i saw a documentary last night at the london lesbian and gay film festival all about the life of Ruth C. Ellis and thought she was so inspiring that i'd nominate her to the ladies we like page. she is the oldest known 'out' lesbian who also happens to be african american who was born in 1899(!) on 23rd july. she is important because there aren't any other women of her generation that we know about who are or were lesbians. nothing seems to have stopped her doing what she wanted to do, she graduated from high school (as the film tells us) at a time when just 16% of americans and only 5% of black women did so, she set up her own printing business in detroit at a time when less than 1% of women owned businesses, with her lover Cecilene 'babe' Franklin. she also taught herself photography, and plays piano.

-anne-marie