When people are asked to name famous females from the 1930s, Amelia Earhart and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt are often among the first mentioned. Some of the culinary conscious may even mention Ruth Wakefield. She invented Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. Fans of Royal gossip might mention Wallis Warfield Simpson too. Her love affair with the then Prince of Wales earned her the title of TIME Magazine’s “Woman of the Year” in 1936. However, they were not the only outstanding women to leave their mark on humanity. Here’s a quick peek at five more:
Laura Jane Addams (1860-1935)
Laura Jane Addams was a remarkable woman that overcame health issues and went on to help change to world. She is perhaps best known for founding Chicago’s Hull House and her social work with the city’s underprivileged population. In addition, she advocated for women’s rights, taught college, held positions of great power and published a book. Her tremendous efforts eventually earned her a Nobel Peace Prize in the winter of 1931.
Frances Perkins (1880-1965)
Laura Jane Adams wasn’t the sole woman to contribute to human rights in the 1930s either. Frances Perkins had a hand in such affairs as well, only on a much broader scale. In 1933 she became the Secretary of Labor. During her tenure, she advocated for labor laws including the establishment of an 8 hour work day, fair wages and factory safety laws. She also had a hand in the establishment of the Social Security program. Those interested in learning more about her contributions to America should consider logging onto the Frances Perkins Center’s website.
Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955)
While Addams and Perkins were making strides in their particular fields of interest, Mary McLeod Bethune was making improvements in the fields of education, child welfare and Civil Rights. Her list of accomplishments in those fields is long and venerable. Among them are the establishment of an all African American school and the National Council of Negro Women. Over the course of her lifetime, she also served on the National Child Welfare Commission and held other positions of note.
Jane Matilda Bolin (1908-2007)
Another African American woman that made headlines in the 1930s was Jane Matilda Bolin. Her field of passion was family law. She broke color barriers in New York City with her appointment to the bench late in the decade. She was also a graduate of Yale Law School, a Wellesley Scholar, a member of the New York State Board of Regents’ Review Committee and a member of the New York City Bar Association.
Lettie Pate Whitehead (1872-1953)
Lastly, Lettie Pate Whitehead is most assuredly worthy of recognition as well. She is perhaps best known for her business acumen and humanitarian work. Whitehead enjoyed a noteworthy career with the Cocoa-Cola Bottling Company. She took over her husband’s position within the firm after his death in 1906. A charitable organization founded in her name was later established in 1946. It focuses on furthering the education and health care needs of women.
Source: Personal Experience
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