Maine Women's Hall of Fame

Maine Women's Hall of Fame

Eleanor Roosevelt and Margaret Chase Smith
Established	1990
Location	Bernard D. Katz Library University of Maine 46 University Drive Augusta, Maine 04330
Coordinates	44°20′34″N 69°47′44″W / 44.342902°N 69.795604°W / 44.342902; -69.795604Coordinates: 44°20′34″N 69°47′44″W / 44.342902°N 69.795604°W / 44.342902; -69.795604
Website	Maine Women's Hall of Fame

The Maine Women's Hall of Fame was created in 1990 to honor the achievements of women associated with the U.S. state of Maine. The induction ceremonies are held each year during March, designated as Women's History Month. Nominees are chosen by the public via an online nomination form. The University of Maine at Augusta displays the hall of fame in its Bennett D. Katz Library, and also hosts the hall of fame online at the university's website. The nomination form lists three criteria for eligibility:^[1]

1) Woman's achievements must have had a significant statewide impact

2) Woman's achievements significantly improved the lives of women in Maine

3) Woman's contribution has enduring value for women.

Nominations have a December deadline of any given year.

The first two inductees in 1990 were Mabel Sine Wadsworth and Margaret Chase Smith. Wadsworth had devoted her life to multiple issues, including maternal health and family planning, founding the Wadsworth Women's Health Center. She was member of the board of Board of Directorsof Legal Services for the Elderly, and helped raise funds for noteworthy organizations.

Margaret Chase Smith holds the distinction of being the first woman elected to serve in the United States Senate. She ran for President of the United States in the 1964 Republican Party primariy, but lost out to Barry Goldwater. Smith also holds the distinction of being the first Republican to speak out against the tactics of fellow Senator Joseph McCarthy, in her June 1, 1950 address on the floor of the Senate.

Two decades after its inception, the list of Inductees contains an Olympic gold medalist, Joan Benoit, two more United States Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, and the mother of a Senator, Patricia M. Collins who herself had been mayor of a Maine city. Geneticist Elizabeth S. Russell joined the list, as did the President University of Maine at Presque Isle Nancy H. Hensel. Author and Holocaust survivor Judith Magyar Isaacson has been honored by an induction into the hall of fame. With the 2011 inductees, the hall of fame had honored 35 women for their contributions to Maine and to the female population.

