Anne Nicol Gaylor facts for kids

Anne Nicol Gaylor (November 25, 1926 – June 14, 2015) was an American activist. She was an atheist, meaning she did not believe in a god or gods. Anne also worked to protect women's rights.

She helped start the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). This group works to keep government separate from religion. Anne also wrote a book called ... Is a Blessing. She edited The World Famous Atheist Cookbook. She received awards for her work, like the Humanist Heroine Award in 1985.

Anne Gaylor's Early Life

Anne Nicol was born on November 25, 1926. Her hometown was Tomah, Wisconsin. Sadly, her mother passed away when Anne was only two years old.

Anne finished high school when she was 16. She then went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1949, she earned a degree in English. Later that year, she married Paul Joseph Gaylor. They had four children together: Andy, Annie Laurie, Ian, and Jamie.

Anne's father had grown up in a church. But as he got older, he did not like religion.

Anne's Career Journey

Anne Gaylor started her own business. It was the first private employment agency in Madison, Wisconsin. She sold this business in 1966.

After that, she became an editor. She worked for a newspaper called the Middleton Times-Tribune.

Starting the Freedom From Religion Foundation

Freedom From Religion Foundation logo

Anne Gaylor felt that some groups were not doing enough. She believed they were not challenging the influence of religion on women's rights. So, in 1976, she decided to create a new group. She started the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). Her daughter, Annie Laurie, and John Sontarck helped her.

Anne was the president and executive director of FFRF. She held these roles until she retired in 2005. Her daughter and son-in-law, Dan Barker, now lead the group. Even after retiring, Anne continued to work as a consultant. She also held the title of president emerita. While she was president, the group grew a lot. It went from just three members to over 19,000 members. These members were from all 50 U.S. states and Canada.

FFRF's Important Work

FFRF is a group that does not make a profit. It works to promote the idea of separation of church and state. This means keeping government and religion separate. The foundation also teaches people about atheism, agnosticism, and nontheism. These are beliefs that do not involve a god or gods.

Under Anne's leadership, FFRF was part of many important legal cases.

• One case stopped the teaching of Christian beliefs in a public school in Tennessee.
• Another case changed a law in Wisconsin. This law had made Good Friday a state holiday.

Anne Gaylor also created the first atheist commercials for television. They aired on Madison's Channel 3. She appeared on TV and radio shows too. These included Crossfire and Larry King's radio show. She also appeared on Oprah Winfrey's A.M. Chicago. She spoke for FFRF on these shows. In 1999, FFRF published The World Famous Atheist Cookbook. Anne Gaylor edited this book.

Anne Gaylor's Later Years and Death

Anne's husband passed away in 2011. He had brain cancer. In 2012, Anne moved to a retirement home. It was located outside of Madison, Wisconsin.

On May 30, 2015, Anne had a serious fall at her home. She fractured her skull. She was later taken to the hospital. Anne Gaylor passed away in a hospice on June 14, 2015.

Awards and Recognition

Anne Nicol Gaylor received several awards for her dedication and work:

• A special commendation from the Wisconsin State Assembly.
• A citation from the Wisconsin State Senate.
• The Feminist of the Year Award from the Wisconsin National Organization for Women.
• The Service and Commitment Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus.
• The Humanist Heroine Award from the American Humanist Association.
• The Tiller Award from NARAL.