Allegany County Maryland--Women

On March 10, 2012, Albert L. Feldstein spoke at a Women's History Month Celebration held in LaVale, Maryland. The event was sponsored by the Cumberland Business and Professional Women's Club, the Maryland National Organization for Women, and the American Association of University Women (Frostburg Chapter). The buttons on this page are from the collection of Linda A. Shevitz, Coordinator of the Maryland Women's History Project at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center, and presented to Al Feldstein for placement on this Historic Women of Allegany County Website:

The Victory Girls program was established during World War I and operated under the United War Work Campaign. This was a private organization comprised of seven organizations including the Salvation Army, Jewish Welfare Board, Knights of Columbus and more which were charged with coordinating fundraising for American servicemen. The Victory Girls program was aimed at young females between the ages of 12 and 20. The idea was for them to earn money, usually $5.00 apiece, and donate it to the United War Work Campaign.

In January 1973, in a landmark case known as Roe v. Wade, the United States Supreme Court ruled that abortions are permissible for any reason a woman chooses (up until a certain point), and are also permissible after that point if necessary for the protection of the woman's health. The Court based this upon the constitutional right to privacy under the 14th Amendment.

National Women's History Week was originally established by a Congressional Resolution passed in 1981. This was expanded to National Women's History Month in 1987. Women's History Month highlights and draws attention to the history of women and their contributions to America. It is celebrated during March each year, with a Congressional Resolution followed by a Presidential Proclamation. The 1985 National Women's History Week button portrayed here was issued by the National Women's History Project (NWHP).

The following article, by Albert Feldstein, appeared in the APPA (Association for the Preservation of Political Americana) Standard, Volume III, Number 2, Summer 1976.

Cause Movements in America
Suffrage and Beyond: A Two-Part Synopsis of the Women's Movement

Gloria Steinem provides her signature to Al Feldstein at the ERA march in Washington, DC in 1978.

A multi-award-winning regional amateur public historian, Albert Louis Feldstein has since 1980 successfully published over thirty books, prints, and videotapes depicting the history of all three western Maryland Counties - Allegany, Garrett and Washington, as well as nearby West Virginia. His works have focused upon such varied subjects as historic postcards, newspapers, floods, gravesites, coal mining, railroads, community histories, women's history, black history, and tour guides to historic sites.

This list of Historic Allegany County Women is dedicated to Al Feldstein's daughters, Natasha and Josinda Feldstein, as depicted here in July 2006.
 

During the Civil War (1861-1865), it was Mary Esther Townsend who suggested that the Clarysville Inn be used as a United States Government Hospital. Her husband, Dr. Morris Miller Townsend, was instrumental in having this accomplished and served as the first hospital superintendent.

Sallie Pollock, 1847-1890

The following information is excerpted from the sources identified in the Notes which appears at the bottom of this page. Both provide more extensive background on the exploits and life of Sallie Pollock.