Rep. Boy leads Indiana House in celebrating International Women’s Day

INDIANAPOLIS – Representative Pat Boy (D-Michigan City) today led Indiana House members in recognizing the essential role of women in history by celebrating International Women’s Day.

House Resolution 29 recognizes March as Women’s History Month and March 8 as International Women’s Day in Indiana.

“American women have a long history of fighting for a fairer and more just society for all,” Boy said. “They were leaders in securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity, but also led fights in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement and the peace movement.”

The resolution observes several important moments in women’s history, including ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which ensured that women had the right to vote. It was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, and ratified by the states on August 18, 1920. On February 27, 1922, just 97 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Nineteenth Amendment in Leser v. Garnett.

International Women’s Day (IWD), which first took place in 1911, is dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world.

“It is important to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women because visibility and awareness help drive positive change for women,” Boy said. “Women have been fighting for a fair and equal society since 1848. Since then we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.”

The resolution pays particular attention to women of note who lived and worked in the Michigan City area.

The late State Representative and State Senator Anita Bowser was the first woman to hold the role of Deputy House Speaker Pro Tempore in the history of Indiana. She was a founding member of, and the first female teacher at, Purdue University North Central. Her priorities included education, economic development, health care, and the environment, and she was considered by some to be “the conscience of the Indiana State Senate.”

Sgt. Nora Werner was the first female Indiana State Police trooper to patrol the Indiana Toll Road. Boy said Sgt. Werner emphasized doing the right thing “no matter what” and served as a mentor and role model for many state troopers until her retirement in 2017 after serving for 34 years.

Dorothy Jurney was born in Michigan City in 1909 and began her career at the Michigan City News, later becoming the women’s editor at the Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press, and Philadelphia Inquirer. She shifted the focus of women’s pages from society news to serious issues, such as the women’s movement, female political candidates, and women in the workplace.

Anita King, born in Michigan City in 1884, began her career in modeling and theater before putting her expertise in driving to good use by competing in auto races in the early 1910s. She was the first female driver to complete a solo trip across the U.S., reporting that her only companions were a rifle and a six-shooter. She used her fame for charitable works, and helped organize a recreational club for young girls trying to start a career in the film industry.

Harriet Colfax served as Michigan City’s lighthouse keeper from 1861 until her retirement at age 80 in 1904. During those 43 years, she had an impeccable record of service keeping the light on through rain, snow, and many storms.

Others recognized in Boy’s resolution included Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Grace Hopper, Bessie Coleman, Carrie Chapman Catt, Alice Paul, Dr. Alice Hamilton, and Dr. Mae Jemison.

Marie Curie founded the science of radioactivity, which led to the discovery of various cures for cancer. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first female professor at the University of Paris, and the first person to win a second Nobel Prize.

Rosa Parks challenged racial segregation in 1955 by refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. The U.S. Congress has called her, “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement.”

Amelia Earhart became the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean during a solo flight. She spent five years beating speed and flying records.

Grace Hopper was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in math from Yale University in 1934 and became a revolutionary figure in the world of computer science. She spent the majority of her life serving her country as part of the U.S. Navy and is credited with visionary work on early computer systems that led to Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL), a commercial programming language that revolutionized how businesses operate around the world.

Bessie Coleman was the first woman to earn an international pilot’s license in France but could only work as a stunt pilot in the U.S. due to racial and gender bias. She succeeded in building nationwide support to fund a pilot school that trained black aviators.

Carrie Chapman Catt served as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) over 100 years ago from 1900 to 1904. She served again from 1915 through the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Alice Paul broke away from NAWSA and founded the National Women’s Party (NWP). She organized parades and pickets of the White House starting in 1913 and joined 1,000 “silent sentinels” in support of suffrage in January 1917. Paul and fellow suffragettes picketed the White House gates with banners over the course of 18 months.

Dr. Alive Hamilton became the first and, for many years, the only woman on the Harvard faculty in 1918. While teaching pathology at Northwestern University, she came to know Jane Addams and other reformers who encouraged her to find a way to apply her scientific knowledge to social problems. Her pioneering research in the field of toxicology raised awareness about industrial hazards found in the workplace for many Americans.

Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African American woman in space. She had previously served as an Area Peace Corps Medical Officer and managed the health care systems for Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. She was selected by NASA for the astronaut program in 1988 and was chosen as the science mission specialist for an eight-day mission on board the Endeavour in 1992, logging over 190 hours in space.

“I hope recognizing the tenacious women who have paved the way for current generations inspires women to continue working toward equality for all Hoosiers by running for elected office and applying to serve on boards and commissions,” Boy said. “I want to thank members of the Indiana Commission for Women (ICW) and the individual Commissions for Women serving in several Hoosier cities for their continuous efforts in support of Hoosier women. When we advocate for gender parity, we advocate for a fair and just society.”