“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions.”
#OnThisDay, 19 May 1952, Lillian Hellman writes to the House of UnAmerican Activities refusing to testify against others.
In the 1940s, Hellman had been twice nominated for an Academy Award for her screenplays. As a result of refusing to testify about others to HUAC, she was blacklisted by Hollywood.
#HollywoodHistory #AmericanHistory #WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 3 Jun 1924, Alfonsina Strada crosses the finish line of the Giro d'Italia. She remains the only woman to have officially ridden a full length Grand Tour.
At one point she had been disqualified on time grounds but was allowed to continue without the option of prizes. She finished ahead of the lantern rouge (the last cyclist to finish).
This year's Giro d'Italia for women is 939km, compared to 3443km for the men's race.
“Have ye come far?”
“Only from America.”
#OnThisDay, 21 May 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman - and only the second person - to fly solo and without stops across the Atlantic.
She lands unexpectedly in Ireland. There’s some wonderful images of her here: https://joecampbellart.com/2015/03/12/amelia-earhart-in-ireland-solo-atlantic-crossing-may-21st-1932/
Watch newsreel of her taking off here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-itPeJOyzI
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AviationHistory @histodons #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 7 Jun 1968, 187 women working at the Ford car factory in Dagenham, UK, go on strike demanding recognition as skilled workers.
They are led by Rosie Boland and Lil O'Callaghan. After three weeks they win concessions as production had to be shut down. The strike was one of the triggers for the Equal Pay Act 1970 that made it illegal to pay women and men differently if they are doing the same job.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #BritishHistory #MadeInDagenham #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 4 Jun 1972, civil rights activist Angela Davis is acquitted in a trial over her alleged involvement in the 1970 Marin County Civic Centre attack.
Davis had been prosecuted for three capital felonies, including conspiracy to murder, after guns she owned were used in the attack. The all-white jury cleared her of all charges.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 23 May 1430, Jeanne d'Arc, fighting in the rearguard, is pulled from her horse and captured by the Burgundians at the siege of Compiègne. She is then sold as a prisoner to the British, who put her on trial for heresy.
Learn more about Jeanne’s rise and fall here: https://carvehername.org.uk/joan-of-arc-7-may-1429/
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #JoanOfArc #EuropeanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 23 May 1988, four women storm the BBC news studio whilst the news is live on air, protesting the introduction of Section 28. Section 28 banned the “promotion of homosexuality” by local government in the UK, and was intended to stop LGBT+ campaigns for equal rights.
It was not repealed until 2003.
Watch footage from the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZdpNjJakiI&ab_channel=BBCStories
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #LGBTHistory #BritishHistory #Section28 #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 23 May 1944, Madeleine Lavigne parachutes back into occupied France as a wireless operator for the British Special Operations Executive. She'd previously worked for the resistance as a forger and courier.
Radio operators ran the greatest risk of detection, as their position could be triangulated when they were on air.
She died in Paris of an embolism.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WorldWar2 #EuropeanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 5 Jun 1988, Aussie Kay Cottee sails back into Sydney, Australia. She is the first woman to complete a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe without any assistance.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AustralianHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 23 May 1907, 19 women take their seats in the Finnish Parliament. They are the first women Parliamentarians in the world.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #VotesForWomen #EuropeanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 23 May 1941 Giliana Balmaceda (Gillian Gerson) lands in occupied France. She is the first woman to be a Special Operations Executive agent in France, and scouts out escape lines and collects documents to be forged.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WorldWar2 #EuropeanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 5 Jun 1833, Ada Lovelace meets Charles Babbage, triggering their collaboration on the Analytical Engine and writing the first published program.
Image by Sydney Padua
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WomenInSTEM #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 24 May 1976, at least 400 women walk out on strike at the Trica factory in London, demanding equal pay with their male colleagues. Around 100 men come out on strike in support of the women.
The strike lasts 21 weeks before the American owners of the factory agree to all demands.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #BritishHistory #TradeUnionHistory #Histodons
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door that had been barred to me, and all people of my color, by the governor of this state - that simple act represented an end to legal segregation in the American South.”
#OnThisDay, 11 June 1963, Vivian Malone defies the Governor of Alabama to become the first Black female student at the University of Alabama.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 28 May 1944, Sonia Butt parachutes into occupied France as an explosives expert for the British Special Operations Executive. She'd turned 20 two weeks earlier.
She trained the maquis and coordinated sabotage operations. She was never captured.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WorldWar2 #Histodons
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#OnThisDay, 28 May 1990, Maiden, captained by Tracy Edwards, crosses the finishing line to become the first all-woman crew to complete the Round the World yacht race.
"You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, for we won't take more than our pint'll hold."
#OnThisDay, 29 May 1851, Sojourner Truth addresses the Woman's Rights Convention in Ohio.
Her speech is commonly known as 'ain't I a woman' although that comes from a dubious transcript that uses racial tropes.
Read more about that at https://www.thesojournertruthproject.com/compare-the-speeches/
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 11 Jun 1987, Diane Abbott is elected to the British Parliament. She is the first Black woman to become an MP.
Abbott has held shadow cabinet posts in the Labour party, and is the longest serving Black MP. She currently holds the title "Mother of the House", given to the female MP with the longest uninterrupted service in the House of Commons.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #BritishHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 12 Jun 1948, the Womens Armed Services Integration Act is signed by US President Truman, allowing women to serve in the military outside wartime.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory
#OnThisDay, 14 Jun 1939, Ethel Waters stars in The Ethel Waters Show on NBC, becoming the first black person to have their own show on US TV.
Photo is from her radio show.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #BlackHistory #Histodons
"The air is the only place free of prejudices."
#OnThisDay, 15 Jun 1921, Bessie Coleman gained her pilot's license, becoming the first civilian African-American pilot in the world. And the first of Native American descent.
Read more about her in our NEW blogpost! https://carvehername.org.uk/bessie-coleman-and-other-early-american-aviators/
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #BlackHistory #AviationHistory #Histodons
#OnThisDay, 16 June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space, orbiting Earth 48 times in Vostok 6.
She is currently a member of the Russian State Duma (lower house), and supporter of Putin.
#WomenInSpace #SpaceHistory #WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #Histodons
"You have trampled under foot every vital principle of our government. My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, my judicial rights, are all alike ignored."
#OnThisDay, 17 Jun 1873, Susan B Anthony is tried for illegally voting in the 1872 US Presidential election.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #VotesForWomen #AmericanHistory #Histodons
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#OnThisDay, 18 Jun 1983, Sally Ride is the first woman to be a US astronaut, on board the Challenger shuttle.
A new documentary, 'Sally' (2025, Cristina Costantini) explores her achievements and why she felt she had to hide her sexuality.
#WomenInSpace #WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #Histodons
"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."
#OnThisDay, 12 July 1972, Shirley Chisholm becomes the first Black US Presidential candidate, winning 152 votes in the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention.
#WomenInHistory #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory #Histodons
