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In 1974, the government required that steel companies hire women and minorities. This included the Eveleth Iron Mining co. This was the immediate start of the first class action suit by women claiming sexual harassment, abuse, and violence against women in the workplace. The case was Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co.
As women who were looking for good paying jobs to support their families, some brave women went to work for Eveleth Taconite Co. These women had no idea of the stress, harassment, humiliation and intimidation they were going to face. The men who worked for the mining company highly resented women taking good paying jobs from men. In their view, women should be staying at home, cooking, cleaning and raising children. These women really had no choice. Some were single mothers or the main breadwinner of the household. They needed good paying jobs every bit as much as the men.
Lois Jenson was one of the first women to go to work for the Eveleth Taconite Co. and became a member of the union workers. Right from the start she was a target of sexual harassment. Lois and the other women were victims of stalking, groping, and threats of rape and physical violence. Another problem that the women faced was the lack of bathroom facilities. They often weren’t near a bathroom and some developed urinary problems from holding their urine for extended periods of time.
Lois Jenson filed numerous complaints with management, the union and the mine owners regarding the abuse the women were subjected to. All wanted these women to quit, so all of her complaints were ignored or even sneered at. Eventually, Jenson filed a complaint to the Human Rights of Minnesota office. The state ordered Ogelby Norton to pay $11,000 to Jenson and form sexual harassment policies. The Eveleth Taconite Co. refused to follow the states orders.
Finally, in desperation, in 1988 Jenson hired private attorneys Paul Springer and Jean Boler to file a complaint. Jenson was joined by Pat Kosmach and one other woman to make it a class action lawsuit. Unfortunately, Pat Kosmach would die from Lou Gehrig’s disease before the lawsuit was settled.
Not all women supported the lawsuit. They feared for their jobs and the intimidation on the job became even worse. It became so unbearable that Jenson was under so much mental stress that she quit working at the mine.
During the trial the women were subjected to intensive and invasion of their privacy. Questions were asked about their pasts regarding former relationships. Their former sexual pasts were put on display. There were accusations that their behavior had caused the problems of harassment. They were accused of lying about the effects the harassment had on their physical and mental health.
After years of fighting in court the women finally got their verdict. Their case was settled on Dec 31, 1988 for $3.5 million. Not all women received the same amount. Each case was judged separately with some receiving more than others. But most important for the women was that the company had to have and enforce a no harassment policy. This policy protected the women from the abuse they had been dealing with. They could keep their jobs without the fear of harassment and violence. They had won the right to be respected.
It was 1987 when I bought a 1983 Chrysler New Yorker 5th Avenue used car. It was in excellent condition and I had just gotten a new job so I was making enough to afford the payments.
It was a beautiful dark blue with soft blue interior. In 1987 it had all the newest electronic features like electric windows and doors. The first time I drove it to work, my supervisor was asking who the nice car belonged to.
A 1983 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue en.wikipedia; PD
I made sure that car was well taken care of. I refused to let my husband at the time work on it. He thought he was a great mechanic but he often times made problems worse. Instead for the first time, I started paying a real mechanic. I wasn’t going to let him mess up this car. And when my husband and I separated that car went with me. It survived my kids growing up and being hauled everywhere.
I drove that car for over six years, then made the mistake of buying something newer. Many times I wished I still had that 1983 Fifth Avenue car back. I have even been doing some searching for one like it. The memories are great but it’s time to move on and go with the SUV style of today’s popular vehicles with more modern features.
Catherine of Valois was born a princess of France on October 27, 1401. Catherine was the daughter of King Charles VI and Isabeau of Bavaria. She spent her life as a neglected child of this royal couple.
King Charles often suffered from bouts of madness. and was often referred to as “Charles the Mad” or sometimes the Mad King. Meanwhile, her mother, Isabeau of Bavaria, would act as Regent for France in her husband’s place during his spells of madness. Rumors spread that she was much more interested in her young lovers than her children.
Brothers and Sisters
Although King Charles VI and Isabeau of Bavaria had a total of twelve children only a handful of them lived to become adults. Some that did survive died early deaths. Three were given the name Charles and two were named Jeanne after babies that had not lived very long.
Jeanne of Valois (two were named Jeanne)
Charles (three were named Charles)
John
Philip
Marie of Valois
Michelle of Valois
Dauphin Louis (brother)
Isabelle of Valois (Catherine’s older sister)
Catherine of Valois
Catherine of Valois
Catherine being the youngest child was probably the most neglected. She faced many challenges due to her father’s madness. Her mother’s lack of interest also affected her life, so she certainly did not live the life of a pampered fairy tale princess. Catherine did spend some of her young life growing up at Poissy Convent which was the basis for her religious education. Catherine was raised understanding that she would be merely a pawn when it came who her future husband would be. There had been negotiations since she was fairly young regarding a possible marriage to the future king of England, Henry V.
