LIBERTY — While March is Women’s History Month and the talk on Monday at the Liberty branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library was titled “Founding Mothers: Great Women in Mahoning Valley History,” Traci Manning, curator of education at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, has another view about when history should be discussed.

“I think it is important to highlight any history all of the time. We can talk about women’s history in October, black history in August, and so on. The months offer a time for all of us to focus on the important history of specific communities, but we should never shy away from telling stories that speak to us, no matter the time of year,” Manning said.

The women discussed were accomplished in their own right.

“Many of the women in the presentation are those who pushed through the perceived gender restrictions of their time and made their own paths towards success. We can all learn from their courage, determination, creativity and passion,” Manning said.

Some of the nearly three dozen women mentioned in her talk were Catherine Dougherty Hillman, Harriet Taylor Upton, Margaret Van Horn Dwight, Dora Schwebel and Mary Ann Campana.

“The women in the program’s description are just a small selection of those in the presentation. We will highlight businesswomen, artists, educators, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, writers, women in public service and politics, doctors, nurses and several women’s groups,” Manning said.

She began her talk by reminding the audience that it was not long ago when women were not allowed to work outside the home. When they did do so, it was in “women’s work,” in the noble professions of teaching or nursing. Many of the women in her discussion defied “the norm” of what it meant to be a woman growing up in her era, such as:

Lavenia Simpson Webster, who was born a slave. She was emancipated and moved to Youngstown in 1870. She became the first black graduate of The Rayen School in 1875.

Less than 10 years after Ohio became a state, 20-year-old Margaret Van Horn Dwight came to Ohio. She wrote a book titled, “A Journey to Ohio in 1810.” Manning described the book as the views of an entitled 20-year-old that rings true today. It is still available to read at a local library.

One of the businesswomen mentioned was Dora Schwebel, who started a bakery in her house with her husband. When he died, she was told a woman could not run a business, but she showed them that she could. It doubled in sales her first year. Eventually, her son came into the business.

Some of the women became household names because of the donations they made. Olive Arms was an artist. She designed her home, even the drawer pulls. She donated her family residence, which became the Arms Family Museum. It is the site of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. Elizabeth Ann Rutledge Fellows donated 10 acres of land to create Fellows Riverside Gardens as a free garden for all to enjoy.

Women of the Valley were also involved in aviation. Mary Ann Campana was born in Italy in 1913. She moved to the area and at the age of 18, she earned her pilot’s license. She was the first teen to do so. In 1933, she set a world record for light airplane endurance, flying for 12 hours and 27 minutes without refueling.

Harriet Taylor Upton was a suffragette. She started most of the civic groups in Warren. When she was treasurer of the national suffragette movement, she moved their headquarters to Warren.

Alice Handel started selling ice cream out of her family’s gas station. She used fruit from trees in her backyard. Handel’s is now countrywide.

Leigh Brackett was a science fiction writer from Kinsman. George Lucas liked her books and asked her to write the script for “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” She is listed on the credits of the film.