Mary Ritter Beard
| Mary Ritter Beard | |
|---|---|
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Beard, between 1914-1915
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| Born |
August 5, 1876 Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana |
| Died | August 14, 1958 (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | DePauw University, 1897 |
| Occupation | Women's rights activist, historian, and archivist |
| Employer | New York City Suffrage Party Congressional Union World Center for Women's Archives (1935-1940) |
| Spouse(s) | Charles A. Beard (m. 1900–48) |
| Children | 2 |
Mary Ritter Beard (August 5, 1876 – August 14, 1958) was an American historian and archivist, who played an important role in the women's suffrage movement and was a lifelong advocate of social justice through educational and activist roles in both the labor and woman's rights movements. She wrote several books on women's role in history including On Understanding Women (1931), (Ed.) America Through Women's Eyes (1933) and Woman As Force In History: A Study in Traditions and Realities (1946). In addition, she collaborated with her husband, eminent historian Charles Austin Beard on several distinguished works, most notably The Rise of American Civilization (1927).
Mary Ritter Beard was born on August 5, 1876 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the fourth of seven children, and the first daughter, born to Narcissa Lockwood and Eli Foster Ritter. Narcissa was born in Paris, Kentucky, graduated from Brookville Academy in Thornton, Kentucky and later worked there as a teacher for a short time before moving with her family to Greencastle, Indiana (home to Asbury, now DePauw University) in 1861. Born to Quaker parents, Eli grew up on a farm close to Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Northwestern Christian College for two years before enrolling in Asbury University in 1861, and made the unorthodox decision for a Quaker of joining the Union Army shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War. He went back to Greencastle to marry Narcissa in 1863 before returning to the army where he served for the remainder of the war. Back at Asbury following his service he completed his bachelor's degree and entered into law practice in Indianapolis. His eyes weak from exposure during the war, Eli relied on Narcissa to read to him to help him complete his studies at Asbury and in preparation for the bar exam.
Beard attended public schools in Indianapolis and graduated as valedictorian of her Indianapolis (later called Shortridge) High School class before enrolling at DePauw University, as would all the Ritter children, in 1893. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and president of her class.
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