05-31 TABLE of CONTENTS:
Chien-shiung Wu
DATES, ANNIVERSARIES, and
EVENTS
QUOTE by Mary
Wollstonecraft.
"Ask Ms. Wu"
Chien-shiung Wu, Chinese-born U.S. physicist,
one of the foremost scientists of her day, developed the experimental proof
that enabled two theoretical scientists to win the Nobel prize. Of course,
she did not share in the prize.
When she was ignored for the Nobel, U.S. Senator and
wit Clare Boothe Luce said, "When Dr.
Wu knocked out that principle of parity, she established the principle
of parity between men and women."
Born 05-31-1912, Wu provided
the first proof that the principle of parity conservation does not hold
in weak subatomic interactions - a finding that rated headlines throughout
the world because it overturned what had been considered a fundamental
law of nature.
As one of the most highly regarded physicists of the
world, she was professor Emeritus of Physics at Columbia University (full
professor (1958), and winner of almost every prestigious award possible
- except the one she made possible for two men.
Her Beta Decay (1965) is the standard reference
for nuclear physicists. In 1975, Dr. Wu became the first woman to be elected
president of the American Physical Society, the chief organization of physicists
in the United States. She was also the first woman to receive the Cyrus
B. Comstock Award of the National Academy of Sciences. She also received
the National Medal of Science, the nation's highest award for achievement
in science, and the Wolf Prize in physics. Dr. Wu was elected to the National
Academy of Sciences.
When famed physicist Enrico Fermi, one of the fathers
of the atom bomb, couldn't solve a problem, he was told, "Ask
Ms. Wu."
And yes, she had the
answer.
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05-31 DATES, ANNIVERSARIES, and EVENTS
B. 05-31-1443, Margaret Beaufort, highly intelligent woman and
patron who endowed the all-male St. John's College (1511) and Christ's
College (1505) at Cambridge as well as translating devotional books and
tracts.
Her son followed his
uncle to the throne to become Henry VII of England.
An amazing woman beyond
her time.
Event 05-31-1783: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard and Elizabeth
Vigée-Lebrunwere admited to the French Academy in Rome (Académe
Royale), joining Anne Vallayer-Coster and Mme. Vien.
The academy immediately
voted to limit membership to just four women members, artistic ability
was not to be considered about any woman above the quota.
B. 05-31-1862, Cynthia May Westover (Alden) - U.S. founder of an
international society to aid the blind. While working as secretary
to the N.Y. city commissioner of street cleaning she invented and patented
an improved combination street cleaner's handcart and a self-cleaning dump
cart.
She went on to edit at a newspaper and publish several
popular stories.
CW began a custom of
sending Christmas cards to shut-ins, then began to send gifts. Through
publicizing the need in her newspaper columns, the Sunshine Society was
organized. At her death the society that she headed for 31 years, had 500
local chapters in 38 states and 8 foreign nations and operated hospitals
and homes for the blind and orphans, summer camps, lodges, facilities for
working women, and other services.
B. 05-31-1893, Elizabeth Coatsworth - U.S. imagist poet and writer
of The Cat Who Went to Heaven that won the 1931 Newbery Award.
B. 05-31-1915, Judith Wright - Australian poet, editor, biographer,
novelist, and essayist.
B. 05-31-1924, Patricia Roberts Harris - U.S. attorney who held
TWO cabinet positions, was a U.S ambassador, and was dean of a law school.
She was the first black woman to hold any of those positions.
In 1965 she achieved
the highest diplomatic rank for a black woman when she was appointed ambassador
to Luxembourg, She also became the first black woman to hold a cabinet
position when she was appointed secretary of Housing and Urban Development
in 1977 by Jimmy Carter and then she moved on to head the office of Health,
Education, and Welfare from 1979 to 1981.
PRH was dean of Howard
University Law School. In 1971 she became the first black woman appointed
a director of a Fortune 500 company (IBM).
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QUOTES DU JOUR
WOLLENSTONECRAFT, MARY:
"Make them free...
or the injustice which one half of the human race are obliged to submit
to, reporting on their oppressors, the virtue of men will be worm-eaten
by the insects whom he keeps under his feet."
--Mary Wollstonecraft in Vindication of the Rights of Women,
1792.
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