defined by their marital status. Yet, Jane who died at age 41, never married.

            Where then, did her witty insights, humorous foresights and ironic commentaries come from? If you ask Virginia Woolf, she’d tell you that Jane got her material from the same place all writers get theirs; “parties, picnic and country fairs.” No really, Jane focused on the simplicity of everyday life and because she had the language skills, money and time to write them down, heads turned. People listened, and many fans are still hanging on her every word.

            As an author of many novels, such as Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility and Emma, Jane has had three statues chiseled in her likeness. The reason people love to etch her in bronze is because of her strong female characters they can relate to such as Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Woodhouse, and Anne Elliot. Men are also fond of her males characters; Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightly and Captain Wentworth continue to be fan favorites to this day.

           Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan. Yet. I know, don’t shoot me I’m just the messenger of my own likes/dislikes. However, I am enjoying the “Lizzie Bennet Diaries” on YouTube. Jane has been on my list of “Books I Hated In High School But Need To Reread” so my opinion may change.  

           But if you’re a fan, you might want to visit one of her statues to show support. You can find them in Basingstoke, Chawton and Winchester. England. But before you go, you need to know that there’s some controversy about whether or not Jane deserves three statues while other equally deserving women don’t have any. I’m not a naysayer on this topic- if people want to erect statues of women, I’m happy. The more the merrier. Jane is a great addition to the blog. She’s had a lot to say and her writing style is easy to digest. And, unlike many authors of yesteryears, she’s still relevant today, which is no small feat considering the divisiveness of our current world As a writer, she had the writing chops to speak her mind as she described and commented on societal rules, patriarchal mandates and economic disparities. Writers, playwrights, and actors continue to emulate, reimagine, remake, update and quote her. 

        In Janes own words- “The person, be it gentlemen or lady, who had not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

       My sentiments exactly. And that is why Jane Austen rocks.  

FRANCIS PERKINS (1880-1965): The Woman Behind the New Deal

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“I came to Washington to work for God, FDR and the millions of forgotten, plain common working people.”  France Perkins

 

Like myself, Francis was a sociologist at her core. But unlike me, who channeled my social advocacy into reproductive freedom, she fought for labor rights in the work world. When I left my job as a counselor at the Bill Baird Society (look him up) in 1994, I believed my job was done. Reproductive freedom was the law of the land, or so I thought. Francis, however, never waivered in her fight for a better working environment and the changes she helped implement, are still policies in effect today.

If you’re not familiar with Francis Perkins, she served as the first woman in the United States Cabinet, securing the role of Secretary of Labor from 1933-45. The reason you’ve probably never heard her name mentioned is because many woman, along with people of color, have been written out of the history books; or if not totally removed, their roles were greatly underplayed. Make no mistake, Frances Pekins was a powerhouse. She had a hand in many innovative policies such as The New Deal, Social Security unemployment benefits, the 40-hour workweek and ending child labor. She dedicated her life’s work to improving the lives of Americans. Her policy changes are legendary in the word of economics and business.

 Francis did not go unnoticed, at least by women. Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1982, and in 2015, she was recognized as an industry icon. In 2024, President Biden designated her family farm in Newcastle, Maine as a National Park site.  Ms. Perkins was many things; a trailblazer, social advocate, ground-breaker, architect of workers’ rights and persistent, but the one word that unequivocally describes her is brave. In 1933, feminism was in its infancy, The Me-Too movement lay dormant and DEI was asleep at the wheel. Francis had a vision of what an equitable and fair work life could look like and she had the grit, determination and wherewithal to pull it off.  KUDOS!

Simply put, she rocked the country with her intellectual foresight.  It’s about time we honor her as best we can; with a statue. A National Park site is nice and posthumous awards are wonderful but a monument chiseled in her likeness will give her immortality. Go the extra mile. She certainly did! Let’s get chiseling.

OFF THE PEDASTAL: The Looting of Cambodian Antiquities

Posted on by jeanne56

OFF THE PEDASTAL: THE LOOTING OF CAMBODIA  (1/13/25)

 

“Statues listen. They have heart. They contain the soul of their ancestors.”   Brad Gordon

 

During the 1970’s through the 1990’s amidst genocide, civil war, and political upheaval, Cambodia experienced a time of mass looting, resulting in the theft of their precious antiquities. Many of these valuable statues were ripped right off their pedestals; the thieves leaving only the feet attached to the base. Who would do such a thing? Investigations uncovered a smuggling network that sold blood antiquities for money. Who would buy such stolen merchandise? Wealthy collectors, prestigious museums and private corperations not only purchased the pillage,  they displayed them in plain sight. A cluster of priceless statues was even prominently featured in Architectural Digest. It seem the buyers believed the collection was acquired through legal channels. But were they?

Cambodians don’t think so. According to the Hindu God Visnu, statues are sacred and divine. Once a statue is lost, stolen, or vandalized, the soul that inhabited the stone either dies or looks for another place to rest in eternal peace. Statues are so vital to Cambodia that a repatriation is in place. The Department of Arts & Antiquities (a division of Homeland Security) is aiding Cambodia as it attempts to reunite the missing statues with their pedestal; thus making the statues whole again; in body and soul.

I first became interested in this story (how could I not?) after watching a CBS 60-minute segment with Anderson Cooper. The more I researched the theft, the more I realized the enormity of the crime. Not only statues of men and male gods were looted but women as well. At Angor Wat, a 1,000-year-old temple, hundreds of female statues lay beheaded, legless, armless, and bodyless. The carnage left the peaceful place of worship with an ominous undertone. I ached for these amputated statues. Just listening to the segment and looking at the devastation, I felt the anger of the Gods. If was if I could hear the quiet suffering of the statues as they were severed, limb by limb. The Gods, as well as the people of Cambodia, want their statues returned. As they should.

Women, especially Lakshmi, Goddess of Beauty and Apsara, Goddess of Love were favorites of the looters. The bodies of thousands of nymphs also suffered at the hands of the looters. Here this: Feminism forces of the universe were pilfered. Centuries of beauty and goodness were stolen for profit. This outrage may seem trivial. But it’s not. Most of these statues stood alone, unguarded, defenseless. They couldn’t even hold a protest sign, shout for help, push an emergency button or run and hide. They are simply, there for the taking.

As of this writing, the MET has returned 13 statues and more are in the process of being returned to Cambodia. Numerous people were charged with the theft. Some even faces charges of murder and violence; all in the pursuit of these blood antiquities. As you know from reading this blog, statues are created in the likeness of someone who has risen above the “everyperson” and memorialized in stone, bronze, silver, gold, or wood so they can stand on their pedestal in supreme glory. To remove such a large number of these antiquities for profit is an indescribable tragedy.

On this blog, we honor monuments, usually women, but today we weep for all the statues that have suffered amputations at the hands of profiteers, thieves, looters and anyone else responsible for their violent removal.  Statues are not just stone-cold blocks of stone; they’re the embodiment of a soul, the bedrock of history and the manifestation of greatness.

Let’s round up these beauties and bring them home so our souls can sing once again.