The Lesser-Known Heroes, by Mary Ellen Bafumo

It's National Women's History Month – a perfect time to introduce your students to important female figures in history

You can probably name three of our nation's Founding Fathers pretty quickly. Naming three Founding Mothers may take longer because their stories are seldom told. The inclusion of women's voices and stories in history and current events is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the twentieth century, there was little serious interest in the lives and activities of women. Today, the stories of famous and obscure women are being studied in earnest. What their lives tell us is compelling and provides new perspectives on the roles of women, and their courage, resourcefulness and determination.

Women have led nations (Golda Meir, Indira Ghandi, Margaret Thatcher), written classic literature (Jane Austen, George Sand), made scientific breakthroughs (Marie Curie) and have led in the arts and industry. The focus of this column is on resources about American women, in order to accommodate elementary curriculum. The goal is to provide relevant role models that open doors to new possibilities for the next generation of women.

Back in the day
When studying the American Revolution and the shaping of the Republic, students are normally exposed to the genius of Franklin and Jefferson and the outstanding leadership qualities of Washington and Lincoln. Why not add a bit of what women were doing during those eras? Political wives then, as now, had to raise the children and often run their husband's businesses or farms. Many women kept diaries that documented their political opinions and their counsel on them to their husbands. Abigail Adams was not the only one. Read selections to your class from Cokie Roberts' book, Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation (William Morrow, 2004). You'll shed new light for your students on the earliest days of our nation and the surprising roles that women played, as well as on the timelessness of politics.

Pioneer women
Stories of bravery, courage and determination that will rivet student attention can be found in Lillian Schlissel's book, Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey (Schocken, 2004). Read a snippet to your class about a mother and daughter alone on the prairie in a sod house. They spent hours fighting off attacks by hungry wolves that tried to push through a window frame as the sod crumbled. Ask students if they go to a doctor when they are ill, or if they were born in a hospital. Then read a diary entry by a young pioneer mother. She rose at dawn to milk the cow, feed the chickens, cook meals for her small children and chop wood for the fire. At the end of the long day, she closed the curtain to the bedroom and gave birth to her new baby, alone.

Women on wagons
Kenneth L. Holmes has a fascinating series about women on wagon trains, Covered Wagon Women: Diaries and Letters from Western Trails, 1850 (University of Nebraska Press, 1996) contains a variety of selections. Read about everyday life from the cost of flour to the heat and flies on the trail. Kids will be fascinated when learning about real encounters with Indians. Since these writings are in their original form, be sure to use them as exercises for your students in correcting spelling and grammar, acquiring new vocabulary and comparing past and present colloquial expressions.

In recent history
In the study of more recent history, it's hard not to mention Eleanor Roosevelt. She truly paved the way for women in politics. Read excerpts from My Day: The Best of Eleanor Roosevelt's Acclaimed Newspaper Columns 1936-1962 (Da Capo Press, 2001) to share insights into Roosevelt's character and activism. Both are excellent discussion topics to present to your students.

Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, is surely worthy of discussion. See her book, The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice (Random House, 2004). Geraldine Ferraro, the first female vice-presidential candidate in our history, is also a study in courage and determination. Both women earned their positions through diligence and perseverance.

Unheard voices
Last but not least are the heroes in your students' homes and neighborhoods. The single mom who makes great sacrifices for her children, the neighborhood Samaritan who is always ready to help and the refugee who fled her country are all vibrant stories waiting to be told. Sharing the voices of those we don't usually hear provides students with new perspectives and perhaps greater appreciation for the lesser-known heroes of our nation.

Mary Ellen Bafumo is a Program Director for the Council on Educational Change, an Annenberg legacy group.