Inductees

Maine Women's Hall of Fame

Name	Image	Birth–Death	Year	Area of achievement	Ref(s)
Abrams, Sharon H.Sharon H. Abrams			2004	Executive Director of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville	[2]
Adler, ConnieConnie Adler			2016	Physician and women's health advocate	[3]
Barker, SharonSharon Barker			2009	Director University of Maine Women's Resource Center	[4]
Brown, Lyn MikelLyn Mikel Brown		(1956– )	2013	Co-founder of Hardy Girls Healthy Women, activist, author, researcher and professor at Colby College	[5]
Cathcart, MaryMary Cathcart		(1942– )	2013	Former Maine State Representative and State Senator; co-director of Maine NEW Leadership program of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center	[6]
Collins, Patricia M.Patricia M. Collins			2005	Mayor of Caribou (1981–1982), chairman of Maine Committee for Judicial Responsibility and Disability, and Catholic Charities Maine	[7]
Collins, SusanSusan Collins		(1952–)	2011	United States Senate	[8]
Crandall, Elizabeth W.Elizabeth W. Crandall			1996	Environmentalist, woman's issues advocate
Dyer, Linda SmithLinda Smith Dyer		(d. 2001)	2001	Co-founder of Maine Women's Lobby	[9]
Farrar, MaryMary Farrar			2012	Victims' advocate
Fortman, LauraLaura Fortman			2007	Deputy Administrator, Wage and Hour Division U. S. Dept. of Labor; former Executive Director of the Frances Perkins Center	[10]
Gammon, Ethel WilsonEthel Wilson Gammon		(1916-2009)	1997	Founder, Washburn-Norlands Living History Center	[11]
Gentile, Caroline D.Caroline D. Gentile		(1924–2008)	2000	Physical education instructor	[12]
Golden, Ellen F.Ellen F. Golden			2015	Senior Vice President at CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.)	[13]
Healy, Dorothy M.Dorothy M. Healy		(1904–1990)	1993	College professor who, along with professor Grace A. Dow, established the Maine Women's Writers Collection; namesake of the Dorothy M. Healy Professorship at the University of New England	[14]
Heck, KarenKaren Heck		(b. 1952)	2008	Advocate for women's issues
Hensel, Nancy H.Nancy H. Hensel			2003	President University of Maine at Presque Isle	[15]
Isaacson, Judith MagyarJudith Magyar Isaacson		(1925–2015)	2004	Holocaust survivor, human rights activist, author of Seed of Sarah: Memoirs of a Survivor
Kalikow, Theodora J.Theodora J. Kalikow		(1941–)	2002	President, University of Maine at Farmington	[16]
Knudsen, Chilton R.Chilton R. Knudsen			2006	Bishop of Maine, Episcopal Church	[17]
Lachance, Laurie G.Laurie G. Lachance			2014	First woman president of Thomas College	[18]
Laughlin, Gail H.Gail H. Laughlin		(1868–1952)	1991	First practicing female attorney from Maine, first president of Business and Professional Women's Foundation, served in both the Maine House of Representatives and Maine State Senate
Lockhart, Ruth L.Ruth L. Lockhart			2012	Women's health advocate, women's rights activist, AIDS educator
McCormick, DaleDale McCormick		(1947–)	2007	Former Maine State Treasurer, served in Maine State Senate	[19]
Mitchell, Elizabeth H.Elizabeth H. Mitchell		(1940– )	1999	Maine State Senate	[20]
Musgrave, Katherine O.Katherine O. Musgrave		(1920–2015)	2011	Professor Emerita of Food and Nutrition at the University of Maine; 2002 New England University Continuing Education Association Faculty Member of the Year Award	[21]
Nardone, Gilda E.Gilda E. Nardone			1991	Director of Maine Displaced Homemakers Program
Paradis, Judy AyotteJudy Ayotte Paradis		(1944– )	2005	Maine House of Representatives
Pingree, ChellieChellie Pingree		(1955– )	2001	United States House of Representatives	[22]
Reckitt, Lois GalgayLois Galgay Reckitt		(1944– )	1998	Executive Director, Family Crisis Services, Portland, Maine	[23]
Runnals, Ninetta MayNinetta May Runnals		(1885-1980)	1992	Dean of Women at Colby College	[24]
Russell, Elizabeth S.Elizabeth S. Russell		(1913–2001)	1991	Geneticist	[25]
Ryan, Patricia E.Patricia E. Ryan			2014	Executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission and a founding member of the Maine Women's Lobby
Samuelson, Joan BenoitJoan Benoit Samuelson		(1957–)	2000	American marathon runner who won gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics	[26]
Saxl, Elizabeth WardElizabeth Ward Saxl			2016	Advocate for victims and survivors of sexual assault	[27]
Schrumpf, Mildred BrownMildred Brown Schrumpf		(1903–2001)	1997	Home economist, nutritionist	[28]
Smith, Margaret ChaseMargaret Chase Smith		(1897–1995)	1990	United States Senate, United States House of Representatives	[29]
Snowe, Olympia J.Olympia J. Snowe		(1947–)	1999	United States Senate	[30]
Stevens, MartiMarti Stevens		(d. 1993)	1996	Theatre director, actress, director of Somerset County Basic Skills	[31]
Swain, Thelma C.Thelma C. Swain		(1908–2008)	2010	Philanthropist	[32]
Vitelli, EloiseEloise Vitelli		(1949– )	1995	Founded Women's Business Development Corporation, advocate for entrepreneurship for women	[33]
Wadsworth, Mabel SineMabel Sine Wadsworth		(1910–2006)	1990	Birth control activist	[34]
Whitehouse, Florence BrooksFlorence Brooks Whitehouse		(1869–1945)	2008	Women's suffrage	[35]
Wood, Esther E.Esther E. Wood		(1905-2002)	1994	Writer, teacher, historian	[36]
Woodlee, Barbara W.Barbara W. Woodlee			2015	Retired president of Kennebec Valley Community College; chief academic officer for the Maine Community College System	[37]

Further reading

• Isaacson, Judith Magyar (1990). Seeds of Sarah, Memoirs of a Survivor (2nd ed.). University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-01651-6. 

Citations

References

• Berkowitz, Bill (1998). Local Heroes The Rebirth of Heroism in America. Lexington, MA: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-669-15830-4. 
• Ferraro, Geraldine; Gutgold, Nichola D (2006). Paving the Way for Madam President. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-1594-7. 
• Wayne, PhD, Tiffany K (2010). American Women of Science since 1900. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. pp. 827, 828. ISBN 978-1-59884-158-9. 
• Sigerman, Harriet (2003). The Columbia Documentary History of American Women, 1941–2000. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-11698-5. 
• Woolum, Janet (1998). Outstanding Women Athletes: Who They Are and How They Influenced Sports in America (2nd ed.). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press  – via Questia (subscription required) . ISBN 1-57356-120-7. 

Further reading

• Isaacson, Judith Magyar (1991). Seed of Sarah: Memoirs of a Survivor (2nd ed.). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-06219-3. 
• Tolstrup, Karen Dodge (2008). "If Maine Had a Queen" the Life of Brownie Schrumpf (Northeast Folklore, Volume XLI). Orono, ME: Maine Folklife Center. ISBN 978-0-943197-34-0. 

External links

• Maine Women's Hall of Fame
• Marti Stevens Interactive Improvisational Theater