Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2021/Spring/105/Section 56/Moina Belle Michael

Overview

Moina Belle Michael, more widely known as “the Poppy Lady” for her creation of floral tribute related to red poppies, was interviewed by Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby, Mrs. Sarah H. Hall, and John N. Booth in association with the Federal Writers’ Project. The interview took place at the Georgian Hotel in Athens, Georgia on February 8th, and 9th, 1939.

Biography

Moina Belle Michael 3 Cent Stamp

Known as “The Poppy Lady,” Moina Belle Michael was of French Huguenot lineage born on August 15, 1869 in Walton County, Florida. As this was around the time when the Civil War ended, many social issues, especially about slavery, lingered. She was the oldest daughter of seven children born to Alice Sherwood Wise and John Marion Michael. Michael’s family earned their wealth from their cotton plantation until 1889 and with her family’s support Michael received education at Braswell Academy and the Martin Institute. However, Michael never graduated due to financial issues. After leaving school she become a teacher, working for 54 years at several different jobs that were connected to education. Her first teaching job was at a place called Good Hope in which she received 8 cents per day for each of the 16 pupils for 5 months. She was a humanitarian and American professor, but Michael is most known for the idea of using poppies as a symbol of remembrance for the soldiers that served in World War I, hence the nickname others gave her. She got directly involved in World War I when she visited Europe from June to July of 1914. During her time abroad, she helped thousands of U.S. tourists seek passage back to the U.S. After returning to the U.S., Michael believed that those who served in World War I needed some type of remembrance. The idea of the red poppy was also inspired by a poem that Michael had read called "In Flanders Field" that was published by Punch and Ladies Home. Thus, the poppy tradition that honors the soldiers that died or were injured on European soil began. Years later, Moina Belle Michael agreed to be interviewed for the Federal Writers Project on January 8^th and 9^th, 1939, at the age sixty-nine. Michael never married and never had any children.

Schoolhouse in the early 20th century

Women assisting during World War I

Social Context

Women Assisting in World War I

During World War I, women did not have as many rights as men. For instance, the right to vote and the right to enlist in war. Although women were prohibited to fight alongside men in war, many women still somehow found a way to help or fight alongside other soldiers. One example of this would be Major Beatrice Hood Stroup who is one of the few women to be promoted to Major during World War II. Major Stroup stated, "This gender distinction at wartime counters the reality. Even during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War when the U.S. army did not allow women to join in combat, some exceptional women disguised themselves as men and fought as warriors on the battlefield." She goes onto explain that during World War I many women voluntary participated in war with men, but women had to defy the social norm and break the law in order to fight alongside men or find some type of way to help the soldiers during World War I.

Downturn of Economy because of World War I

World War I sparked the beginning of the Great Depression by leaving thousands of Americans unemployed and homeless. As Christopher Klein, an author and freelance writer specializing in history states, "Social changes to the United States as a result of World War I laid the groundwork for the ensuing economic freefall." Towards the end of World War I, the stock market had just crashed, and America had to pay war debts and reparations which negatively impacted the economy. However, the wealthy still made a large number of profits while others were spending more than they were earning. Even the Americans that served in World War I were struggling because the welfare checks provided were not enough to cover the daily living expenses. Despite the president’s efforts the economy never truly recovered until America got involved in World War II. Another war meant the creation of millions of jobs in defense and war industries which brought the economy back from its worst time ever.

The Mourning of the Fallen Soldiers of World War I

After World War I, many ideas circulated, and some were established to show respect and remembrance of the fallen or injured soldiers in World War I. One prominent idea was simply to share their stories within their community in hopes that they would be passed down through generations for memorial purposes. Not everyone agreed on this idea though because "at a time when many families are visible because of their contributions to these remembrance initiatives it is worth briefly noting that not everybody wants to share their story." This is why many preferred the idea of using the red poppy to symbolize respect and remembrance for the people that served in World War I. Today, we still follow this tradition by placing red poppies at funerals on Veterans Day.

Bibliography

●     Dávila, Denis; Ladd, Sophie M; and Melili, Amanda. “The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans.” Journal of Children's Literature 44, no. 2 (Fall 2018): 85. Accessed March 22, 2021. https://search.proquest.com/openview/3f9476ce694ae7ece4013bd38d53404a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1356370

●      Foster, Ann-Marie. “Family Mourning and the First World War.” World War I Centenary. Accessed March 22, 2021. http://ww1centenary.oucs.ox.ac.uk/memoryofwar/family-mourning-and-the-first-world-war/

●     Klein, Christopher. “How Economic Turmoil After WWI Led to the Great Depression.” History. (February 12, 2019). Accessed March 30, 2021. https://www.history.com/news/world-war-i-cause-great-depression

●      Loveday, Leo; Parpală Emilia. “The Poppy and Carnation Communicate Life and Death”. Contextual Identities: A Comparative and Communication Approach 14 (June 2015): 164-165. Accessed March 30, 2021. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310802962_rec_di_Emilia_Parpala_Leo_Loveday_eds_Contextual_Identities_A_Comparative_and_Communicational_Approach

●      “Moina Belle Michael Biography (1869-1944)” The Great War 1914-1918. Accessed March 30, 2021. http://www.greatwar.co.uk/people/moina-belle-michael-biography.htm

●     Williams, Jing. “HERstory: When We were at War.” Social Studies and the Young Learner 31, no. 3 (February 2019): 24-28. Accessed March 22, 2021. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jing-Williams/publication/331110453_HERstory_When_We_were_at_War/links/5c812b8292851c69505d620d/HERstory-When-We-were-at-War.pdf