I believe that like most young princesses of Europe, she hoped for love and a family with her husband. Yet, her marriage would be to whichever member of European royalty was most beneficial to France.
Signing the Treaty for Catherine and Henry’s Marriage—Isabeau of Bavaria and Charles VI at the Treaty of Troyes | Source
Peace Through Marriage
King Charles VI reign was filled with war (known as The Hundred Year Wars). One effort at achieving peace was through marriage. Isabelle, Catherine’s older sister was married to England’s King Richard at a mere six years of age. The marriage was never consummated due to her young age and the early death of King Richard in 1400. She was held in England for some time after Richard’s death before she was allowed to return to France.
King Henry V
King Henry was a young man when he was crowned the king of England. For much of his father’s reign, the royal English family fought with France. This conflict came to be known as the “One Hundred Years War”. King Henry V signed a treaty with France on May 21, 1420. In the treaty, he demanded the return of lands that had once belonged to England. This was the Treaty of Troyes which also included Henry’s marriage to the young eighteen-year-old Catherine of Valois. A large dowry was also included in the marriage contracts.
Wedding of King Henvy V and Catherine of Valois
King Henry V and Catherine of Valois were married on June 2, 1420, and Catherine was crowned queen of England in February 1421. The royal couple soon welcomed their only son Henry VI heir to both the English and France thrones. Their marriage proved to be a brief marriage. Henry V died on a battlefield in 1422 leaving a twenty-one-year-old widow and an infant son. Henry VI was only an infant when his father died. His two uncles, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Bedford, controlled the government.
Queen Catherine was sent off to live quietly, at Baynard’s Castle, with only a small household staff. Her brothers-in-laws who were controlling England were concerned that if Catherine were to remarry, any new husband might influence the infant king and they would lose their power over the boy and England.
Forbidden to Love Again
The two dukes and the English parliament had specific ideas on how this young widow should conduct herself. She was also the mother of the boy king Thus they decided how she should be allowed to live her life. Therefore, parliament passed a law that forbade Catherine from establishing romantic relationships and she was forbidden to marry again without parliament’s or her young son’s approval. Any man with a title or lands would lose both his title and his land if he were to marry King Henry V’s widow. No man was willing to take the risk of angering parliament or losing their lands or titles. As her son was only a year old and would not be able to give his consent for years, Catherine’s fate had just been sealed. She would never be allowed to return to France, love again, or have more children to love.
The Queen’s Secret Love
But Catherine was lonely and a very young widow. Catherine was only in her early twenties and wanted to love and marry again. She wanted more children also. However, she was shut away from society in a huge castle with little company other than those who were her servants. She was even deprived of her young son, the future king. Henry had nurses and governesses and was allowed little time with Catherine.
At some time, Catherine met and became involved with a young handsome Welsh gentleman who was in charge of the royal wardrobes. Owen Tudor was in reality a high-ranking Welshman. Thus, the two of them began a secret love affair. Although there seems to be no record of their marriage, and though it was forbidden, Catherine and Owen were secretly married. A marriage that would produce more children for Catherine to love but would also have tragic endings for both Catherine and Owen. When the marriage caught the attention of Parliament, Catherine entered a nunnery and died a short time later. Owen would be captured and imprisoned. Owen eventually escaped prison and served with Catherine’s oldest son King Henry VI but was later captured by the enemies of Henry VI and was beheaded in Hereford marketplace. He was buried in Hereford.
Children of Owen Tudor and Queen Catherine
Owen Tudor an Catherine had several children together but two would play a huge part of English royalty history. Catherine’s oldest son King Henry VI would later make his half brothers and sisters legitimate and bestow them royal titles.
Edmund Tudor 1st Earl of Richmond and father of the future king Henry VII.
Jasper Owen Earl of Pembroke who would help to bring Henry VII the crown of England.
There may have been two daughters and another son named Edward but this is unknown for certain.
Catherine’s grandson would later become king making Catherine the wife of a king, the mother of another king, and the grandmother of the first Tudor king.
References
Griffiths, Ralph A., and Roger S. Thomas. The Making of the Tudor Dynasty. NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1985.
I am a Sandra Brown fan. I have read several of her books and I enjoyed most of them. I think her early books were more romance than her newer books. I didn’t care a lot for those and ended up putting those aside. I may read those at a later date.
