American Historical Ephemera and Photography

A collection of 10+ items assembled by Mariwyn Heath, highlighted by a vintage "Votes for Women" pennant constructed of purple and yellow felt, approx. 9 x 25 1/2 in., possibly unique (light soiling, light edge wear). -- Starburst-shaped, gold, blue, and white medal with Veteran Feminists of America logo in center surrounded by gold text, "Veteran Feminists Medal of Honor." Reverse engraved, "Mariwyn D. Heath, May 9, 1999," with copyright of "Meuli & Carabillo." 1 3/4 x 1 5/8 in. medal attached to red, white, and blue striped ribbon (minimal wear). Housed in handcrafted wooden box. -- 2 pinback buttons featuring the slogan, "Votes for Women," approx. 3/4 in. dia. One framed for display with a "Votes for Women" print based on a 1909 poster. -- 3 additional pinback buttons, including a pinback depicting a suffragette standing with a "Votes for Women" sign, a "Woman's Suffrage 75th Anniversary" pinback, and a circular pinback showing a group of seasoned suffragettes. -- 2 pewter figurines, the first depicting a suffragette, 6 in. ht., the second depicting Betsy Ross stitching the "Stars and Stripes," 2 1/2 in. ht. -- Silver gelatin press photograph of Mariwyn Heath taken in April 1976 by Plain Dealer photographer, William G. Vorpe, 8 x 10 in. Ink stamps and newspaper clipping on verso.

Chicago, IL, native, Mariwyn Heath (1935-2009) attended Webster College in St. Louis and the University of Missouri, where she became the first woman to receive a degree in Journalism. After college, she got married and moved to Elmira, New York, where she was employed as the managing editor of the Chemung Valley Reporter in Horseheads, NY. She also began working as a free-lance speech writer, which led to her lifelong involvement in political campaigns and issues. In 1960, Heath and her family moved to Ohio, ultimately settling in Dayton in 1963. For several decades, she was actively involved with the Business and Professional Women (BPW) Club and in Theta Sigma Phi, the national journalism honorary society that later became the Association for Women in Communications (WIC). By 1974, Heath's activism was focused nationally on women's issues and the participation of women in the political process. Heath received numerous honors for her work, including being named to the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1983.