Background
Born Mary Pegau in 1944 in Fairfield, Iowa, Ruthsdotter lived many places in her youth as her father, a United States. Marine Corps pilot, was assigned to bases in Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Taiwan.
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Mary Ruthsdotter
Edit ProfileEducation
She attended University of California, Los Angeles in the 1970s, earning a Bachelor in urban geography.
Career
She played an influential role in obtaining Congressional resolutions and Presidential proclamations designating Women"s History Week and, later, Women"s History Month. She became a feminist, and changed her legal name to Ruthsdotter, in honor of her mother, Ruth Moyer, in 1978. Ruthsdotter became an activist for women after moving from Los Angeles to Sonoma County, California, in 1977.
In 1980 she joined with Molly MacGregor, Bette Morgan, Paula Hammett, and Maria Cuevas to found the National Women's History Project (NWHP).
Working as projects director for 20 years, Ruthsdotter raised money for materials for students, teachers and librarians. She wrote press releases promoting women's history through radio, television, magazines and newspapers.
She gathered an extensive collection of the leading books and materials pertaining to women's history and biography, making the NWHP the leading national resource on women's history. She traveled extensively, making presentations, training teachers, and lobbying for the cause of women's history.
The observance of Women's History Week began in Sonoma County in 1978, timed to coincide with International Women's Day on March 8.
The idea caught on across the country. By 1981 National Women's History Week had been designated by the United States. Senate and 24 governors and state legislatures, and President Jimmy Carter had issued a proclamation. The United States. Congress passed a joint resolution declaring Women's History Week in March 1982.
In 1987, Women's History Week was expanded to a month, with a proclamation from President Ronald Reagan.
Ruthsdotter also served as the chair of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women, and worked three years as an aide to state assemblywoman (later state senator) Pat Wiggins. She was a supporter of progressive causes and politicians, including Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.
She backed the creation of a National Women"s History Museum on the National Mall in Washington, District of Columbia. Following her retirement in 2004, Ruthsdotter developed multiple myeloma. She died suddenly of congestive heart failure in January 2010.
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Born
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Died
January 8, 2010 (aged 65)