If you recently attended our Waterloo Women’s HERstory walking tour you might be interested in these resources for further reading and learning about women’s history in Kitchener. Jennifer Utting, community researcher and and Stroll walking tour guide used many of these resources when developing the Waterloo Women’s HERstory walking tour.
Why Women’s History walking tours in the month of October?
- Because October is Women’s History Month in Canada! Why October? Because of The Person’s Case, of course!
- In 1992, the Government of Canada designated October as Women’s History Month to commemorate October 18th, 1929.
- The Senate of Canada does a good job of identifying the elitist and racist beliefs and actions of some of the Famous Five.
- The Famous Five statue in Ottawa (2005) is explained in this Youtube video.
- Check out the theme for 2025, including an enlightening timeline of women’s history in Canada. So much to learn here! The page also includes some action steps you can take to honour women’s history month – you’ve already done one thing by going on our Waterloo women’s history walking tour!
- Why Women’s History Month still matters
- Learn about other dates of significance for women and girls in October:
- October 4: Sisters in Spirit Day – honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and supporting survivors and their families
- October 11: International Day of the Girl – recognizing the unique challenges and inequalities faced by girls and the need for more opportunities
- October 15: International Day of Rural Women – recognizing the invaluable contributions of rural women to food systems of the world
- One more thing: 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the very first United Nations International Women’s Year in Mexico City in 1975!
General local history that includes some women 🙂
- Waterloo Region Hall of Fame (unfortunately you have to browse alphabetically!)
- Waterloo Historical Society (annual volumes also available at local libraries)
- Waterloo Public Library – Ellis Little Room for Local History
- Waterloo County House of Industry and Refuge
- Ontario Census Search (where you can look for interesting people who lived in Berlin and Kitchener)
- Waterloo Region Generations (A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario (website & database) where you can look for interesting people who lived in Berlin and Kitchener)
- Flash from the Past. Jon Fear and Chris Masterman, Biblioasis, 2018 (available at Waterloo Public Library, local bookstores and often found in secondhand book stores)
Waterloo Residents
Marjorie Carroll
- If you like the library, go visit the binders of good old fashioned newspaper clipping files found at the Ellis Little Room of Local History, Waterloo Public Library, Main branch. Marjorie Carroll has a great collection of clippings!
- Marjorie Carroll’s profile in Waterloo 150 “Profiles from the Past, Faces of the Future.” 2007. Book available in the Ellis Little Room, WPL.
- We Built this City: City Museum features display of 47 mayors and difference they made – by Bob Vrbanac – Waterloo Chronicle, October 14, 2015
- Marjorie Carroll’s obituary, October 22, 2020.
- ‘Mrs. Waterloo’ Marjorie Carroll remembered for dedication to city. CBC-KW. October 26, 2020.
- It’s also lovely that the Waterloo Region Health Network’s Childbirth program is acknowledged as the Majorie Carroll Childbirth Centre, in recognition of Marjorie’s significant contribution to hospital fundraising as the chair of campaign KW. Public recognition matters!
Jassy Naryan and Ari Ariaratnam
- Jassy honoured as Senior of the Year 2024!
- Jassy and Ari honoured at Mayor’s Dinner
- Ari & Jassy in their own words! 4 wonderful interviews with Ari and Jassy made for 2016 Mayor’s dinner (along with a few other community voices who talk about Ari & Jassy’s skills and accomplishments)
Jane Mitchell
- Jane Mitchell’s Blog: Issues with an Emphasis on Waterloo Region
- Jane was instrumental in starting the Waterloo Region Women’s Municipal Campaign School, which will get underway in 2026 for the next municipal election. They welcome volunteers!
- She’s also a newly published author! Bad Council: A Murder Mystery was published in September 2025 and available at Wordsworth Books, Uptown Waterloo or on Amazon.
Anne Innis Dagg
- The latest Canadian Heritage Minute featuring Anne Innis Dagg released October 3, 2025.
- The Woman who Loves Giraffes (83 minutes). In Canada you can watch on iTunes or Crave, or purchase the DVD from the Anne Innis Daag Foundation.
- Catch the documentary trailer here.
- The making of The Women who loved Giraffes and the new Heritage Minute. with intro by Anne’s daughter, Mary Dagg, CEO of the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation
- Anne’s conferring of her honorary degree from University of Waterloo in a 13 minute story from CBC’s 5th Estate
- View some digital items (mostly photos) from the Anne Innis Dagg Collection at the University of Waterloo.
- The Anne Innis Dagg Foundation is operated by Anne’s daughter, Mary Dagg and welcome volunteers!
Alida Burrett
- Much of Alida’s work is preserved in the Special Archives Collection at the University of Waterloo. If you are interested in seeing her personal papers, you can make an appointment via the University of Waterloo website.
- Alida’s obituary in The Waterloo Region Record, 2011.
- LIFETIMES article about Alida from 2017.
- Alida’s work contributed to the University of Waterloo 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, which still takes place annually. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence is an annual international campaign that begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and goes until December 10, Human Rights Day. This campaign started in 1991 to call out and speak up on gender-based violence, and to renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.
- Learn more about 16 Days of Activism and the local actions.
Dr. Donna Strickland:
- Profile at University of Waterloo website
- Dr. Donna Strickland’s 2018 Nobel prize acceptance speech (video). A great example of her spirit and personality!
- She now has a Canadian NSERC prize in her name: Donna Strickland Prize for Societal Impact of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research, awarded annually.
Elizabeth Ziegler and Mary Johnston
- Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (EFTO): History of Public elementary schools in Ontario
- Elizabeth Ziegler | Waterloo Historical Society | Vol. 30 – 1943 (WHS volumes are available at local libraries in the local history rooms)
- Waterloo’s first female principal Mary Johnston leaves a lasting legacy – by Samantha Beattie – Waterloo Chronicle July 10, 2017
- Mary Johnston’s documents and papers are located at the University of Waterloo Special Archives Collection and available to view by appointment. Be warned, they are vast!
Women’s Groups
Considering joining, supporting a scholarship and learning more!
- Congress of Black Women – Waterloo Chapter
- Canadian Federation of University Women – Kitchener/Waterloo
- Zonta Club of Kitchener Waterloo
More Books & other Resources
- Women of Waterloo County. (2000) Edited by Ruth Russell – Available at public libraries and sometime a good find at local second hand bookstores
- Women Worth Knowing – A Celebration of Women of Accomplishment. (1995) Written by Jackie Johnson – Available for in-library use only in the Grace Schmidt Room at Kitchener Public Library.
If you are interested in learning more about women involved in various Women’s Movement work in Canada, I encourage you to visit the Canadian Women’s Movements Portal. Be prepared to spend a few hours of your time. It’s a fascinating resource! The links found there will take you to other archive collections across Canada.
Do you have any Waterloo Women’s history learning resources or connections we should know about?
We expect to add more women’s History learning resources relevant to Waterloo Region as we find them! If you have learning resources or research about women’s history in Waterloo Region, please contact us!
