Mary Wilhelmine Williams
Encyclopedia
Mary Wilhelmine Williams (May 14, 1878 - March 10, 1944) specialized in Latin American history
. She was on the board of editors of the Hispanic American Historical Review from 1927 to 1933 and was secretary of the Conference on Latin American History in 1928 and 1934.
Williams is credited for starting the first collegiate course in Canadian history
in the United States in 1916. She contributed to the Dictionary of American Biography
and wrote two books on Scandinavia
.
Williams was an active feminist and pacifist. She was a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
and was founder of the California chapter of the National Woman's Party
in California. Also, she was the editor of Equal Rights, an independent feminist weekly from 1935 to 1936.
. Her mother, Caroline Madsen, was from Denmark
and her father, Charles Williams, was born in Sweden
. Williams came from a large and impoverished family of four sisters and two brothers.
At the age of eighteen Williams attended San Jose State Normal School
in California and graduated in 1901. She was a teacher for three years before attending Stanford University
, where she received her M.A.
in 1908. Williams went back to teaching from 1908 to 1911 while studying at the University of Chicago
during the summers. She took a trip to London, England
, in 1911 to research her doctoral dissertation at the Public Record Office. Williams received her Ph.D.
in 1914 and became an instructor in History at Stanford University. Her dissertation, Anglo-American Isthmian Diplomacy, 1815–1915, won the Justin Winsor Prize
of the American Historical Association
. From 1914 to 1915 Williams was an instructor in History at Wellesley College. Williams taught at Goucher College
in Baltimore
as a professor in 1920.
From 1918 to 1919 Williams served the government of Honduras
as a cartographic
, geographic
, and historical specialist in relation with its border disagreements with Guatemala
and Nicaragua
. On behalf of the American Association of University Women
, Williams traveled to fifteen Latin American countries to survey their higher education facilities for women in 1926. The US State Department appointed Williams to serve on a variety of committees dealing with Latin American problems. In 1940 she was presented with a decoration from the Dominican
government in recognition of her work in promoting understanding between the two countries.
She remained a professor at Goucher College until 1940 when she retired to Palo Alto, California
. Williams died suddenly from a stroke on March 10, 1944. Her grave is marked "Teacher, Historian, Pacifist, Feminist."
Her book, The People and Politics of Latin America, has for fourteen years been an important foundation for teachers and students in the field of Latin-American history.
1916: Anglo-American Isthmian Diplomacy, 1815-1915
1920: Social Scandinavia in the Viking Age
1930: The People and Politics of Latin America
1937: Dom Pedro the Magnanimous, Second Emperor of Brazil
History of Latin America
Latin America refers to countries in the Americas where Romance languages are spoken. This definition, however, is not meant to include Canada, in spite of its large French-speaking population....
. She was on the board of editors of the Hispanic American Historical Review from 1927 to 1933 and was secretary of the Conference on Latin American History in 1928 and 1934.
Williams is credited for starting the first collegiate course in Canadian history
History of Canada
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
in the United States in 1916. She contributed to the Dictionary of American Biography
Dictionary of American Biography
The Dictionary of American Biography was published in New York City by Charles Scribner's Sons under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies. The first edition was published in 20 volumes from 1928 to 1936. These 20 volumes contained 15,000 biographies...
and wrote two books on Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Williams was an active feminist and pacifist. She was a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom was established in the United States in January 1915 as the Woman's Peace Party...
and was founder of the California chapter of the National Woman's Party
National Woman's Party
The National Woman's Party , was a women's organization founded by Alice Paul in 1915 that fought for women's rights during the early 20th century in the United States, particularly for the right to vote on the same terms as men...
in California. Also, she was the editor of Equal Rights, an independent feminist weekly from 1935 to 1936.
Biography
Williams was born on May 14, 1878, on a remote farm in Stanislaus County, CaliforniaStanislaus County, California
Stanislaus County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. As the price of housing has increased in the San Francisco Bay Area, many people who work in the southern reaches of the Bay Area have opted for the longer commute and moved to Stanislaus County for the...
. Her mother, Caroline Madsen, was from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and her father, Charles Williams, was born in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Williams came from a large and impoverished family of four sisters and two brothers.
At the age of eighteen Williams attended San Jose State Normal School
California State Normal School
The California State Normal School was a teaching college founded on May 2, 1862, whose original campus later became both the California State University and its San Jose State University campus....
in California and graduated in 1901. She was a teacher for three years before attending Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where she received her M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1908. Williams went back to teaching from 1908 to 1911 while studying at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
during the summers. She took a trip to London, England
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1911 to research her doctoral dissertation at the Public Record Office. Williams received her Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1914 and became an instructor in History at Stanford University. Her dissertation, Anglo-American Isthmian Diplomacy, 1815–1915, won the Justin Winsor Prize
Justin Winsor Prize (history)
The Justin Winsor Prize was awarded by the American Historical Association to encourage new authors to pursue the study of history in the Western Hemisphere at a time when the study of European history predominated...
of the American Historical Association
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
. From 1914 to 1915 Williams was an instructor in History at Wellesley College. Williams taught at Goucher College
Goucher College
Goucher College is a private, co-educational, liberal arts college located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson in unincorporated Baltimore County, Maryland, on a 287 acre campus. The school has approximately 1,475 undergraduate students studying in 31 majors and six interdisciplinary...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
as a professor in 1920.
From 1918 to 1919 Williams served the government of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
as a cartographic
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
, geographic
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, and historical specialist in relation with its border disagreements with Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. On behalf of the American Association of University Women
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. It was founded in 1882 by Ellen Swallow Richards and Marion Talbot...
, Williams traveled to fifteen Latin American countries to survey their higher education facilities for women in 1926. The US State Department appointed Williams to serve on a variety of committees dealing with Latin American problems. In 1940 she was presented with a decoration from the Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
government in recognition of her work in promoting understanding between the two countries.
She remained a professor at Goucher College until 1940 when she retired to Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. Williams died suddenly from a stroke on March 10, 1944. Her grave is marked "Teacher, Historian, Pacifist, Feminist."
Legacy
As a teacher, Williams is remembered for her thorough standards of scholarship, her persistence for complete mastery of a subject matter, and her encouragement of students in undertaking independent research.Her book, The People and Politics of Latin America, has for fourteen years been an important foundation for teachers and students in the field of Latin-American history.
Works
1916: Cousin-hunting in Scandinavia1916: Anglo-American Isthmian Diplomacy, 1815-1915
1920: Social Scandinavia in the Viking Age
1930: The People and Politics of Latin America
1937: Dom Pedro the Magnanimous, Second Emperor of Brazil
External links
- Guide to the Mary Wilhelmine Williams Papers, 1911-1943 held at Stanford University