Five remarkable women with ties to the Chesapeake region
Learn about the inspirational work of five women from the Chesapeake
Learn about the inspirational work of five women from the Chesapeake
Comments
I think Alice Ferguson might also be added. Her legacy in the Hard Bargain farm and Foundation continue to be inspirational.
Great piece! A "Women of the Chesapeake" series would be nice...
What about Sen. Barbara Mikulski who spent her career fighting for the Chesapeake Bay? Please add a 6th woman to this article.
We'd like to nominate the late Evelyn T. Butts, a major voting rights champion here in Norfolk, Virginia, to represent the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay. She was a seamstress caring for her disabled World War II husband but got tired of the unjust poll tax. She and attorney Joseph A. Jordan Jr. filed a lawsuit in 1964, which led to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down state and local poll taxes in a March 24, 1966, landmark decision -- 50 years ago this week. Here is something I posted on Facebook yesterday, along with a couple of links: Today, March 24, is the 50th anniversary of a landmark day in U.S. history, especially for Virginia and the citizens of Norfolk -- and for voters everywhere. On March 24, 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down poll taxes for state and local elections, thanks to a lawsuit filed by Evelyn T. Butts, a Norfolk seamstress and voting rights champion, and her very determined attorney, Joseph A. Jordan Jr. (The 24th amendment, ratified in 1964, had outlawed poll taxes only in federal elections.) The Evelyn Butts lawsuit was consolidated with a suit from Annie Harper of northern Virginia and became known as Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections. Evelyn Butts died in 1993. The Virginia Senate later passed a resolution citing the "extraordinary courage" of this "trailblazing leader." It added that her "most lasting legacy lives on in the entire generation of political leaders, both black and white, who owe their success to the tireless and inspired efforts of a Norfolk seamstress." A street in Norfolk is named for Evelyn T. Butts and is adjacent to the Oakwood Chapel Church, which has a small display to commemorate the voting rights accomplishment of Evelyn T. Butts. http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/poll_tax and http://ideastations.org/radio/news/patriotism-perseverance-and-end-poll-tax
Sophie Kerr (1880-1965) was a writer who wrote about small town girls making it big! She grew up in Denton, Maryland, attended Hood College and then University of Vermont. She bequeathed the bulk of her estate to Washington College in Chestertown Maryland to establish a prize for a senior who shows promise in the field of literary endeavors. The 2016 prize will be $65,770!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Kerr
https://www.washcoll.edu/departments/english/sophie-kerr-legacy/
Thank you!
Your comment has been received. Before it can be published, the comment will be reviewed by our team to ensure it adheres with our rules of engagement.
Back to recent stories