JL Celebrates Women's History Month

From the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ to Eudora Welty, remembering remarkable women who made a difference

New York , NY – March 1, 2013– What did Margaret Hamilton, the character actress who memorably played the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 movie classic The Wizard of Oz, have in common do with Eudora Welty, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and chronicler of the American South? They were both Junior League members.

Susan Danish, Executive Director of The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., said, “Over more than 11 decades, Junior League members have included a wide range of remarkable women, many of whom made a difference in public careers as varied as politics, public service, the arts and philanthropy. It is our pleasure to remember the accomplishments of these women during Women’s History Month with a ‘Tweet-a-day’ highlighting what our Leagues as well individual members have done.”

Here is the full list of AJLI’s Tweets for Women’s History Month:

  1. Add @jlpamp volunteer to child actress, UN delegate & US Ambassador, Shirley Temple Black’s accomplishments: http://bit.ly/2HcZJDJ.
  2. @JuniorLeague volunteer, Margaret Chase Smith, was 1st woman to have served in both the House & Senate http://bit.ly/2D3JAhD. 
  3. @JLBrooklyn petitions Board of Education to provide free meals in schools, setting model for Nat’l School Lunch Program 
  4. 1st woman on the US Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor was once President of @juniorleaguephx: http://bit.ly/2oTsfD3. 
  5. Eleanor Roosevelt began her path to humanitarian work as a @JuniorLeague volunteer: http://bit.ly/2FtnVVd. 
  6. What else do Former First Ladies & literacy advocates, Barbara & Laura Bush have in common? @JuniorLeague membership. 
  7. 1st Commanding Officer of WWII Women’s Army Corps, Oveta Culp Hobby, was also a @JLHoustonInc member: http://bit.ly/2oMuRDn.
  8. Before winning a Pulitzer Prize, Eudora Welty’s works appeared in @JLJacksonMS volunteer news magazine: http://bit.ly/2Hd1yR5.
  9. Among Congresswoman & @Junior League member, Ruth Baker Pratt’s accomplishments: co-sponsoring Books for the Blind act.
  10. Did you know, the @juniorleaguestl was founded to support women’s suffrage? 
  11. Before becoming Plano, TX’s longest serving female mayor, Pat Evans was a @JLPlano volunteer.
  12. 1st woman mayor of Orlando, Glenda Hood, began her road to public service as a @JLGOrlando volunteer: http://bit.ly/2HdqJmT.
  13. Among members honored by @JLLos Angeles for a lifetime of community service - Former First Lady, Nancy Reagan. 
  14. North Carolina Senator, Kay Hagan, credits @JLGreensboro experience for preparing her for politics: http://bit.ly/2D3KniI.
  15. Friend of @JuniorLeague founder, Mary Harriman, Dorothy Whitney Straight was the group’s 1st president: http://bit.ly/2Fggm0P.
  16. The bill establishing a Nat’l Women's History Museum was drafted by Congresswoman & NY @JuniorLeague member, Carolyn Maloney.
  17. .@JuniorLeagueMKE ‘s Catherine Cleary was the 1st woman to serve as director of General Motors & AT&T: http://bit.ly/2tkddvn.
  18. Equal Rights Amendment supporter & First Lady, Betty Ford was a @JuniorLeague of Grand Rapids volunteer: http://bit.ly/2FYF2w5.
  19. Ohio’s first Congresswoman, Frances P. Bolton, was also a @JLCleveland volunteer.
  20. Credit a @JuniorLeague of Toledo documentary with leading to passage of local clean water laws in #Ohio: http://bit.ly/2I79Vz3.
  21. 1st female mayor of Phoenix, Margaret Hance, was also a @juniorleaguephx volunteer & president: http://bit.ly/2FjBabK.
  22. Actress Margaret Hamilton, The Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West, got her acting start as a @JLCleveland volunteer: http://bit.ly/2HaTb8Q.
  23. Bet you didn’t know Oscar-winning actress & daughter of a suffragette, Katharine Hepburn, was a @JLofHartford member.
  24. .@JLAustinOrg member, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, was the first woman mayor of #Austin: http://bit.ly/2tkddvn. 
  25. .@JuniorLeague was among the many women’s groups that lobbied for passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994.
  26. Mary Harriman Rumsey, @JuniorLeague founder, was also chair of 1st consumer rights board in the US: http://bit.ly/2FYKmzE. 
  27. Civic leader, Doris Matsui has served her community as a @ JrLeagueSac volunteer & US Congresswoman.
  28. Louisiana State Senator & former 1st woman mayor of Lake Charles, Willie Mount, is a @JuniorLeague member: http://bit.ly/2I6Pfr9.
  29. Before educational TV programs like Sesame Street, #JuniorLeagues created local educational programming: http://bit.ly/2FfJ06d.
  30. Long before she mastered the art of French cooking, Julia Child worked with kids as an @MyJLP volunteer: http://bit.ly/2FmVs0d. 
  31. .@JLNashville volunteer, Cornelia Fort was the 1st woman to die on active military duty in service to the US: http://bit.ly/2D4wqRm.

About The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc.
Founded in 1901 by New Yorker and social activism pioneer, Mary Harriman, the Junior Leagues are charitable nonprofit organizations of women, developed as civic leaders, creating demonstrable community impact.

Today, The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) is comprised of more than 155,000 women in 293 Junior Leagues throughout Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Together, they constitute one of the largest, most effective volunteer organizations in the world.

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