THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Wilma Scott Heide

February 26, 1921 – May 8, 1985

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Should Also Rock the Boat.”

Author, nurse, social activist. Joined National Organization for Women (NOW), 1967. Founding member of Pittsburgh NOW, 1967. National President of NOW, 1971-1974. During her term as president, grew the organization to 700 chapters with 50,000 members worldwide. Chairwoman of NOW’s national advisory board, 1974 and 1975. Joined  NAACP and the League of Women Voters (LWV). Wrote a series of award-winning articles on the impact of civil rights on local Black people for the Valley Daily News and Daily Dispatch, 1965. Only female member of Pennsylvania State Human Relations Commission, 1969. Helped found National Women’s Political Caucus, 1971. Served on the Policy Council until 1974 and on the Advisory Board until 1977. Received a bachelor of arts degree in sociology, 1950, and a master’s degree in sociology and nursing in 1955, University of Pittsburgh. Received her PhD in feminist theory and public policy, Union of Experimenting Colleges and Universities, 1978. Her doctoral thesis was titled Feminism for the Health of It, which was published as a book shortly before her death from a heart attack at age 64.

Photo. NOW Presidents Betty Friedan, Wilma Scott Heide, Karen DeCrow and Eleanor Smeal are applauded by delegates of 1977 International Women’s Conference, Houston, Texas, 1977, Photo by Dori Jacobson-Wenzel.