Some of Sandra Brown books that I have read include: Unspeakable, The Alibi, French Silk and Mean Streak. The first year I joined my book club, I choose her book “Overkill”. I have been a fan since then. I loved all of those books and I had a hard time putting those books down.
I just finished the Sandra Brown book “The Witness” and I recommend reading it. It’s full of intrigue, danger and love and romance.
At the moment, I have just started her new book “Blood Moon”. This is my book club choice for this year. It sounds very interesting but I have only read the first chapter yet. It will probably be another page turner. I am sure I won’t be disappointed and will be unable to put it down.
I never knew my actual grandparents. I saw my grandmother on my mother’s side a few times but never really knew her. It’s sad that I never really had grandparents in my life.
I made Madeline my adopted grandmother when I went to work for her as her caregiver. We sat and talked for hours when I had everything that was needed done. She told me some wonderful stories of her life. Madeline had grown up during the depression era and World War II. She had been a teacher and she told me about her college adventures and romances. She shared with me stories of the other man she almost married. Madeline lived away at college and came home on weekends by train. Madeline had a talent for music and she became a music teacher. Although her family couldn’t afford for her to go to college her church stepped in with a scholarship.
When Madeline came home as a teacher, one of the first things she did was form a school band. I remember her story of how she had friends, neighbors and other community members searching through attics for instruments for her students. And she managed to construct the first band for that high school.
Madeline married and had two children but continued teaching. But her family always came first and she raised two great children. She was loved by her students who still dropped in to visit with her when her health declined. Madeline was very active in church and community activities. At one of the town’s parades, Madeline was the Grand Marshall of the parade.
Madeline also did a lot of traveling after her retirement. When her sight failed, I would sit and read her the notes she had written about her travels. One evening we got out boxes of valentines from her grade school days. It was amazing to see old valentines with movable arms and legs. They don’t make valentines like that anymore.
I spent many hours with Madeline and I enjoyed every minute. She was a beautiful, unique woman who gave her time and love to so many others. I will never forget some of the lessons I learned from her. I always remember her kindness to everyone. I learned to be more tolerant of people. I offer find myself repeating something she would say. When asked if she liked a new food, she would either say she did like it. Or she would say “I wouldn’t walk around the block for it”.
Madeline died when she was 102. Her last unselfish act was to donate her body to science. She hoped that doctors would find cures for some of the problems that she had suffered.
Don’t most little girls dream of being a princess? A princess costume is generally a favorite costume of girls for Halloween. But what are the chances of that dream ever coming true?
I imagine that Grace Kelly was at one time one of those little girls who dreamed of being a princess. But Grace Kelly loved the spotlight and truly wanted to be an actress. . As an actress she played the role of Princess Alexandra in her final film. Shortly after that Grace Kelly did indeed become the wife of Prince Rainier of Monaco making her a royal princess.
Young Grace Kelly Her Early Years
Grace Patricia Kelly was born in, “The City of Brotherly Love”, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 12, 1929. She was the third child for John (Jack) and Margaret Kelly. While athletics played a big part in the Kelly family, Grace was not much for athletics. She had more of an avid interest in drama and acting.
When Grace was about twelve, she became interested in acting. But at twelve many considered her to be an ugly duckling of sorts. She was small, thin, and she needed glasses because she was nearsighted. But Grace Kelly was destined to turn into a beautiful swan, an actress and eventually a royal princess.
Grace Kelly the Actress
In 1942, she appeared in “Don’t Feed the Animals” which was a small theater group near her home. In the fall of 1947, she enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, located in New York. It was during this time that she became a successful model. She appeared on covers of many women’s magazines, while also making appearances on TV dramas.
In 1949, Grace made her debut on the Broadway stage. Shortly after that Grace made the move to Southern California and motion pictures. Her first motion picture was “Fourteen Hours” in 1951, which also starred Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges. She starred in the movie “Country Girl” in 1954 with Bing Crosby. Her performance won her the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for best actress.
Grace Kelly Movies
The Swan 1956
Fourteen Hours 1951
High Society 1956
Dial M For Murder An Alfred Hitchcock thriller 1954
Mogambo 1953
To Catch A Thief 1954
High Noon 1952
The Country Girl 1954 Won the Oscar for Best Actress
The Rear Window 1954 Another Alfred Hitchcock movie
Grace Kelly was a highly talented, beautiful, and sought after actress of the 1950s.
