Charleston Women Summer 2022

1832 Caroline Howard Gilman, writer and publisher of nation’s first children’s magazine 1804 Catherine Coates, owner of a tavern on East Bay Street 1896 Elizabeth Waites Allston Pringle, owner of two rice plantations www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. I ns tagram. com /Char l es tonWomen 11 Over the ages women have been called “the weaker sex” and stereotyped as such in novels, television and movies. Though female voices are arguably being heard more now than ever, the fight started long before the efforts of recent generations. Women right here in the Lowcountry have been speaking up for longer than many realize to fight for a place in social and business worlds. In a letter to the editor of a Charleston newspaper in 1743, one female reader demanded that if women could not have more freedom, then men should have less. A male writer countered that she should find herself a husband. However, even centuries ago, there were local women who didn’t allow that mentality to stand. Female researchers, artists and entrepreneurs began making their marks on the area from the time of its founding. One notable name is Hannah English Williams. Williams came to the Lowcountry as it was just being settled. Considered the first woman naturalist in America, she catalogued flora and fauna on her husband’s Ashley River plantation in the 1690s. She sent samples to the preeminent Royal Society of Scientists in London. Reptiles, insects and even live birds were shipped. A few species of American butterflies are named for her. Another early Charleston resident, Henrietta Johnston, was America’s first professional woman artist. As an Irish widow and mother of two young children, she earned income by painting portraits. She moved to Charleston feature Dr. Pr i o l eau’s or i gi na l of f i ce. “Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.” – Charlotte Whitton, former mayor of Ottawa

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