In honor of Women's History Month (March), I thought I'd introduce you all to one of my idols, and personally and professionally: Tennessee Celeste Claflin. Tennessee (Tennie) and her sister Victoria Woodhull were, just like Olivia and I, partners extraordinaire- they were the first female Wall Street brokers, and owned their own investment firm, Woodhull, Claflin & Company. After the brokerage closed, the sisters reinvested their money and on May 14, 1870 began publishing a news paper, Woodhull and Claflin's Weekly. The paper was controversial and published stories on sex education, free love, women's suffrage, short skirts, spiritualism, vegetarianism, and licensed prostitution-- and some say even, gasp, birth control! The paper is also known for it's breaking of the Henry Ward Beecher scandal, and the first English translation of Marx's Communist Manifesto.
This March/Women's History Month/International Women's Day, I'm thinking about the women who came before me and paved the way, broke the ceilings and joined the boys clubs. A big thank you to them all, and to you all for being such strong, independent and thoughtful women, readers and feminists (even you faithful male readers out there! I see you!).
