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.
IWD 2021 – Kanno Sugako- Japan
A Japanese feminist, Japan’s first female journalist, advocate of women’s rights, and author. Her life ended abruptly when she was executed for her part in a plot to assassinate the Emperor. She remains the only woman to be executed in Japan for treason. Sugako had admitted her guilt in the plot, as had her half-dozen or so co-conspirators.
In her prison diary she wrote: “Needless to say, I was prepared for the death sentence. My only concern day and night was to see as many of my… fellow defendants saved as possible… I am convinced our sacrifice is not in vain. It will bear fruit in the future. I am confident that because I firmly believe my death will serve a valuable purpose I will be able to maintain my self-respect until the last moment on the scaffold. I will be enveloped in the marvelously comforting thought that I am sacrificing myself for the cause. I believe I will be able to die a noble death without fear or anguish.”(Working Class History)
