Julia Ward Howe's mothers day

Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), who wrote Battle Hymn of the Republic, was the first person to come up with the concept of a "mothers day." In 1872, Howe, a writer, women's rights activist, pacifist, and mother of six, suggested the concept of a "Mothers Peace Day." The world had endured two disastrous wars: the Franco-Prussian war in Europe and the Civil War in the United States. Howe said that women did not bring their sons into the world to kill the sons of other mothers. 

Julia Ward Howe proposed that Mothers Peace Day be celebrated on June 2nd. The purpose of the holiday would be to promote world peace. She wrote a proclamation in favor of such a holiday.

Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.

“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each learning after his own time, the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Happy mothers day to all. Peace is meant for everyone: mothers, grandmothers, aunties and the rest of the extended family. No one is excluded. Unfortunately, our world has not achieved the hope that Julia Ward Howe had of disarmament and peace. I hope that we can all work together to turn Julia Ward Howe's vision into reality.