Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame

Name: Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame
Address: 320 Fitch Street, New Haven, CT, 06515, US
Telephone: +12033929007

Home
United States
New Haven, CT
Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame

Educational outreach organization serving all of Connecticut with free, innovative women's history programs! Visit our Virtual Hall at www.cwhf.org!

09/01/2026

Sometimes our connection between a commemorative day and one of our Inductees is tenuous. This is not one of those times.

Imagine writing 500 letters by hand and sending every one of them, then writing and mailing another 1,500. All by hand. All at your own expense.

That is what Connecticut nurse and advocate Martha Minerva Franklin did, first in 1906 and then again in 1908. She wrote to Black nurses, nursing-school superintendents, and nursing organizations to learn about the discrimination Black nurses faced, then invited Black nurses to consider forming a national organization.
Her outreach brought 52 nurses together and helped lead to the founding of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, which advocated for racial equality and professional opportunity in nursing. Its work and legacy continue today through the National Black Nurses Association and the many Black nursing leaders and organizations advancing health equity, professional opportunity, and representation.

Today, write a physical letter: thank someone, reconnect with a loved one, share a memory, or advocate for a cause that matters to you.

Your words may begin something special.
cwhf.org

08/31/2026

Just a few days away! On Wednesday, September 2, you can meet Lhakpa Sherpa, 2022 Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee, at An Evening with Lhakpa Sherpa.

Presented by the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in celebration of its 16th Visionary Leadership Award, this special evening begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven.

The Festival has generously offered CWHF supporters a ticket discount. Use code EVEREST5 when purchasing tickets: artidea.org/vla2026

We hope to see you there!

08/29/2026

Join the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls Leadership Subcommittee for Women in Forensics—an engaging conversation celebrating women’s leadership in forensic science, public safety, and the justice system.

📅 October 14, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM
📍 In person: Michael J. Adanti Student Center, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515
📧 Register for in-person attendance: [email protected]
🪪 In-person attendees must bring a photo ID.
💻 Join virtually: https://bit.ly/CoWAGForensics

cwhf.org

08/28/2026

On August 28, 1963, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand civil rights, meaningful employment, economic justice, and equal opportunity. Their collective action helped build momentum for landmark civil-rights legislation and continues to inspire movements for justice today.

Two of CWHF’s inductees were part of this historic day: Marian Anderson and Constance Baker Motley. At the Lincoln Memorial, legendary contralto Marian Anderson performed the spiritual “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” returning to the site where her groundbreaking 1939 concert had challenged racial discrimination in the arts.
New Haven-born pioneering civil-rights attorney Constance Baker Motley also attended the March. Her lifelong dedication to the cause helped dismantle segregation across the South.

Anderson’s voice and Motley’s legal advocacy remind us that progress is built in many ways: through art, organizing, courage, community, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Today, we honor the marchers, organizers, performers, speakers, attorneys, and advocates who came together for jobs and freedom, and whose work calls us to continue building a more equitable world.

Read about Connecticut's groundbreaking women at cwhf.org

08/26/2026

Today, we recognize Women’s Equality Day; a day established by Congress in 1971 to commemorate August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was officially certified.

The day honors the generations of advocates who worked to expand women’s rights and reminds us that equality is an ongoing commitment.

Among those advocates was 1994 inductee Alice Paul, honored in the Reformers category. A longtime Ridgefield resident, Paul’s determination and organizing helped advance the campaign for women’s suffrage. She was 35 years old when the 19th Amendment became part of the Constitution, a victory she helped make possible.

Paul then spent the rest of her life advocating for the broader promise of equal rights under the law. Her legacy invites us to celebrate progress, amplify women’s voices, and continue working toward a more equitable future.
Vist cwhf.org, and share this post!

08/24/2026

The Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail connects you with places across the state where remarkable women lived, worked, created, organized, and changed history.

Explore the sites and stories of Connecticut women who made lasting contributions as scientists, doctors, educators, artists, innovators, athletes, activists, and leaders. Whether you are planning a family outing, a classroom visit, or a day trip, the trail offers meaningful ways to experience women’s history in the places where it happened.

Visit the Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail website below and click the pictures for information.

cwhf.org/connecticut-womens-heritage-trail

08/23/2026

Today is Ride the Wind Day, and no one personifies that spirit more than 2022 Inductee Lhakpa Sherpa.

You can meet her at An Evening with Lhakpa Sherpa—presented by the International Festival of Arts & Ideas as part of its 16th Visionary Leadership Award.

Join the celebration on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven.

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has generously provided CWHF supporters with a ticket discount. Use code EVEREST5 when purchasing tickets: artidea.org/vla2026

08/21/2026

On August 21, 2015, Kristen Griest of Orange, Connecticut, and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver were the first two women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School.

Born in New Haven and raised in Orange, Griest graduated from Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge before attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Her achievement was not only a national milestone, but also a point of pride for Connecticut.

Griest and Haver did not complete a separate or modified program. They earned their Ranger tabs by meeting the same rigorous, gender-neutral qualifications as the men in their class, including physical-fitness and endurance tests, long-distance movements, field training exercises, leadership evaluations, and peer assessments. They graduated alongside 94 male soldiers who met those same standards.
Her journey from Connecticut to Ranger School continues to remind us that women can lead, persist, and redefine what is possible. Kristen was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017.
cwhf.org

08/19/2026

In 1975, Edythe J. Gaines became the first woman and first African American to lead a public school system in Connecticut when she was appointed superintendent of Hartford Public Schools.

But her commitment to Hartford continued far beyond the classroom. After serving as superintendent, she remained a leader in education, public service, and community life, serving as a commissioner for the State Department of Public Utility Control, on the Board of Governors of Higher Education, and on the Connecticut State Board of Education. She also helped lead St. Monica’s Development Corporation’s Second Century Project, which created affordable housing for older adults and connected residents with health and human service initiatives.

As her son remembered, “She believed in kids, even when they didn’t believe in themselves.”
cwhf.org
If you enjoy these posts, please like and share.

08/17/2026

Martha Coolidge, the trailblazing filmmaker and 2005 inductee, has proven, again and again, that women belong in the director’s chair. 🎥

From her early documentaries and her breakthrough hit Valley Girl to acclaimed films like Real Genius and Rambling Rose, Martha Coolidge built a career in an industry that told her a woman “had no place” behind the camera. She became the first student to major in filmmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design, helped to found the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers, and opened doors for women directing Hollywood studio films with big budgets and rising stars. 🎞️

In 2002, she made history again when she was elected the first woman president of the Directors Guild of America in its 66-year history. As president, she spoke out about the lack of women working behind the camera, championed creative rights and opportunities for female directors, a commitment she has continued throughout her career on and off the screen. 🎬

On her birthday, we honor Martha Coolidge not only for the films and television projects she has directed, but for the barriers she broke and the women she inspired to follow her path into directing, storytelling, and leadership in the film industry. 🌟

Happy birthday, Martha, and thank you for showing the world what happens when women claim the director’s chair. 🪑
cwhf.org

Address

320 Fitch Street
New Haven, CT
06515

Telephone

+12033929007

Website

http://www.cwhf.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame:

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in New Haven?