Molly Brown, the Titanic’s most famous survivor.
You may know that woman, Rose’s mom described in ‘Titanic’ (1997) as “vulgar” and “new money”. She is shown different from the other women: likable, cheerful and helpful.
What you might have never imagined is that she actually existed.
This activist, philanthropist and outspoken suffragist was born in Missouri on July, 1867. After moving to Leadville, Colorado, she was married for the second time to her love James Joseph Brown, an American mining engineer.
Time later, Brown’s company struck gold, what made them very rich.
When her children were young, she used her new wealth and social status to fight for the rights of others, involving in feminist movements and establishing the Colorado chapter of the National American Women's Suffrage Association. In the picture given, we can see women of the NAWSA in front of the White House.
She also was a founding mother of the Denver’s Woman Club and one of the first women who run for the U.S. Congress.
After having separated from his husband, she decided to travel around Europe and, finally, to broad a giant cruise ship called ‘Titanic’.
Her ‘legend’ began when, at 11.40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, the ship struck an iceberg and started sinking. She is remembered as the one who helped other passengers board the Lifeboats and quarreled the crew of the Lifeboat No. 6 for not coming back and save for people.
We will never know what would have happened if the Lifeboat No. 6 had returned looking for more lives to save.
Once the RMS Carpathia saved the survivors, Brown was photographed giving an award to the RMS Carpathia’s captain, Arthur Henry Rostron, for having helped the survivors to be rescued.
She finally died on October 26, 1932 in New York City.
Her fame went through the world, not only for her labor in the Titanic; but also for being a determined and brave woman who believed in the rights of workers and women and education for children.
Curiously, we can see Molly Brown today if we travel to Paris, concretely, to Disneyland Paris. ‘Molly Brown Riverboat’ is the name given to an attraction in memory of this woman.
If you are interested in this amazing woman, you can follow the links of the sources we used in order to create the entry or read the following books we recommend for you:
Books:
Heroine of the Titanic: The Real Unsinkable Molly Brown by Elaine Landau
