Learn about four dynamic women—and the role that Christian Science played in their lives as innovators who thought outside the box:
- In the late 1800s, Harriet Williams Russell Strong made the desert bloom in Southern California, through several inventions in the water management sector.
- At the turn of the twentieth century, Martha Matilda Harper developed the first franchising system with her beauty salons, empowering women to go into business for themselves.
- In the mid-twentieth century, fashion designer Adele Simpson revolutionized clothing to suit the needs and lifestyles of the modern career woman.
- And in the 1950s, Bette Graham invented Liquid Paper as a struggling single mother, becoming a leader in the office supply industry and helping to improve the workplace for women.
Our roundtable discussion looks at the impact of Christian Science on these women—and, in turn, how their lives and vision have inspired our guest speakers.
Access more on this topic:
- Women of History: Martha Matilda Harper
- Women of History: Bette Graham
- From the Papers: Discovering “one of the brightest women in Oakland” (Harriet Williams Russell Strong)
- Women of History: Adele Simpson
- Podcast: Martha Matilda Harper and the beauty of social entrepreneurship
- Podcast: Bette Graham, Liquid Paper, and the spiritual force of an original idea
Jane Plitt is a passionate changemaker dedicated to amplifying overlooked voices and transforming society. As founder and board chair of the National Center of Women’s Innovations, she brings recognition to women innovators, with the goal of inspiring new generations. A dynamic speaker and award-winning author/businesswoman, Plitt revived the remarkable legacy of Martha Matilda Harper—a servant-turned-franchise mogul—through a biography, a young adult book, and a children’s story. Her work helped earn Harper induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Plitt, a former national executive director of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and civil rights advocate, was a visiting scholar at the University of Rochester for over 20 years. Honored by SAVVY magazine, she has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Sun-Times, and History News, among many publications.
Madelon Maupin is a dedicated biblical educator who has brought her passion for scripture to audiences around the globe. Through her company, Bible Roads, she offers a wide range of study materials and online courses covering numerous biblical books and topics. Maupin has lectured across the Mediterranean and Middle East, worked as a cultural historian for Princess Cruises, and guided student groups through Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Israel, and Italy. Prior to her work in biblical studies, she enjoyed a successful business career in Los Angeles, providing leadership consulting to Fortune 100 clients. Maupin’s writings on spirituality and the Bible appear in publications such as The Christian Science Journal and the Christian Science Sentinel, including its broadcast edition, Sentinel Watch. She holds a master’s degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Gwen Beacham is a transcription verifier and researcher for the Mary Baker Eddy Papers, a documentary editing project that is digitally publishing Mary Baker Eddy’s correspondence, sermons, and other manuscript materials. Beacham joined the team in 2019. Previously she was the educational program manager for the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy in Northern California. She has also taught undergraduate courses in environmental history, environmental policy, and global studies at Principia College and worked as a water rights attorney in Colorado. She holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and the Association for Documentary Editing.
Dr. Michael Hamilton is The Mary Baker Eddy Library’s executive manager. He came to the position following 10 years in the Religion and Philosophy Department at Principia College. Prior to teaching, he served for 20 years as an active-duty US Navy chaplain, ministering to units in both the navy and marine corps. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research and writing focus is on American religions.
Collage images (clockwise from top left): Harriet Williams Russell Strong, n.d. The National cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 17, 1921; Screenshot of the National Center of Women’s Innovations website used by permission; Image of Martha Matilda Harper, c. 1914. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-76323; Image of Adele Simpson by Glen Martin / Denver Post / Getty Images; Image of Bette Graham image from “The secretary who turned Liquid Paper into a multimillion-dollar business,” courtesy of The Hustle.
Guest headshots used by permission.
