Mary Ritter Beard

Mary Ritter Beard was an American historian and archivist, who played an important role in the womens suffrage movement and was a lifelong advocate of social justice through educational and activist roles in both the labor and womans rights movements. She wrote several books on womens role in history including On Understanding Women , America Through Womens Eyes and Woman As Force In History A Study in Traditions and Realities . In addition, she collaborated with her husband, eminent historian Charles Austin Beard on several distinguished works, most notably The Rise of American Civilization .

Mary Ritter Beard was born on August 5, 1876 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the fourth of seven children, and the first daughter, born to Narcissa Lockwood and Eli Foster Ritter. Narcissa was born in Paris, Kentucky, graduated from Brookville Academy in Thornton, Kentucky and later worked there as a teacher for a short time before moving with her family to Greencastle, Indiana in 1861. Born to Quaker parents, Eli grew up on a farm close to Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Northwestern Christian College for two years before enrolling in Asbury University in 1861, and made the unorthodox decision for a Quaker of joining the Union Army shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War. He went back to Greencastle to marry Narcissa in 1863 before returning to the army where he served for the remainder of the war. Back at Asbury following his service he completed his bachelors degree and entered into law practice in Indianapolis. His eyes weak from exposure during the war, Eli relied on Na

Source: Wikipedia