Dangerous Dames of Dayton
Dayton Suffragists (L to R, upper) Mrs. Eby, Mrs. Burns, Mrs. Permita Owen Weliver, Mrs.
Marlay, Alice K. Neibel, Miss Hecker (Lower) Mrs. McCrea, Mrs. Kipple Hall, Mrs. Jessie L.
Davisson and Mrs. Anna K. Weliver 1913
The Dangerous Dames of Dayton Award was established in honor of the
women of Dayton, Ohio who fought for women’s right to vote. For their
efforts, they were often ridiculed and considered “dangerous to polite
society.” The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920 and these
Dangerous Dames opened the Dayton League that same year, making ours
one of the first Leagues in the nation.
This award is given in their memory to honor women who dare to challenge
all odds and make a difference for the common good.
Do you know a Dangerous Dame?
Tell us about her!
Every Fall the League of Women Voters GDA awards a Dangerous Dame of
Dayton Award at an annual celebration. If you would like to nominate a
Dangerous Dame, please send your nomination in the form of a letter to:
League of Women Voters GDA
131 N. Ludlow, Ste. 1208
Dayton, OH 45402
Attn: Susan Hesselgesser
Nominations must be received by August 1, 2015.
Dangerous Dame Award Recipients
Ellen Goodman
Pulitzer prize winning columnist, and one of the first to open
the op-ed pages to a woman’s voice. She became the most
widely syndicated progressive columnist in the country
chronicling social change and its impact on American life.
Mary Morgan
First woman to run for public office in City of Dayton. She was
ridiculed for her candidacy and lost the election, but became a
member of the fast-growing Women’s Liberation Movement
and remained an ardent feminist, advocating for women’s
causes.
Paula MacIlwaine The first woman to run for and win a seat on the Montgomery
County Commission, winning the election by 60%, which likely
made her the first recipient of the power of the women’s vote.
Vickie Hensley
Vickie was one of six women assigned to her Dayton Police
Academy Class, and was the first woman promoted to the rank
of sergeant in competitive testing with men. Later promoted to
Lieutenant, she became the first female District Commander
assigned to Fifth District HQ on Salem Avenue.
Noel Vaughn
Opened the first all-female law practice in Dayton in July 1980,
because female attorneys were not widely accepted in local
law offices. At the time, only 11 out of of Dayton's 107 law
firms had female lawyers on staff.
Barbara Gorman
Judge Barbara Gorman was the first female presiding judge of
the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court
Nadine Nagle
After her husband was killed in a bombing mission in World
War II, Mrs. Nagle felt her duty was to learn to fly in his place.
She joined the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP), and
became one of the first women in history to be trained to fly
American military aircraft.
Junior Dangerous Dame
Jessica Waters
Recipient in 2014 of the first Junior Dangerous Dame Award,
Jessica attended Beavercreek High School and has been
recognized for various personal challenges and achievements,
most notably her Cupcakes for Camp fundraising efforts for
children with Epilepsy.