The American Actress Meets her Prince
In May 1955, Grace met Prince Rainier of Monaco, the richest bachelor in the world. She had agreed to attend the Cannes Film Festival and to be photographed with the Prince. Grace was just twenty six and the Prince was thirty two. After the photo session ended, the Prince took Grace to visit the gardens and his zoo. Over time, the Prince and Grace began a courtship that would lead to marriage. It was a union between the beautiful American actress and the Prince of Monaco. Marrying into a royal family, a bride must meet certain conditions like providing a dowry to the husband.
Grace’s family was required to send a sizable dowry in the amount of $2,000,000. Grace had to take a fertility test to ensure that she could produce an heir to the throne. It was also agreed that Grace would give up her acting career. She would move to Prince Rainier’s home in Monaco, which was a 235 room palace that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea. The hardest thing for Grace to accept was the possibility of giving up all rights to her children. If the marriage did not work, then Prince Rainier would have custody of any children the couple produced.
Wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier
The Wedding
On April 18, 1956, Prince Rainier Grimaldi and Grace Kelly exchanged vows in French in a civil ceremony. On April 19, 1956 the couple were married again in a religious ceremony officially making Grace Kelly Princess Grace of Monaco. Princess Grace would give birth to three royal children. Princess Caroline was born in 1957, Prince Albert born in 1958, and Princess Stephanie born in 1965.
The Prince and Princess Of Monaco
Tragedy Strikes
Tragedy struck the royal couple on Sept 13, 1982. Princess Grace was driving with her daughter Stephanie on a steep curving road and her car went over one of the steep curves. While Stephanie only had minor injuries, Princess Grace’s injuries were more severe and would claim her life two days later.
There have been many rumors about what caused Princess Grace’s car to plunge down the cliff, akin to the rumors surrounding Princess Diane’s death. However, Dr Louis Chateline, the physician who treated the princess at Monaco states that Princess Grace suffered two strokes. The first stroke struck her while she was driving causing her to lose control of her vehicle. A second stroke took her life.
Grace Kelly will long be remembered for many things. Her movies and her timeless beauty are among them. Her family remembers her as a wife, mother, and daughter. She will also always be known as the American Princess Grace of Monaco
When I think of a successful person, the first person I think of is the late Charlie Kirk. I was stunned when I heard about his assassination. It happened during one of his events at Utah Valley University on September 10 of this year.
Charlie Kirk was a month away from his thirty second birthday when he was gunned down. Although he was very young he accomplished more in his short life than many of us, including me, will ever achieve.
Some of Charlie’s greatest accomplishments:
Started a non-profit organization named Turning Point USA in 2012 when he was only 18 years old
Was the author of a book “The College Scam”
Was the host of his own radio show
Was the speaker at the Republican National Convention 2020 and 2024
Was a proud follower of Jesus and talked with many young people regarding faith and family
Met with many world leaders
Those are just a few of the reasons I think that Charlie Kirk was an extremely successful person. It was Charlie’s faith that I most admired. His commitment to his faith, family and our country were a joy to hear. He traveled around the USA promoting freedom of speech, Christian values, and conservative values. He chose to debate and listen to other points of view. I have watched many of his videos of him challenging college students. He was always kind and showed so much common sense, which is so rare today.
I think Charlie was so successful in his life due mainly to his unfaltering faith in Christ. He was also very successful in his relationships. He had a beautiful, loving wife and two children.
I saw people mourning this young man all over the USA and countries overseas. You had to know this was a very special man who had touched millions of lives including mine even though I never met him. Charlie has been called to heaven, but now it’s up to us to carry on his faith and values.
Daily writing prompt
When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?
I would really like to try doing pottery. Pottery is a form of art to me. I have seen some beautiful works of pottery and would like to give it a try.
I do have a family member who does pottery but I don’t know if she would have the time to teach me. If anyone in my area were to give lessons I would sign up.
I am not sure just what all equipment I would need besides a pottery wheel. I believe I would need something called a kiln, not exactly sure what it does. I assume it’s needed for heating and drying pottery. The equipment sounds like it could be an expensive investment.
Making Pottery
Even though I would enjoy learning a new skill, pottery equipment will probably keep me from trying.
Are you an adult when you become a parent? I have grown children and I still am waiting to feel like an adult. I act like an adult. I pay the bills and take care of the house. I have a job and do everything that is supposed to make a person an adult.
Perhaps I felt like an adult when I went through rough times and had to make difficult decisions. That is probably the closest I ever came to feeling like an adult. I never really gave it much thought.
But I still don’t know the feeling of being an adult. What is that supposed to feel like? Is it supposed to be when we do what we have to do to make hard decisions?
It’s been a tough journey reaching adulthood. I guess I made it but I still can’t describe when it happened.
Daily writing prompt
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
History Lovers Corner 