Editor’s Note: Originally Published March 27, 2023.

Header image: Historical information on display at Emma Yule Park // Live in Everett

March is Women’s History Month, and Everett would not be the city it is today without the support of numerous women. In addition to the MANY women currently working and living in Everett to make it the wonderful community, we know it as, Everett has also been the home to many historical women pioneers, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. 

For the month of March, the Everett Museum of History has featured an exhibit about some of the great ladies from Everett’s history. For example, Harriette Shelton Dover graduated from Everett High School in 1926 and spent her life advocating for her Tribe in Tulalip and all women in the local area. 

There’s also Luella Ruth Brown, who moved to Everett in 1902, opened the first Black women-owned business, wrote articles, and consistently met with other community members to advocate for human rights and the equitable treatment of women and Black people. 

And you can’t forget about Ella Russell. Mrs. Russell was the president of the Everett Suffrage Club in 1910 and is best known by some for her riveting speech on equal voting rights that very July. She was a major force in collaborating with local men, women, and unions to ensure women’s right to vote was enshrined in Washington law later that year. 

In addition to these women, you may have recently visited Emma Yule Park on Colby Ave., so named after one of Everett’s first schoolteachers. Or maybe you’ve gone to Viola Oursler Viewpoint Park, so named after another Everett schoolteacher who was also recognized for her environmental activism. You also may have heard of Electa Friday, who started the first nurse training hospital in addition to managing Everett Hospital. 

Everett has always been renowned, both before and after women’s voting rights were achieved, for being a place where people could collaborate for a better future for all people, including women. From the League of Women Voters (founded in 1920 and still active today by continuing to empower women to be active in the democratic process) to having our first women-led majority in our City Council in 2022, much of the work started by women from Everett’s history is ongoing to this day. 

We owe much to our founding mothers, just as we owe it to future generations to continue engaging and continue fighting for equal rights for all women. 

Happy Women’s History Month! 

Angela Di Filippo currently works in State Social Services and recently earned her Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with extensive training in evidence-based leadership coaching. Angela moved from North Carolina to Washington 6 years ago and has proudly called Everett her home for 5 of those years. When not helping others solve problems in creative and strength-driven ways, Angela enjoys her time painting, hiking with her terrier-mix, Indy, and eating waffles.