Seeker

A 6 year old girl falls from a bannister at home in and dies. That's what happened in 1863 to Evangeline, the only daughter and youngest child of Josephine Butler and her husband George. It seems that her grief about Eva's death provided part of Josephine's motivation to help people whose pain might be greater than hers. As a feminist, Christian and social reformer she became a significant woman in the history of Victorian social justice campaigns, practical social work and feminism. She has been described here like this: "Josephine Butler was one of the most revolutionary social reformers of the nineteenth century. She challenged the inconsistent and hypocritical standards prevalent at that time especially where they unjustly disadvantaged women. She campaigned vigorously against the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women and children and strove for legislative reform to provide some degree of protection, equality and justice. Josephine Butler worked tirele...

Today (40 days after Easter) is Ascension Day when Christians celebrate Jesus' 'ascension' into heaven.  Here are some previous posts on this theme: Ascension Day 2012 Ascension Day Dangerous Ascension Day

News of yesterday's death of an inspiring and great African-American woman Maya Angelou  (1928 - 2014) has caused me to revisit some of her writing. I will not give a potted biography - her official site has one here . If you know nothing about her then I recommend starting with 'I know why the caged bird sings' , an autobiography of her early years, first published in 1969. When I read it in 1970 it had a profound effect on me. I was then a newly qualified social worker struggling for the first time with a case involving child sexual abuse and incest. Her book helped me to see a little of the child's point of view, as well as understanding more about racial and gender discrimination. And yet somehow it is a hopeful book, especially in the light of all she achieved since her first 17 years which that book is about. Here are some of my favourite quotes from Dr Maya Angelou: "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to ar...