Featured inside: BWHT 20th Anniversary • March Calendar • Boston’s First Ladies of Music • Plans for Margaret Fuller Bicentennial • ProclaimHerRose Fitzgerald Kennedy Trail • Boston Women & The Law Newsletter of the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail (BWHT) — Winter 2009 — www.bwht.org Looking Back at 20 Years On March 22, 2003, a group of 35 History and English teachers from around the United States took a BWHT tour to learn about and to connect the lives In March 1990, hundreds of Boston Public School of Boston women with our nation’s history, achievements, and struggles. students climbed the steps of the Massachusetts State House to celebrate the opening of BWHT. In 2001, BWHT held its first women’s history art contest. Over twenty students from Boston schools participated. In 2003 the Trail sponsored an- other women’s history art con- test; nearly 500 students sub- During the fall of 2000, Agassiz Elementary School fifth mitted entries. grade students in Maria Harvey’s class learned about women in Jamaica Plain history from the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail walk through “JP.” Sculptor Meredith Bergmann spoke at the October 25, 2003 dedication of the Boston Women’s Memorial, where On June 25, 2005, a day of record- Abigail Adams, Phillis breaking heat in Boston, BWHT cel- Wheatley, and Lucy Stone are ebrated the opening of its sixteenth “Stepping Back” – Trotter School students honored in a bronze monumen- trail in 16 years with an inaugural sport their new Roxbury Women’s History tal sculpture on the Common- guided walk of the new South End Trail baseball caps in the spring of 1998. wealth Avenue Mall. Women’s Heritage Trail. ProclaimHer BWHT Celebrates its 20th Anniversary is published by the ometime in the late 1980s, a young its, and led customized guided tours for con- Boston Women’s Heritage Trail girl was on a class trip walking ference attendees, groups desiring to create c/o Boston Educational S Boston’s famed Freedom Trail. The trails, and student groups. For ten years, Development Foundation girl perhaps influenced by her mother’s femi- BWHT sponsored the Perseverance Essay th 26 Court St. nist persuasion and observant of the person- Contest for 8 grade BPS students. This year Boston, MA 02108 alities described on the Trail, asked, “Where the BWHT will provide a Summer Institute th www.bwht.org are the women?” Indeed, where were the for 5 grade BPS teachers to conduct class- 617-364-2449 women? They were right there in front of room projects and take class trips to the our faces. Inspired by the child’s question, a Adam’s National Historic Park, the home of group of Boston Public School teachers, li- two presidents and one of the first ladies, Board of Directors brarians, and other educators constructed a Abigail Adams. Officers list of hundreds of women with Boston roots BWHT has collaborated with many organi- President Sylvia McDowell or connections who had made contributions zations, with its most significant collabora- Vice-President Susan Goganian to society by virtue of their careers or volun- Secretary Michelle Jenney tion in the planning and creation of the Bos- teer work but had never been recognized. Treasurer Gretchen O’Neill ton Women’s Memorial (BWM), erected on Thus was the genesis of the Boston Women’s the last plot of exhibition land on the Com- Members Heritage Trail. During the fall of 1989, a monwealth Mall and dedicated in 2003. Prior Liane Curtis founding group, which included Meg to the installation of the BWM, seven statues Maria D’Itria Campbell, Charlotte Harris, Polly Kaufman, of men stood in that corridor, and four Katherine Dibble and Diana Lam, met at the Old South Meet- women sculptors represented women and a Kirstin Gamble-Bridier ing House to develop a mission statement monument graced by allegorical female fig- Barbara Locurto and a set of bylaws for the organization. With ures. As part of its involvement with creat- Susan Mortensen a grant from the Women’s Educational Eq- ing the Memorial, BWHT created a curricu- Marilyn Richardson uity Act the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail lum related to the three figures of the Me- Mary Rudder Jane Skelton was formed with its own all-volunteer board morial, Abigail Adams, Lucy Stone, and Phillis Doryce Smith of directors. Wheatley. Since its installation, the Memo- rial has been the focal point of several work- Mary Smoyer Their initial decision was to determine that Marie A. Turley shops and guided tours for students of the there would be walking tours patterned on BPS. Alma Wright the model of the established Freedom Trail. Rather than one extensive trail, however, Through access to the website Advisory Board walking tours of each of Boston’s neighbor- www.bwht.org, the Trail has served as an in- Meg Campbell hoods were