Although IWD is celebrated on March 8th, there are so many women whose work has improved numerous lives throughout the world, some of who are our very own, within the IAM. Throughout the month of March we will feature women from different parts of the world and historical eras to remind us that the women’s movement indeed has deep and long roots. Follow us as we learn together about women who have left a mark on history and society.
Edith Monture accomplished many firsts in Canada. She was a Mohawk First World War veteran, the first Indigenous woman to become a registered nurse in Canada, and the first Indigenous woman to gain the right to vote in a Canadian federal election. She was also the first Indigenous woman from Canada to serve in the United States military.
Edith had to study in the US because most Canadian nursing programs excluded Indigenous women, and the federal Indian Act meant she would lose her Indian status if she attended post-secondary. (Canadian Women).
