Sirimavo Bandaranaike, First Woman Elected as Head of Government (ep. 16.20)

Bonus episode from the newsletter On This Day in Women's History! On August 12-13, 1967, Glacier National Park had a double tragedy: two 19-year-old girls were hiking in separate groups in separate parts of the park. Both were attacked by grizzly bears. For Julie and Michele, the results were deadly. But for other people and bears, the tragedy had more positive consequences. As a result of this night, wildlife management changed. Many familiar policies were instituted after this night to keep both humans and bears safe. There are two ways to sign up for the newsletter: ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) ⁠Substack ⁠(https://bit.ly/4wpOe5h) Either way, the story about the historical woman is free, along with news about the podcast, and a place to share your recommendations for historical books, movies, shows, etc. If you sign up as a subscriber, you're also helping me keep this show going, and I'll send you bonus content each week as a thank you. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the race for space, the Soviets won all of the opening rounds, including the race to put the first woman in orbit. Her name was Valentina Tereshkova, and while we are clear on her success out there, the exact details are a whole lot less clear. It is time to vote for the topic of Series 17! Please visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) to vote, and also look at sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many women have served as the head of government for their respected countries. But usually that's because they were part of a royal family, and they inherited the office. Getting elected to the top job is an entirely different matter. The first woman to do that was Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka. She won the elections for prime minister in 1960. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of the world's great religions have reserved most of the authority for men. This was certainly true of Judaism, but in the early 20th century, Regina Jonas was trained and ordained to serve her people as a rabbi. She continued to do so for all of her short life, even during the Holocaust. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus episode from the newsletter On This Day in Women's History! In the evening of July 16, 1918, the Romanov family went to bed as usual in Ipatiev House, where they were being held under house arrest. But they were awoken in the middle of the night, ostensibly so they could be moved to a safer location. The former Tsar Nikolai and the former Tsarina Alexandra went downstairs to the cellar with their four daughters and one son: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei. They would never come up again. There are two ways to sign up for the newsletter: ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) ⁠Substack ⁠(https://bit.ly/4wpOe5h) Either way, the story about the historical woman is free, along with news about the podcast, and a place to share your recommendations for historical books, movies, shows, etc. If you sign up as a subscriber, you're also helping me keep this show going, and I'll send you bonus content each week as a thank you. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amelia Earhart was famous as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic (first as a passenger, second as a pilot). She was also the first person to fly from Hawaii to California, as well as any number of other piloting firsts. Sadly, her last grand adventure didn't end in success. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The words of "America the Beautiful" were written by Katharine Lee Bates after a trip from Massachusetts to Colorado and up to the top of Pike's Peak. This is the story of how they were written and how they became so popular. It's a holiday bonus episode to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. The music in the episode is all recorded by me. The melodies are in the public domain, as is Katharine's text. The featured image is the view from Pike's Peak, by John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traditional histories give President Franklin Delano Roosevelt a lot of credit for guiding the United States out of the Great Depression. But his best move may have been appointing the first woman ever to join a presidential cabinet. As Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins won victories on public works for increased employment, 8 hour work days, minimum wage, Social Security, workplace safety standards, and no child labor. Many of her programs are still in place for Americans today. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first woman to serve in UK's Parliament was a surprise to everyone, and most of all herself. Nancy Astor was born American, and of course she was a woman. But when her husband couldn't stand for election after all, the Conservative party needed a quick substitute. Who better than his wife? And she stayed for years. Visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Sign up for the newsletter On This Day in Women's History, available on ⁠Patreon⁠ or ⁠Substack⁠. There are free options in both places. This show survives on the support of listeners like you. Support the show on my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) for ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and polls. Or make a one-time donation on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠. Your support helps me keep bring the stories of past women into the present. Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus episode from the newsletter On This Day in Women's History! On June 11, 1509, Catherine of Aragon married Henry VIII. It was her second marriage and his first. No one guessed how many weddings he had in his future... There are two ways to sign up for the newsletter: ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=83998235) ⁠Substack ⁠(https://bit.ly/4wpOe5h) Either way, the story about the historical woman is free, along with news about the podcast, and a place to share your recommendations for historical books, movies, shows, etc. If you sign up as a subscriber, you're also helping me keep this show going, and I'll send you bonus content each week as a thank you. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evergreen Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ to listen to more great shows. Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠ as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices