World renowned botanist and conservation advocate Margery Carlson (1892-1985) lived in Evanston from 1930 until her death in 1985. She taught botany at Northwestern University and was a research associate at the Field Museum, helping build its plant collection through her travels around the world. Later she was involved with the Illinois Nature Conservancy, helping …
Lorraine Morton (1918- ) came to Evanston in 1941 to study for her Master’s Degree in Education at Northwestern University. In 1953, Morton took a position at Foster School, a segregated K-8 school in Evanston. Quickly she found herself challenging segregation. She was the first African-American teacher at Nichols Middle School and the first African-American …
Today is International Women’s Day! Here’s a description from the organization’s web site — “International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. The first IWD was run in …
Catharine Waugh McCulloch (1862-1945) was an attorney, activist and suffragist. McCulloch was the first female Justice of the Peace in Illinois and the first woman to serve as a presidential elector. Deeply concerned about the family and women’s legal rights, McCulloch helped push the age of consent law in Illinois from 14 to 16 and …
World renowned social reformer Frances E. Willard (1839-1898) lived in Evanston all her adult life. Through her efforts, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union became the largest women’s organization in the U.S. before 1900, and mobilized countless women to take on a wider role in the world through temperance activism. Her “Do Everything” reform agenda included …
Alice Cushing Donaldson Riley (1864-1953) was an author and playwright who lived in Evanston from 1898 until 1931. She wrote children’s poetry and stories, and several one-act plays. Her best known work is “Slumber Boat,” a familiar children’s lullaby which she co-wrote with Dorothy Gaynor. Her home at 1822 Sheridan Road (now demolished) was the …
Dr. Isabella Garnett (1872-1948) was born in 1872 to one of Evanston’s earliest African-American families. One of the first African-American female physicians in the state of Illinois, Garnett received her medical degree in 1901 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago. She returned to Evanston in 1904. Recognizing that hospital care for African-Americans …
You might be wondering about our new heading — who the women are and where we got the title “Lifting as We Climb.” Our next few posts will tell you more about the women pictured, but first we’d like to tell you about the title. “Lifting as We Climb” is the title of our new …
There’s a new exhibit that focuses on Frances Willard open at Northwestern University Library from now through March 18. Arguably one of the most famous and influential Evanstonians in the 19th century, Willard left her mark on this community and the world. Here’s the link for more information: http://www.library.northwestern.edu/news/archives/003837.html
We are now entering our third year of work on the Evanston Women’s History Project and are set to go public with the results of all our research. Spring 2010 will find us updating this web site to include a lot more information about the project and the women and women’s organizations we’ve learned so …
