Legacies of the Past: Arizona Women Who Made History

From artists and healers, teachers and entrepreneurs, women who plowed the land and those who were instrumental in establishing laws for the new territory of Arizona. Many early Arizona women became known for their fortitude in the face of adversity, their confrontation of extraordinary and sometimes dangerous situations, their adventuresome spirits, and their dedication to improving the lives of others. Some of these women gained a degree of celebrity across the state, within their communities, and throughout their tribal regions, while others remained relatively unknown. This PowerPoint program details the lives of remarkable Arizona women who had an impact on the territory and the state.

Award-winning author, historian, and lecturer Jan Cleere writes extensively about the Southwest desert, particularly about the people who first settled the territory. She graduated from ASU with a degree in American Studies and is the author of five historical nonfiction books about the people who first settled in the Southwest desert. She lectures around the state about early pioneers who were instrumental in settling and civilizing the territory of Arizona. Jan writes a monthly column for Tucson’s Arizona Daily Star, “Western Women,” detailing the lives of some of Arizona’s early amazing women. Her freelance work appears in national and regional publications.