August 1 was the anniversary of Mary Elizabeth (Eliza) Mahoney becoming the first Black woman to graduate from an American school of nursing. She’s considered the first officially trained Black nurse in the United States. Early Life Mary Eliza Mahoney was born in April or May of 1845 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to parents who were […]
Did you know there is a bit of a debate over who was the first Black woman to receive a U.S. patent? Judy Woodford Reed, Sarah E. Goode, and Miriam Benjamin are all credited with that feat, though there may have been others before them who did not reveal their race or gender. Learn more […]
With the release of Consequences and the Historical Novel Society Conference, June almost got away from me without our monthly column on women in history. But luckily I was working on next month’s and realized it. This month we’re looking at a woman whom I remember from my childhood. (Can you believe 35 years ago […]
If you’ve read my novella, Consequences, or even just the back cover copy, you’ll notice it takes place during the life of Catherine McAuley, a woman most people, especially outside of Ireland, have never heard of. I found out about her nearly 18 years ago when I started working at my current day job. We […]
This is the May column on women in history that I write for the women’s group at my day job. You’ll be hearing more about Sojourner from me in the future. May is a month full of women’s firsts in sports, women’s suffrage, politics, finance and flight. But we’re going to focus on a woman […]
Ever wanted to see a woman on a quarter? Here’s your chance to nominate her! In January, the Treasury Department signed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 into law. This law requires the U.S. Mint to issue quarters featuring prominent American women from January 1, 2022 through the end of 2025. The act allows […]
You may remember a year or so ago (okay two) when I mentioned I was writing a short story for an anthology to aid survivors of human trafficking. Well, the anthology didn’t come to pass, but my story did and it will hit virtual shelves June 16 in ebook format. It turned out to be […]
My friend and fellow historical fiction author, Stephanie Dray, has a new book out today! She calls The Women of Chateau Lafayette a seven-year labor of love. I know all about books that take years to come to fruition so I can’t wait to read this one. I’ve read her previous books, America’s First Daughter […]
I’m so honored that Success Magazine (of which I’m a BIG fan) has named Madame Presidentess as one of their 10 Essential Books to Read for Women’s History Month! This such a huge honor! Especially to be on a list along with Rupi Kaur …
March is National Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Women’s Equality Day. Despite representing 50.8% of people in the United States[1] and coming a long way since our nation’s founding, women are still considered a minority group. That is because, like people of color of both sexes, they have fewer rights compared to […]