Category Archives: short biographies

Belle Jennings Benchley: Animal Rights Champion

Posted on January 1, 2023 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Hedwig Kiesler: More than Just a Pretty Face

Posted on December 1, 2022 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Rosalind Franklin: the Unsung Heroine of DNA

Posted on May 1, 2022 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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The Couney Family: Giving Preemies a Chance to Live

Posted on March 1, 2022 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Vera Cooper Rubin: Persistent Star Tracker

Posted on February 1, 2022 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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

Posted on January 1, 2022 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Virginia Hall: the Invisible Spy

Posted on December 1, 2021 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Ann Goldman Cohen: Perseverence Was Her Key to Survival

Posted on November 2, 2021 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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Florence Owens Thompson and Sharbat Gula: Profiles in Courage

Posted on October 1, 2021 by lhsittig@verizon.net

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 →

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DorisMarie McCormick, Diane Peedin, Fay Payne, Gene Townley, and Carol Wooten: Strong Women Forced by Fate

Posted on September 1, 2021 by lhsittig@verizon.net

by Linda Harris Sittig What bound these five women together was their courage in the face of an appalling shared tragedy, a tragedy that befell their husbands and altered the life of each family. The Beginning All of their husbands … Continue reading →

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