Hallmark has nothing to do with Mother’s Day. Nearly 140 years ago, feminist pacifist Julia Ward Howe wrote her Mother’s Day Proclamation, a reaction to the bloody American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War.

Howe called for all women to join in national peace efforts, insisting that mothers have a responsibility to not only raise productive members of society, but to shape those societies through political activism.

Anna Reeves Jarvis helped spearhead the national movement of activist motherhood. She aided both sides of the Civil War with camp sanitation and medical care, promoted universal access of medicine to the poor, and organized Mother’s Work Day Clubs in 1858. These clubs collected mothers across the nation, and worked toward cleaner water and sanitation across the country, for the betterment of their families and communities as a whole.

Jarvis is largely credited with prompting the national celebration of mothers for peace, and the creation of the American holiday Mother’s Day in 1914.

However, as the holiday gradually eroded to nothing more than an exploitation by commercial organizations – particularly florists and card companies – Jarvis led a campaign to eliminate the holiday altogether. Needless to say, her efforts were unsuccessful, and Americans still celebrate Mother’s Day, not at all in the way the founders envisioned it.

In a recent speech, President Barack Obama said, “I think that if you just put the mothers in charge for a while, things would get resolved.”

On Mother’s Day, 2009, we celebrate the activist moms who make their presence known, and pursue a stronger and safer community.

Noo Dal Molin, in conjunction with CODEPINK, held a 24-hour vigil this Mother’s Day in Washington DC. The purpose was to honor all women in the U.S. and Middle East who have lost children, spouses and friends as a result of the current war.

A group of anti-war activists gathered in front of the Leviev Jewelry store in New York this Mother’s Day, calling all shoppers to boycott the Israeli diamond mogul’s products.

Lev Leviev, the owner of the company, funded a group of Israelis to invade a Palestinian settlement, a battle in which hundreds of women and children were killed.

Veterans for Peace held a special event this Mother’s Day in Binghamton, NY, with a dramatic reading of Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation.

The president of the organization insists that senseless combat is never the path to peace, that “we need to be diplomatic in our discussion of [conflict], and find some common interest.”

FemmeToxic, a nonprofit group united to rid cosmetics of unnecessary chemicals, marched in protest this Mother’s Day. The goal was to raise awareness of the toxins in many traditional Mother’s Day gifts, and to encourage boycotting those companies’ products.

Fiona Hanley of Breast Cancer Action Montreal, a sister-organization of FemmeToxic, insists that people should “put pressure on politicians and cosmetics companies to stop adding these untested and dangerous ingredients.”

Mother and actress Lisa Kudrow joins the Ploughshares Fund for Mother’s Day, a nonprofit organization that “invests in security and peace worldwide”.

Actress Cynthia Nixon took the national stage this Mother’s Day, on behalf of Planned Parenthood. She gave a generous donation to the organization, and released a message to all potential donors, saying, “ there is no organization that supports motherhood more than Planned Parenthood.”

Joellen Raderstorf is the founder and executive director of Mothers Acting Up, an organization that “invites mothers to stretch the traditional mother roles to include public and passionate advocation for the world’s children.”

Pilar Onatra coordinates an educational program for the British Colombia Council of Families, and makes short documentaries to raise awareness about the struggles of immigrant mothers.

According to her, “Mother’s Day is a day of peaceful activism, rather than hearts, flowers and Hallmark cards.” We couldn’t agree more.

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Empower your Friends, Empower Yourself.

Sources:

“In the Name of Mothers Around the World.” Jodie Evans, Womens Media Center Online. May 6, 2009

CODEPINK Mother’s Day 2009 Home Page // “Women Say No To War”

“The Coalition For Justice in the Middle East” // Albawaba UAE Online

Mother’s Day Celebration Online // The Story of Anna Jarvis

“Questions For Joellen Raderstorf, Mother and Activist.” Jabril Faraj, Boulder County News. May 4, 2009

“March Targets Cosmetics Ingredients.” Anne Sutherland, The Gazette. May 10, 2009

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