devised. Designed to be self- formation center drawing requests for assis- Julie Crockford guided, a printed guide annotated by brief tance in tracing family history, networking, Barbara Clark Elam Carol Geyer notes on the contribution of each woman was and academic research. The website has gen- Jean Gibran developed. Initially four communities were erated suggestions of new women to be in- rd Charlotte Harris programmed. In today’s 3 revised edition, cluded and collaborations with other histori- Erica Hirschler 8 neighborhoods: Downtown, North End, cal associations in mutual enhancements of Vera Johnson Beacon Hill, South Cove/Chinatown, Back programs. Bay East and West, and South End are de- Polly Kaufman This year BWHT will be celebrating its 20th Diana Lam scribed in the book. In addition, the work of anniversary with a series of programs pre- Joyce Stevens BWHT has led to the development of 5 local sented in collaboration with other organiza- Stephanie Wong-Fan trails designed by BPS students: Charlestown, tions. A calendar of events is printed else- Susan Wilson Lower Roxbury, Roxbury, South End, and where in this issue. The initial program is West Roxbury. BWHT has also influenced the one on the arts being presented at the Bos- creation of specific as well as thematic trails ton Museum of Fine Arts on March 4th. We in Boston, Bozeman, Montana and Oslo, hope to see you there. Norway. Members of the Board of the Boston Over the past 20 years, in order to infuse the Women’s Heritage Trail are excited about its lives of Boston’s women into the Boston Pub- history and activities as an all volunteer as- lic Schools, BWHT has held workshops and The Boston Women’s Heritage Trail is a non- sociation and look forward to your atten- institutes for teacher training focused on in- profit organization founded in 1989 as a pro- dance at the wonderful array of program- gram of the Boston Public Schools. Through corporating women into the curriculum. ming planned in celebration. ■ educational programs, publications, and out- Sponsored competitive activities for middle reach initiatives, the BWHT is dedicated to and high school students with classroom vis- by President Sylvia McDowell weaving the lives and work of women back into the story of the City of Boston. BWHT is going “green” ! This is the last hard copy “ProclaimHer”; BWHT is We are available for research assistance, speak- ing engagements, and to collaborate on pro- shifting to E-newsletters. Not only is this better for the environment, it is also a grams and projects. great way to reach more readers and supporters. Editor: Sue Mortensen To make sure you stay aware of Trail activities and receive our newsletter, please Logo by Ginny O’Neil SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS to [email protected] TODAY! 2 - ProclaimHer - Winter 2009 ✁ Boston Women’s Heritage Trail Is 20 Years Old hroughout March 2009 the Bos- History Month, celebratory events will Board President Sylvia McDowell has an- ton Women’s Heritage Trail include lectures, presentations, and spe- nounced “many of our past and present T (BWHT) will celebrate its first cial guided Trail walks. The kick-off event Board members will be participating in two decades by sponsoring and co-spon- on March 4, at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Trail’s activities as speakers, panel- soring an outstanding series of programs features Advisory Board member Erica ists, or conveners, and they are excited and events. Hirshler leading a stellar group of art- about sharing their experiences as they ists, curators and educators in a discus- have witnessed the Trail’s growth and Since 1989, through tours, educational sion of women’s role in the arts. importance since 1989.” programs, and a rich variety of informa- tive and entertaining activities, the BWHT Later in the year, the Trail is conducting Following is a schedule of events planned has uncovered and affirmed the vital role a Summer Institute for Fifth Grade thus far. Events will be described in detail of women in Boston’s history from the Teachers in the Boston Public Schools. on the Trail’s website, www.bwht.org ■ colonial era to the present. The photo-filled BWHT Trail Guide tells We’re Celebrating Women’s History Month stories of courage, adventure, enterprise, MARCH 4 – Wednesday, 7:00 PM gesting that few could have succeeded in dedication, and triumph against the odds. Museum of Fine Arts Boston – an art world defined and dominated by Remis Auditorium men. Today, the history of art is being re- The Guidebook offers seven self-guided A Studio of Her Own: New Perspectives written to include women’s contributions, walks throughout Boston neighborhoods. Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, artist; often by redefining the very boundaries of History comes alive in the stories of more Deborah H.