COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 47

February 23, 2007

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	2007 Virginia Women in History Month

I am pleased to bring to your attention the recognition of March as Virginia Women in History Month. To celebrate Virginia Women in History Month, the Library of Virginia has mailed to Virginia social studies teachers and history and social science chairpersons in middle and high schools a poster highlighting the state and national contributions of eight Virginia women, which includes a short biography of each woman honored. Curriculum guides suitable for teachers in grades K12, accompany the posters. There is also a website component available at: http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwedo/k12/vw2007/index.htm.

The women honored on this years poster are:

Opossunoquonuske (d. 1610), Chesterfield County, Appamattuck Indian Leader

Mary Willing Byrd (17401814), Charles City County, Planter

Mary Jeffery Galt (18441922), Norfolk, Preservationist

Laura Lu Scherer Copenhaver (18681940), Smyth County, Entrepreneur and Lutheran Lay Leader

Maybelle Addington Carter (19091978), Scott County, Musician

Camilla Ella Williams (1919 ), Danville, Singer

Mary Alice Franklin Hatwood Futrell (1940 ), Lynchburg, Educator; and

Sheila Crump Johnson (1949 ), Loudoun County, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.

For more information about the Virginia Women in History project or the 2007 Virginia Women in History poster, please contact Katie Gillespie at the Library of Virginia, by e-mail at kgillespie@va.lib.va.us or by telephone at (804) 371-2126; Betsy Barton, specialist for history and social science, by e-mail at Betsy.Barton@doe.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 225-3454.

BKCJr/BSB/vdg