Peace Pilgrim

Peace Pilgrim
Peace Pilgrim

Peace Pilgrim in Hawaii - 1980
Born July 18, 1908(1908-07-18)
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Died July 7, 1981(1981-07-07)
Knox, Indiana
Website
http://www.peacepilgrim.org

Peace Pilgrim (July 18, 1908 – July 7, 1981) born Mildred Lisette Norman, was an American pacifist, vegetarian, and peace activist. In 1952, she became the first woman to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one season.[1] Starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California, she adopted the name "Peace Pilgrim" and walked across the United States for 28 years.

A transcript of a 1964 conversation with Peace Pilgrim from a broadcast on KPFK radio in Los Angeles, California, was published as "Steps Toward Inner Peace". She stopped counting miles in that year, having walked more than 40,000 km (25,000 mi) for peace.

Contents

Early life

Mildred Norman was born on a poultry farm in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, in 1908, the oldest of three children. Her mother, Josephine Marie Ranch, was a tailor, and her father, Ernest Norman, a carpenter. Although poor, the family were well-thought-of in a community of German immigrants, whose relatives originally settled the area after escaping Germany in 1855.[2]

In 1933 she eloped with Stanley Ryder and moved to Philadelphia in 1939. They divorced in 1946.[3]

Pilgrimage

In order for the world to become peaceful, people must become more peaceful. Among mature people war would not be a problem - it would be impossible. In their immaturity people want, at the same time, peace and the things which make war. However, people can mature just as children grow up. Yes, our institutions and our leaders reflect our immaturity, but as we mature we will elect better leaders and set up better institutions. It always comes back to the thing so many of us wish to avoid: working to improve ourselves.

—Peace Pilgrim, [4]

Her pilgrimage spanned almost three decades beginning January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California. The Korean War was in progress. She continued walking for 28 years, spanning the American involvement in the Vietnam War and beyond. Peace Pilgrim was a frequent speaker at churches, universities, and local and national radio and television.

Expressing her ideas about peace, she referred to herself only as "Peace Pilgrim." Peace Pilgrim's only possessions were the clothes on her back and the few items she carried in the pockets of her blue tunic which read "Peace Pilgrim" on the front and "25,000 Miles on foot for peace" on the back. She had no organizational backing, carried no money, and would not even ask for food or shelter. When she began her pilgrimage she had taken a vow to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food."

On July 7, 1981, while being driven to a speaking engagement near Knox, Indiana, Peace Pilgrim was killed in an automobile accident. At the time of her death, she was crossing the United States for the seventh time. After her death, she was cremated, and her ashes were interred in a family plot near Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.

Friends of Peace Pilgrim

Friends of Peace Pilgrim is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to making information about the life and message of Peace Pilgrim available freely to all who ask. Since 1983 they have published and distributed over 400,000 copies of the book, Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words, and over one and a half million copies of the booklet, Steps Toward Inner Peace. Books and booklets have been sent to over 100 countries. The book has been translated into twelve languages and the booklet into over 20 languages.[5]

Awards

  • Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award (1992)[6]

Bibliography

  • Steps Toward Inner Peace (1964)
  • Peace Pilgrim, Her Life and Work in her Own Words (1983)
  • Peace Pilgrim: The Spirit of Peace (1997)
  • Peace Pilgrim: An American Sage Who Walked Her Talk (2000)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 2,000 mi (3,219 km)
  2. ^ Daniels, 2005, p.564.
  3. ^ Biography
  4. ^ Pilgrim, 1992, p.102
  5. ^ FRIENDS OF PEACE PILGRIM
  6. ^ "The Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Recipients List". The Peace Abbey. http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/cocrecipientlist.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Peace Pilgrim — Peace Pelgrim Peace Pilgrim (18 juillet 1908 7 juillet 1981) de son vrai nom Mildred Lisette Norman était une militante américaine pacifiste et végétarienne. Elle est l auteur de …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Pilgrim (disambiguation) — A pilgrim is one who undertakes a religious journey or pilgrimage.It can also refer to groups: *Pilgrims, the English colonists of Plymouth, Massachusetts *Muslims who perform the Hajj *Pilgrims SocietyIn fiction: * Pilgrim (film), a 2000 movie… …   Wikipedia

  • Pilgrim — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Pilgrim qui signifie pèlerin en anglais peut faire référence à : En Musique Pilgrim (1973) de Larry Gatlin Pilgrim (1989) de Barry McGuire Pilgrim… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament — The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, Inc. (also referred to as The Great Peace March, GPM, and the March) was a cross country action in 1986 to raise awareness of the growing danger of nuclear proliferation and to advocate for… …   Wikipedia

  • International Peace Games — Peace Games is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded on the simple belief that violence is learned; and if violence can be learned, so can the skills of peacemaking. Peace Games works to teach children how to cooperate …   Wikipedia

  • The Pilgrim's Progress — For the Kula Shaker album, see Pilgrims Progress (album). The Pilgrim s Progress   …   Wikipedia

  • The Way of a Pilgrim — is the English title of a 19th century anonymous Russian work, detailing the narrator s journey across the country while discovering practicing the Jesus Prayer devoutly, with the help of a prayer rope, and studying the Philokalia . It came to a… …   Wikipedia

  • Billy Pilgrim (character) — William Billy Pilgrim is a fictional character and protagonist of Kurt Vonnegut s 1969 novel Slaughterhouse Five . He was portrayed by Michael Sacks in the 1972 film adaption of Vonnegut s novel. Character background Billy Pilgrim is tall at 6… …   Wikipedia

  • Mildred Lisette Norman — Peace Pilgrim Peace Pelgrim Peace Pilgrim (18 juillet 1908 7 juillet 1981) de son vrai nom Mildred Lisette Norman était une militante pacifiste et végétarienne. Elle est l auteur de …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ronald Podrow — Infobox Celebrity name = Peace Pilgrim II imagesize = caption = birth date = birth date|1926|05|16 birth place = London, England death date = death date|2004|12|19 death place = Burnaby, British Columbia occupation = salary = networth = spouse =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”