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On this day in women’s history…

Posted by bean | April 13th, 2004

April 13

1854: (Birthday) Lucy Craft Laney born in Macon, Georgia. Laney, a free black woman, opened what became the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in Augusta, Georgia, that grew from five students in a basement to a four-acre campus of almost 1,000 students.

1919: (Birthday) Madalyn Murray O’Hair, atheist lawyer who won an American citizen’s rights to be free FROM religion as well as free to be for the religion of one’s choice in Murry v. Curlett which outlawed prayer in public schools (1963) after her son Bill had objected to being forced to participate in school prayers. The day after the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, Madolyn was dismissed from her welfare department job as incompetent. Since 1975, she has been the subject of a never-ending urban legend claiming that she is ” is trying to get religious broadcasting banned from American airwaves.” Recent versions of this urban legend claim that her efforts would ban shows like Touched by an Angel from the airwaves.

1933: (A First) Ruth Bryan Owen is appointed minister to Denmark by President Franklin Roosevelt, becoming the first woman to lead a U.S. diplomatic mission.

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3 Responses to “On this day in women’s history…”

  1. carla Writes:
    April 13th, 2004 at 6:55 am

    I love Madalyn; she was a trip. There was a great interview with her–in Playboy, of all places–in the early 60s. And seeing as how I was raised by atheists, we appreciated her fight.

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  2. brettk Writes:
    April 13th, 2004 at 8:32 am

    Unless she’s really powerful, she can’t be blamed for trying to end religious broadcasting any more. She vanished in 1995 and her body was recovered in 2001 after her murderer confessed.

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  3. A Alexander Stella Writes:
    April 13th, 2004 at 10:07 am

    Well, I do believe thiw comment can bask in the reflected glory of this “Alas, a Blog” weblog.

    I’d like you to consider reading the text for a “state of the union” address that I believe is imperative for this country of ours. To get to it, all you need do is click on the below enclosed U.R.L

    http://www.bcvoice.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=205

    By the way, the proprietors of the www.BCVoice.com website have provided a couple ways for you to leave your comments.

    This comment was written by A Alexander Stella.
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