MA Women's History Center

09/07/2026

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Coit (1892-1987), American architect from Wi******er, MA! Graduated from Radcliffe College (1911), School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (1911-1913), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1919), where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in architecture, Columbia University (1922-23), and the Collège de France (1923–24). She became a licensed architect in New York State and dedicated her career to public housing issues. In 1968, she became the editor of the newsletter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, regularly publishing articles highlighting positive case studies of urban planning and architecture in low- and middle-income communities, and became the FIRST woman to receive the Langley Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and so much more! https://bit.ly/45Qry1H

09/05/2026

Happy Amy Beach Day, declared a holiday in 2017 by then-Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, to honor her 150th birthday! Raised in Boston, Beach was an internationally known composer and pianist who performed her composition “Mass in E-flat,” the FIRST mass written by an American woman, at the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1892). She composed the Gaelic Symphony (1894), the first composed and published piece by an American woman, and performed it at the Boston Symphony (1896). “When women were working on the suffrage movement, Beach was often pointed to as one of these symbols of women’s achievements, that women can work at the highest level in every field.” - Liane Curtis, Ph.D. Founder and President, Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy. Check out our biography about Amy Beach on our website: https://bit.ly/3JPfmao!

09/02/2026

In honor of Christa Corrigan McAuliffe’s (1948-1986) birthday yesterday, we remember her inspiring optimism and her mantra, “I touch the future. I teach.” She was the first American civilian selected to go to space, and tragically perished in the Challenger Shuttle explosion in 1986. Raised in Framingham, MA, McAuliffe graduated from Framingham State University and later became an inspiring high school teacher in Concord, NH. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and Framingham State University created the Christa McAuliffe Center in her honor. https://bit.ly/4nklBkZ https://bit.ly/4lYUvyC

09/01/2026

Happy Birthday, Esther Rome (1945-1995), who co-founded the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective in 1969, which authored the groundbreaking book on women’s health and sexuality, Our Bodies, Ourselves! Rome worked to educate women about their health and brought awareness to the dangers of products like tampons and breast implants. MWHC partner Our Bodies Ourselves carries on her work and continues to provide educational information on women’s health. https://bit.ly/3sHyw9A

09/01/2026

The Massachusetts Women’s History Center (MWHC)’s flagship program, the Massachusetts Women’s Hall of Fame (MWHOF) Selection Committee, is excited to announce the inaugural class of HISTORIC women and organizations to be inducted into the MWHOF with LIVING Inductees (to be announced soon - stay tuned!) SAVE THE DATE: Monday evening, November 9, 2026! See the names, images, and bios of the HISTORIC women/organizations to be inducted into the MWHOF on our website -https://www.mawomenshistory.org/hall-fame!

09/01/2026

The MA Women’s History Center is terribly sad that Dolly Parton has passed away. Rising from total poverty, she wrote and sang songs that spoke to and uplifted women and men of all economic and social levels - of all races - she is immensely popular in Zimbabwe. Her talent and compassion are unparalleled. Dolly Parton passed away the day before Women’s Equality Day last week, and Fredie Kay, Founder & President , was honored to dedicate the Women’s Equality Day event in her memory.

We are so thankful that Dolly Parton joined with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin to make the iconic, fabulous movie “9 to 5,” which was the name of a movement born in Cambridge, MA in 1972 by a group of Harvard University office workers! They went on to organize a national movement! “9 to 5” opens our extensive Exhibit on our website (curated by Katie Woods) “FROM ROSES TO RAISES: WOMEN’S FIGHT FOR JUST AND EQUAL PAY IN MASSACHUSETTS" about women and labor! Check it out: mawomenshistory.org. It begins with a quote from the song Dolly wrote and sang:
Workin' 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by
It's all takin' and no givin'”
–Dolly Parton, “9 to 5”

08/31/2026

Thank you so much for portraying Deborah Sampson with a terrific Oration at our Women's Equality Day event!

08/31/2026

08/31/2026

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08/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person or on Facebook Live to commemorate Women’s Equality Day 2026! A huge thank you to all speakers and orator, and for having information tables at the event: League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Celia Canavan, Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement - Boston, Dana Alas, Mary-dith Tuitt, Georgina Arietta-Reutenik, Judith Kalaora, Lynn Paget, Danielle Kim, Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators! Deborah Sampson’s appearance in Revolutionary uniform and oration (via Judith Kalaora) was inspiring! And then: Fredie Kay and Danielle Kim of the MA Women’s Hall of Fame Selection Committee, announced the HISTORIC women who will be inducted into the first class of the MA Women’s Hall of Fame at a Gala event!!!! As 2026 is the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, HISTORIC inductees are from the Revolutionary Era. These women/organizations contributed mightily to the American Revolution! -Check out Mawomenshistory.org for more! LIVING women/groups of the first class of the MA Women’s Hall of Fame to be announced soon - stay tuned! Save the date: Monday evening, November 9, 2026 in Boston for the induction of the HISTORIC and LIVING women/organizations! ! More info to come. Thank you Axie Breen for your fabulous photos (more will be posted on our website!), Flashprint, the Swan Boats for dressing the Swans in their Votes for Women sashes! Boston Park + Rec TaylorRentals! Remember the last song in Suffs Musical: “KEEP MARCHING!”