Michigan Women

An explanation is in order at the onset of today's post.  I'm sure you wondered when you saw the subject title, Michigan Women, what happened to Third Blog Anniversary, Part V - Tea Collections that was supposed to be today's post.

I was away from home today and didn't get it done, but I promise it will be forth coming.  It will take me some time to put it together, and because of its size will probably be more than one post. Look for it to appear on my blog next week.  Thanks for your understanding and patience.

Today I attended Tuesday Teas at Two at Troy Historic Village. 

The teas are always held at the church in the historic village.

Attendance was very good despite the wintry weather.

Upon arrival, attendees made their teabag selection, and chose a dessert to go with it.  I chose Bigelow's Constant Comment tea.

The lovely lady pictured below was in charge of the dessert table.

Today's theme was Michigan Women, and the guest speaker was Emily Fijol, Executive Director of Michigan Women's Historical Center & Hall of Fame, in Lansing.  

Emily presented an excellent program highlighting four Michigan women, the first of whom was Rosa Parks.  Mrs. Parks, originally from Alabama, is the lady who was asked to give up her seat on a bus to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.  She was arrested for her refusal. The U.S. Congress gave her the title: "The first lady of Civil Rights."  She moved to Detroit in the mid 1960's and remained in Michigan until her death.

The second woman was Viola Liuzzo who was also a Civil Rights activist from Detroit.  Mrs. Liuzzo went to Selma, Alabama to march with Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965, and was shot and killed.

The third woman was Martha Griffiths, an attorney, Michigan judge, member of the MI House of Representatives, and first women to be elected to the U.S. Congress from MI as a member of the Democratic party.  She sponsored the Equal Rights Amendment and was a champion for women's opportunities. She was also Michigan's first female to be elected Lieutenant Governor in 1983.

The last women to be highlighted was portrait artist, feminist, and women's rights advocate, Patricia Hill Burnett. Patricia moved to Michigan as a child and began her career in painting portraits when she was 14 years old. Throughout her life she painted portraits of many famous people, two of whom were Margaret Thatcher, and First Lady Betty Ford.

Ms. Burnett passed away in 2014 at the age of 94.  I loved the quote Emily used to describe her: "She had more energy than a toddler hopped up on sugar!" ;-)

It was a very enjoyable afternoon.  I'll be a presenter at Troy Historic Village on June 25th, and my topic will be aprons.