Born: 5 August 1876, United States
Died: 14 August 1958
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Mary Ritter
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Mary Ritter Beard was a prominent American historian, author, and women’s suffrage activist. Her work highlighted women’s historical roles, including books like “On Understanding Women” (1931) and “Woman as Force in History” (1946).
She coauthored textbooks with her husband, historian Charles Austin Beard, and supported the Nineteenth Amendment and women’s suffrage groups.
Beard established the World Center for Women’s Archives in 1935, inspiring the creation of archives at Harvard University and Smith College.