Doris Weatherford – författare

In this extensive portrayal of Florida''s guiding matriarchs, Doris Weatherford highlights the myriad contributions women have made throughout Florida''s history. From the select few who traveled with Ponce de Leon to the state''s first female mayor Marion H. O’Brien, Weatherford sheds light on the roles these pioneering women played in the shaping of the Sunshine State.

They Dared to Dream reveals the lifestyles and achievements of women throughout landmark moments in history, including Native civilizations before the arrival of European colonists; early Spanish, British, and French exploration, the Civil War era, Reconstruction, the early twentieth century, and the population explosions post-World War II. Featuring often-celebrated personalities--including Mary Martha Reid, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--alongside the lesser-known lives of Princess Murat, lighthouse keeper Barbara Mabrity, Florida Memorial College founder Sarah Ann Blocker, and others--this pivotal examination of Florida''s female agents of change draws attention to women''s instrumental roles in the historical events that defined the Sunshine State.

From prehistoric times to the space age, the female half of the population has made giant, but too often unacknowledged, contributions to Florida history. Countless women have overcome great obstacles and yet are often left out of historical accounts. They Dared to Dream aims to fill in some of these gaps by celebrating the many successes women have made. Because without women, there is no history--nor any future.

The Florida women’s history book project could not have been completed without the cooperation and support of many people. To thank all of them who made it possible would be nearly impossible. We would, however, like to express our sincere appreciation to those who have helped take this endeavor "from dream to reality."

First and foremost, we are indebted forever to our nine founding members as well as to the generous donors to the History Book Project. Next, our thanks go to the charter members: Nancy Acevedo, Claudia Kirk Barto, Susanne Hebert, Laura McLeod, Dr. Jeanne O’Kon, Laurie Pizzo, Blanca Bichara, Dr. Mona Jain, Carrie Lee, and Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., who freely gave their time and talents. Our heartfelt thanks to Kelly Sciba and Michele Manning, who spent many, many hours of their own time to see that the project was moving forward smoothly. Special mention is also made here for the assistance given by Kimberly Mehr and Veronica Vasquez.

We gratefully acknowledge Doris Weatherford for writing this comprehensive Florida women’s history book. We are also grateful to the University Press of Florida for publishing the book as well as for valuable editorial help and comments.

Our special thanks to each and every one who played a part in discovering the stories behind the women that makes them unique and trailblazers. These notable women have created history. We are also thankful to many women and men for their well wishes and encouragement in order to fill a void in the history of the Sunshine State. Together we empower each other.

Last but not least the foundation members offer our deepest sense of appreciation to our families for believing in us as well as for their unwavering moral support.

To all others we have omitted inadvertently, please accept our sincere apologies and thanks. According to the old saying, "To err is human and to forgive is divine."

In this extensive portrayal of Florida''s guiding matriarchs, Doris Weatherford highlights the myriad contributions women have made throughout Florida''s history. From the select few who traveled with Ponce de Leon to the state''s first female mayor Marion H. O’Brien, Weatherford sheds light on the roles these pioneering women played in the shaping of the Sunshine State.

They Dared to Dream reveals the lifestyles and achievements of women throughout landmark moments in history, including Native civilizations before the arrival of European colonists; early Spanish, British, and French exploration, the Civil War era, Reconstruction, the early twentieth century, and the population explosions post-World War II. Featuring often-celebrated personalities--including Mary Martha Reid, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--alongside the lesser-known lives of Princess Murat, lighthouse keeper Barbara Mabrity, Florida Memorial College founder Sarah Ann Blocker, and others--this pivotal examination of Florida''s female agents of change draws attention to women''s instrumental roles in the historical events that defined the Sunshine State.

From prehistoric times to the space age, the female half of the population has made giant, but too often unacknowledged, contributions to Florida history. Countless women have overcome great obstacles and yet are often left out of historical accounts. They Dared to Dream aims to fill in some of these gaps by celebrating the many successes women have made. Because without women, there is no history--nor any future.

The Florida women’s history book project could not have been completed without the cooperation and support of many people. To thank all of them who made it possible would be nearly impossible. We would, however, like to express our sincere appreciation to those who have helped take this endeavor "from dream to reality."

First and foremost, we are indebted forever to our nine founding members as well as to the generous donors to the History Book Project. Next, our thanks go to the charter members: Nancy Acevedo, Claudia Kirk Barto, Susanne Hebert, Laura McLeod, Dr. Jeanne O’Kon, Laurie Pizzo, Blanca Bichara, Dr. Mona Jain, Carrie Lee, and Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., who freely gave their time and talents. Our heartfelt thanks to Kelly Sciba and Michele Manning, who spent many, many hours of their own time to see that the project was moving forward smoothly. Special mention is also made here for the assistance given by Kimberly Mehr and Veronica Vasquez.

We gratefully acknowledge Doris Weatherford for writing this comprehensive Florida women’s history book. We are also grateful to the University Press of Florida for publishing the book as well as for valuable editorial help and comments.

Our special thanks to each and every one who played a part in discovering the stories behind the women that makes them unique and trailblazers. These notable women have created history. We are also thankful to many women and men for their well wishes and encouragement in order to fill a void in the history of the Sunshine State. Together we empower each other.

Last but not least the foundation members offer our deepest sense of appreciation to our families for believing in us as well as for their unwavering moral support.

To all others we have omitted inadvertently, please accept our sincere apologies and thanks. According to the old saying, "To err is human and to forgive is divine."

An inspirational gift for women

In her book Victory for the Vote, women’s history expert Doris Weatherford offers an engaging and detailed narrative history of women’s seven-decade fight for the vote, and the continuing current-day struggle for human rights and equality.

Foreword by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Victory for the Vote puts the fight for suffrage into contemporary context by discussing key challenges for women in the decades that followed 1920, such as reproductive rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, and political power.

Celebrate the Centennial of women’s right to vote in the US

Victory for the Vote is an expansion and update of Doris Weatherford’s A History of the American Suffragist Movement, published in 1998 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, considered to be the beginning of the women’s rights movement in the United States.

Listen to Doris Weatherford’s Victory for the Vote and

If you enjoyed books such as Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Woman’s Hour, Rad Women Worldwide, Warriors Don’t Cry, or The Book of Awesome Women, you will want to listen to and be inspired by Victory for the Vote.

American Women during World War II documents the lives and stories of women who contributed directly to the war effort via official and semi-official military organizations, as well as the millions of women who worked in civilian defense industries, ranging from aircraft maintenance to munitions manufacturing and much more. It also illuminates how the war changed the lives of women in more traditional home front roles. All women had to cope with rationing of basic household goods, and most women volunteered in war-related programs. Other entries discuss institutional change, as the war affected every aspect of life, including as schools, hospitals, and even religion.

American Women during World War II provides a handy one-volume collection of information and images suitable for any public or professional library.

American Women during World War II documents the lives and stories of women who contributed directly to the war effort via official and semi-official military organizations, as well as the millions of women who worked in civilian defense industries, ranging from aircraft maintenance to munitions manufacturing and much more. It also illuminates how the war changed the lives of women in more traditional home front roles. All women had to cope with rationing of basic household goods, and most women volunteered in war-related programs. Other entries discuss institutional change, as the war affected every aspect of life, including as schools, hospitals, and even religion.

American Women during World War II provides a handy one-volume collection of information and images suitable for any public or professional library.