Peace Pilgrim
{{Short description|American peace activist, spiritual teacher}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Peace Pilgrim
| image = Peace Pilgrim-1980-Hawaii.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Pilgrim in Hawaii, 1980
| birth_name = Mildred Lisette Norman
| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|7|18}}
| birth_place = Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date|1981|7|7}} (aged 72)
| death_place = Knox, Indiana, U.S.
| occupation =
| networth =
| spouse =
| children =
| website = {{URL|http://www.peacepilgrim.org}}
| footnotes =
}}
Peace Pilgrim (July 18, 1908 – July 7, 1981), born Mildred Lisette Norman, was an American spiritual teacher, mystic, pacifist, vegetarian activist and peace activist.{{sfn|Ullman|Reichenberg-Ullman|2001|pp=147-154}}{{cite web |title=2019 Honorees |website=National Women's History Alliance |date=2018-12-13 |url=https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/2019-honorees/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |quote=Peace Pilgrim was a non-denominational spiritual leader, pacifist, and vegetarian activist.}} In 1952, she became the first woman to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one season.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/obituaries/grandma-gatewood-appalachian-trail.html |title=Overlooked No More: Emma Gatewood, First Woman to Conquer the Appalachian Trail Alone |author=Katherine Seeley |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 27, 2018 |access-date=August 27, 2018}} Starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California, she adopted the name "Peace Pilgrim" and walked across the United States for 28 years, speaking with others about peace. She was on her seventh cross-country journey when she died.{{cite news |last=Rosen |first=Zak |date=2013-01-01 |title=Peace Pilgrim's 28-Year Walk For 'A Meaningful Way Of Life' |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/01/01/168346591/peace-pilgrims-28-year-walk-for-a-meaningful-way-of-life |access-date=2025-03-12 |work=NPR}}
A transcript of a 1964 conversation with Peace Pilgrim from a broadcast on KPFK radio in Los Angeles was published as "Steps Toward Inner Peace". She stopped counting miles in that year, having walked more than {{convert|25,000 |mi|km|abbr=on}} for peace.
Early life
Mildred Lisette 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 Norman family was admired in a community of German immigrants, whose relatives originally settled the area after escaping Germany in 1855.{{sfn|Daniels|2004|p=564}}
In 1933 she eloped with Stanley Ryder and moved to Philadelphia in 1939. They divorced in 1946.{{sfn|Pilgrim|2013|p={{page needed|date=March 2025}}}} She became a vegetarian for ethical reasons, stating that as she could not kill any living creature. She believed that meat eating was poisonous to the body and lived on a diet of fruits, nuts, vegetables, wholegrains and dairy products.{{sfn|Pilgrim|2013|pp=13–14}}
In 1952, she became the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.{{cite web |title=2017 Class |website=Appalachian Trail Museum |url=https://www.atmuseum.org/2017-class.html |access-date=2025-03-12}}{{cite web |title=100 Years of the Appalachian Trail: What You May Not Know |website=AARP |date=2025-02-01 |url=https://www.aarp.org/publications/magazines/aarp-the-magazine-february-march-2025/page6/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250312181911/https://www.aarp.org/publications/magazines/aarp-the-magazine-february-march-2025/page6/ |archive-date=2025-03-12 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-12}}
Pilgrimage
{{Rquote|right|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{{sfn|Pilgrim|2013|p=102}}}}
In the book, "Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words," she related that her physical journey began after having experienced a "spiritual awakening," following a long period of meditation practice. She said that this awakening was a direct, mystical experience of the "creator's" love. She claimed that this spurred her to then start her decades-long walking journey for peace.{{sfn|Pilgrim|2013|p={{page needed|date=March 2025}}}}
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.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
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."{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
File:Peace Pilgrim Memorial3.jpg
On July 7, 1981, while being driven to a speaking engagement near Knox, Indiana, Peace Pilgrim was killed in an automobile accident. The accident occurred on Indiana State Road 23, around {{convert|100 |meters|ft |order=flip}} south of the bridge crossing Eagle Creek about {{convert|1.6 |miles}} north of Indiana State Road 23's intersection with Indiana State Road 8. A marker is in the front lawn on the west side of the highway.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} At the time of her death, she was crossing the United States for the seventh time. After her death, her body was cremated, and her ashes were interred in a family plot near Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Legacy
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 1.5 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 12 languages and the booklet into over 20 languages.{{Cite web |url=http://www.peacepilgrim.org/FoPP/htm/friends.htm |title=FRIENDS OF PEACE PILGRIM |access-date=2007-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016121742/http://peacepilgrim.org/FoPP/htm/friends.htm |archive-date=2007-10-16 |url-status=dead }}
File:Peace Pilgrim Park Egg Harbor City.JPG
In 2005 Peace Pilgrim Park was created in her hometown of Egg Harbor City, New Jersey on part of the site of the former Neutral Water Health Resort Sanitarium. Since 2007 an annual Peace Pilgrim Celebration has been observed in the park and at sites throughout Egg Harbor City on September 20–22.{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Braden|title=Author of new book on Peace Pilgrim to take part in Egg Harbor City celebration|url=http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/hammonton_egg-harbor-city/author-of-new-book-on-peace-pilgrim-to-take-part/article_fd3133cd-35b6-55a1-ad95-2bfb7c203af9.html|access-date=September 13, 2013|newspaper=Press of Atlantic City|date=September 11, 2013}}
