In Other Words: Women's History Month

March is women’s history month. Here are just a few biographies at the Greenfield Library on remarkable and influential women throughout history.

Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11, 1884-November 7, 1962)

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt

The long and eventful life of Eleanor Roosevelt was full of rich experiences and courageous actions. She traveled with her husband to meet leaders of many powerful nations; after his death in 1945 she worked as a UN delegate, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, newspaper columnist, Democratic party activist, world-traveler, and diplomat. By the end of her life, Eleanor Roosevelt was recognized throughout the world for her fortitude and commitment to the ideals of liberty and human rights.

Juliette Gordon Low (October 31, 1860 – January 17, 1927)

Juliette Gordon Low : the remarkable founder of the Girl Scouts by Stacy A. Cordery

In celebration of the Girl Scouts' centennial, this biography is a salute to its maverick founder. Born at the start of the Civil War, Juliette Gordon Low grew up in Georgia, where she struggled to reconcile being a good Southern belle with her desire to run barefoot through the fields. In this biography, the author paints a dynamic portrait of an intriguing woman and a true pioneer whose work touched the lives of millions of girls and women around the world.

Catherine the Great (May 2, 1729- November 17, 1796)

Catherine the Great : portrait of a woman by Robert K. Massie

Massie, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, presents a narrative biography of Catherine the Great, the empress of Russia, centering on her 34-year struggle to rule Russia using the ideals of the Enlightenment philosophers. Covering her life from childhood to death, the book reveals the human drama of her rule, offering details on her relationships with friends, enemies, family, and lovers, in addition to analysis of how she coped with political crises.

Georgia O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887-March 6, 1986)

Georgia O'Keeffe by Lisa Mintz Messinger

Wisconsin born Georgia O'Keeffe was a major figure in American art for seven decades. Throughout that long and prolific career she remained true to her unique artistic vision, creating a highly individual style that synthesized the formal language of modern European abstraction and the themes of traditional American pictorialism.

Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913-October 24, 2005)

Rosa Parks by Douglas Brinkley

Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress in 1955 Alabama, had no idea she was changing history when, work-weary, she refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus. Today, she is immortalized for the defiance that sent her to jail and triggered a bus boycott that catapulted Martin Luther King, Jr., into the national spotlight.

Cleopatra (69 BC-12 August 30 BC)

Cleopatra : a Life by Stacy Schiff

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Though her life spanned fewer than 40 years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.