March is National Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the unique lives and achievements of women. Several prominent and notable women have called Western New York home. Below are just some of the Buffalo women who were well-known for their accomplishments. More information on each of these women can be found in the Grosvenor Room.
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- Zorah Berry (1889-1969). Local concert promoter who brought hundreds of musical performers to Buffalo during her 40 year career.
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- Louise Blanchard Bethune (1856-1913).First female architect to practice in the U.S., she designed the Hotel Lafayette on Washington Street.
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- Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985). Buffalo author who wrote more than 40 works of fiction. Her books sold an estimated 30 million copies.
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- Katharine Cornell (1893-1974). Broadway actress nicknamed the “First Lady of the Theater.” She was best known for her role as poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning in “The Barretts of Wimpole Street.”
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- Marian DeForest (1864-1935). One of the first female newspaper reporters in Buffalo, she later became an accomplished playwright, founded the Zonta Club, promoted orchestra concerts, and served on the Boards of the SPCA and the Buffalo Public Library.
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- Anna Katharine Green (1846-1935). Writer whose first book, “The Leavenworth Case” (1878) became the first American bestselling novel, selling a quarter of a million copies, and earned her the title of “The Mother of the Detective Novel.”
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- Maria Love (1840-1931). Local philanthropist and social services pioneer; In 1881, she established the Fitch Crèche at 159 Swan Street, nationally recognized as the first day care center in the United States, providing care for the children of the working poor.
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- Mary Burnett Talbert (1866-1923). One of the most accomplished women of her time, Talbert was a civil rights activist and founded the Niagara Movement, a predecessor of the NAACP.
The Local History Collection in the Grosvenor Room contains resources for information on Buffalo women and local women’s organizations. See the Local Women’s History subject guide for a list of resources and publications. For events celebrating local women, click here.
