Julia Ward Howe

Julia Ward Howe was a famous poet, essayist, lecturer, reformer and biographer. She was a woman who helped to end slavery and initiated the woman's movement in many states too. Julia worked intensely towards international peace. Apart from a reformer, she was a very doting mother and loving wife too. She was a remarkable woman who fought for the rights of women and her columns and articles on the woman's suffrage movement contributed to the betterment of the female society. She was born in New York City on May 27th 1819 and she was the fourth child of a banker Samuel Ward and the poet Julia Rush Cutler. Her mother died after giving birth to the last child and the kids were raised by the father. Julia was tutored at home and she learnt French at very early age. Later, by the age of 14, she added Italian and German to her list of languages too. She could also read Latin and Greek quite easily also. Witnessing an early death of her father and her brother and sister in law; Julia seeked solace in religion. With her auburn hair, blue eyes and sweet voice, Julia had become extremely popular in the social scene.

Her Literary Career
Julia Ward Howe edited the Commonwealth slavery a paper and her first book of poems was published in 1854. Julia wrote many travel essays and descriptions and she became the most popular for her patriotic song "The battle hymn of the republic". This was a song based on wartime beliefs and it became widely popular and was honored by the women of America,

As a Social Activist
Under the influence of the anti slavery group lead by William Lloyds, Julia worked for the Sanitary Commission. She founded the New England's women's club and also worked towards the welfare of New England women suffrage association. This significant contribution to womanhood made Julia stand out and these achievements pushed the woman's right to vote in America. Her support for France during the Franco-Prussian war in the 1870s was an appeal to the woman to rise against this war. The Mother's Day proclamation Julia ward Howe had written in the 1850s was translated in many languages and distributed widely. This was an official proclamation, which suggested that Mother's Day be celebrated officially in Boston, United States of America. Julia Ward made a great contribution towards the recognition of celebration of this day and her ideas were widely accepted. In 1908, Howe was also the first woman to be elected to the American academy of Arts and letters.

Death
Julia Ward Howe was a great woman who made many significant contributions. She passed away on October 17, 1910, of pneumonia at her home Oak Glen in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. She was bestowed with many awards and honors, both during her lifetime and posthumously. From being the first woman to be elected to the American academy of arts, Julia was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1987, Julia was also honored with a 14c postage stamp by the US Postal service. She was a woman who thought very well of herself, and she was not afraid to voice out her opinions and ideas. For this part of her character and personality, Julia Ward Howe is fondly remembered as the Queen of America!