In 2017 she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.{{cite web|title=New Jersey Hall of Fame : Peace Pilgrim|url=https://njhalloffame.org/hall-of-famers/2016-inductees/peace-pilgrim/|website=New Jersey Hall of Fame|access-date=8 February 2017}} The same year, she was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame.[https://www.atmuseum.org/news/2017-appalachian-trail-hall-of-fame-inductees-announced 2017 Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Inductees Announced] (accessed 6 June 2019)
Awards
- Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award{{cite web |title=The Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Recipients List |publisher=The Peace Abbey |url=http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/cocrecipientlist.html |access-date=2007-11-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214172308/http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/cocrecipientlist.html |archive-date=February 14, 2009 }}
- Inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame (2016){{cite web |title=Peace Pilgrim |website=New Jersey Hall of Fame |date=2024-01-28 |url=https://njhalloffame.org/hall-of-famers/2016-inductees/peace-pilgrim/ |access-date=2025-03-12}}
- Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame (2017)
Publications
- {{cite book |last=Pilgrim |first=Peace |display-authors=0 |title=Steps Toward Inner Peace |orig-year=1964 |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-94373-424-8 |id={{OCLC|26257376|1479979821}} |publisher=Ocean Tree Books |publication-place=Santa Fe, NM}}
- {{cite book |last=Pilgrim |first=Peace|display-authors=0 |editor=Friends of Peace Pilgrim |title=Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words |title-link=#CITEREFPilgrim2013 |publisher=Ocean Tree Books |year=2013 |orig-year=1982 |isbn=978-0-94373-429-3 |oclc=23090371 |ref=none}}
- {{cite book |last=Pilgrim |first=Peace |display-authors=0 |title=Peace Pilgrim: The Spirit of Peace |year=1997}}
Documentaries
- {{citation |title=Peace Pilgrim |publisher=Friends of Peace Pilgrim |publication-place=Hemet, Calif. |year=2002 |id={{OCLC|50038811|61390623}} |ref=none}}
- {{citation |title=Peace Pilgrim documentaries |year=1995 |orig-year=1994 |id={{oclc|497810322|30420600}} |publisher=Friends of Peace Pilgrim |publication-place=Hemet, Calif. |ref=none}}
See also
Notes
{{Reflist|3}}
References
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last=Daniels |first=Marta |chapter=RYDER, Mildred Norman (Peace Pilgrim) |chapter-url=https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:457644588$602i |editor-last=Ware |editor-first=Susan |editor-last2=Braukman |editor-first2=Stacy Lorraine |editor3=Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study |title=Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary |publisher=Belknap Press |publication-place=Cambridge, Mass |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-84972-279-7 |oclc=231683609 |url=https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:457644588$1i |via=Harvard Library |pages=602–604}}
- {{cite book |last=Pilgrim |first=Peace |editor=Friends of Peace Pilgrim |title=Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words |publisher=Ocean Tree Books |year=2013 |orig-year=1982
|isbn=978-0-94373-429-3 |oclc=23090371 |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57fd0b4a59cc68f193ae8ee9/t/5a035d6824a69487b360d854/1510169963776/PeacePilgrimBook.pdf}} {{OL book |id=OL17728955M}}
- {{cite book |last1=Ullman |first1=Robert |last2=Reichenberg-Ullman |first2=Judyth |chapter=Peace Pilgrim |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781573245074/page/146/mode/2up |chapter-url-access=registration |title=Mystics, Masters, Saints, and Sages: Stories of Enlightenment |publisher=Conari Press |publication-place=Berkeley, Calif. |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-60925-315-8 |oclc=824698720 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781573245074 |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive}}
{{refend}}
Further reading
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last1=Cousineau |first1=Phil |last2=Smith |first2=Huston |author2-link=Huston Smith |chapter=The Glorious Journey |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/artofpilgrimages0000cous_g5o3/page/64/mode/2up |chapter-url-access=registration |title=The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred |url=https://archive.org/details/artofpilgrimages0000cous_g5o3 |url-access=registration |publisher=Conari |publication-place=San Francisco, CA |year=2012 |orig-year=1998 |isbn=978-1-60925-815-3 |oclc=820942353 |via=Internet Archive}}
- {{cite book |last1=Krull |first1=Kathleen |last2=Bowler |first2=Annie |title=Walking toward Peace: The True Story of a Brave Woman Called Peace Pilgrim |publisher=Flyaway Books |publication-place=Louisville |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-64698-036-9 |oclc=1178869663}} (Ages 3-7 Grades K-1)
{{refend}}
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
- {{Find a Grave|11365310}}
- {{cite web |title=Peace Pilgrim website (Californina) |website=peacepilgrim.org |url=https://www.peacepilgrim.org/ |ref=none |access-date=2025-03-12}}
- {{cite web |title=Peace Pilgrim Website 100th Anniversary- Birthplace, Egg Harbor City, NJ |website=peacepilgrim100.com |date=2019-09-25 |url=http://www.peacepilgrim100.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121103559/http://www.peacepilgrim100.com/ |archive-date=2019-11-21 |url-status=dead |ref=none}}
- {{cite web |title=Peace Pilgrim talks with Studs Terkel about her pilgrimage as a peace activist |website=The WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive |date=1976-07-12 |url=https://studsterkel.wfmt.com/programs/peace-pilgrim-talks-studs-terkel-about-her-prilgrimage-peace-activist |access-date=2021-01-06}}
{{Anti-war|state=collapsed}}
{{Simple living|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Activists from New Jersey
Category:American nonviolence advocates
Category:American spiritual teachers
Category:American vegetarianism activists
Category:People from Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Category:Road incident deaths in Indiana