Mother’s Day

This shining woman is none other than the great, great, great, great, granddaughter of Julia Ward Howe, Kate Stickley. Generously giving us the pleasure of peering into the thoughts of Julia through her writings—Kate has in essence let Julia answer the MQ. Imagine how we love that …

For everyone not fully introduced to Julia Ward Howe yet, she incited women to Arise! through a remarkable document entitled The Mother’s Day Proclamation. After the Civil War, Julia wrote in her journal, “Why do not the mothers of mankind interfere in these matters, to prevent the waste of that human life that they alone bear and know the cost?” That thought prompted her to write the proclamation, entreating women to create peace on a day she called, “Mother’s Day”. Thus began the holiday that in later years took a sharp right turn into hollandaise sauce and breakfast in bed.

This Mother’s Day, May 8th, Mothers Acting Up celebrates Julia Ward Howe with the launch of the MQs, inspiring mothers to act up, not solely for peace, but for all the issues we’re passionate about. Others promoting mother activism are: The Evolving Homemaker, Pundit Mom, Mamapalooza and Heather Hallagan’s Million Mom Tweet,  Mamas For Peace. Yes; that’s what Julia was talking about!

Now, with great respect and in celebration of Mother’s Day, here is Julia Ward Howe’s Proclamation in all its revolutionary grandeur.

Mother’s Day Proclamation—1870

Arise then … women of this day!

Arise, all women who have hearts!

Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:

“We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,

Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,

For caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn

All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country,

Will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with

Our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm!

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”

Blood does not wipe out dishonor,

Nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil

At the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home

For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means

Whereby the great human family can live in peace…
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,

But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask

That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,

May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient

And the earliest period consistent with its objects,

To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,

The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

More about Julia has been compiled by Kate and her family at www.juliawardhowe.org.

p.s. The photo shows four generations: the baby is Kate’s mother’s great grandmother. The man is Kate’s father’s great great grandfather. The woman is Kate’s mother’s great great great grandmother. And the Grand Dame with the baby is Julia Ward Howe. Happy Mother’s Day!