Category Archives: short biographies

Fanny Eyal Ben-Ami: Tenacious Holocaust Heroine

by Linda Harris Sittig January was Holocaust Remembrance Month, paying homage to the 11 million victims of the Holocaust. It was almost seventy-eight years ago, in 1945, the death camp of Auschwitz was liberated, and the world at large learned … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Belle Jennings Benchley: Animal Rights Champion

by Linda Harris Sittig Long before we had Hollywood stars campaigning for animal rights, there was Belle Jennings Benchley. BEFORE THE ZOO Born in August 1882 to a strait-laced Victorian family in rural Kansas, Belle’s future was mapped out to … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Hedwig Kiesler: More than Just a Pretty Face

By Linda Harris Sittig Do you use Wifi or GPS, or a cell phone? Then you should know the story of one strong woman whose research and inventions were the precursor to much of our day-to-day technology. But I bet … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Rosalind Franklin: the Unsung Heroine of DNA

by Linda Harris Sittig Although you know Rosalind Franklin’s scientific discovery, you may not recognize her name. That is because her accomplishment was overshadowed and credited to three men: Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins, who won the 1962 … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 8 Comments

The Couney Family: Giving Preemies a Chance to Live

By Linda Harris Sittig You’ve heard the adage, “It takes a village.” But sometimes, it takes just one family to make a profound difference. This month’s blog is not about a strong woman; it is about her family – the … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Vera Cooper Rubin: Persistent Star Tracker

By Linda Harris Sittig As a child, I was always fascinated by the stars. But unlike Vera Rubin, I never considered the possibility of studying them. The best I have done is put an app, The Night Sky, on my … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Mary Martin Sloop, M.D.: Unstoppable Children’s Crusader

By Linda Harris Sittig Mary Martin Sloop’s impressive career had a rocky start. Her Early Life Born in Davidson, North Carolina, in 1873, Mary had the good fortune that her father believed in education for women, perhaps because he was … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Virginia Hall: the Invisible Spy

by Linda Harris Sittig Some humans are flashy and command attention. Other humans exude confidence and attract attention. And some humans pass by primarily unnoticed, almost like they were invisible. When you decide to become a spy in WWII, willing … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Ann Goldman Cohen: Perseverence Was Her Key to Survival

by Linda Harris Sittig Strong women don’t always live extraordinary lives, but they often live during extraordinary times. Like Ann Goldman Cohen. Annie was born on December 5, 1885. That, in and of itself, is not extraordinary until you learn … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women, women who made a difference | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Florence Owens Thompson and Sharbat Gula: Profiles in Courage

By Linda Harris Sittig Florence Thompson image from New York Public Library. Photographer: Dorothea Lange Sharbat Gula image from Global Student Square. Photographer: Steve McCurry You may not recognize their names, but their photos were two of the most famous … Continue reading

Posted in short biographies, strong women | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments