This Day In History
- Activism
- 2017 Actress and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted should write “Me too” as a status; within hours, tens of thousands had taken up the #MeToo hashtag, using a phrase that had been introduced 10 years earlier by social activist Tarana Burke.
- Arts
- 1951 Lucille Ball's popular comedy television series I Love Lucy premiered.
- Espionage
- 1917 Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari (Margaretha ZelleGeertruida MacLeod), 41, convicted by a French military court of spying for the Germans, was executed by a firing squad outside Paris. (Maintaining her innocence to the end, Mata Hari refused a blindfold and blew a kiss to her executioners.)
- Law
- 1991 Despite sexual harassment allegations by Anita Hill, the US Senate narrowly confirmed the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, 52-48.
- Military
- 1948 Frances Lois Willoughby was sworn in as the first woman doctor to serve in the regular U.S. Navy, and for the following year was the only woman doctor in the U.S. armed forces. In 1950, she became the first woman with the permanent rank of commander.
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About Infinite Women
Women have influenced every aspect of humanity, but history is full of their contributions being undermined, stolen or hidden because of their gender. Infinite Women aims to help bring these stories into the light, to acknowledge and share the value of women’s work, now and throughout human history.
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