Did you know Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday is October 31? Learn more about her life and legacy, and celebrate her birthday on Oct. 31 — also known as Founders Day to Girl Scouts everywhere.

10 Facts

1. She was married but never had children of her own
2. Her uncle took one look at her and said “She looks like a Daisy”. This nickname stuck with her for the rest of her life.
3. Some of the rice thrown at their wedding become lodged in Juliette’s left ear, causing her to become deaf in this ear.
4. Juliette loved animals, especially horses.
5. Juliette also loved to draw and paint pictures – so much that she created children’s magazine with all of the articles and pictures done by children.
6. Juliette called her cousin, Nina Pape, and told her “Come right over! I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!”
7. March 12, 1912 was the day Girl Scouts was founded with 18 girls
8. Juliette Low died on January 17, 1927. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1923 but kept it a secret.
9. Juliette was the eighth woman to have a stamp dedicated to her in 1948
10. Juliette was added to the National Woman’s Hall of Fame on October 28, 1979

Check out this really cool interactive timeline of the Story of Juliette Gordon Low! (Scroll the trefoil to the right to activate)

FYI: Celebrating Juliette’s Birthday is a step in the earning the Legacy Badge, Girl Scouts Ways (for Brownies)! 

Quick History: In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low started an organization that would provide more than 59 million women the opportunity to learn leadership skills. She went against the grain to address issues that were not popular, including equal opportunities for women and girls.

Juliette, nicknamed ‘Daisy’ by family and friends, was born in 1860 in Savannah, GA. She grew up in England and the United States. On one of her many trips abroad, she met Boy Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell who inspired her to start a similar organization for girls. She cultivated adult volunteers as active role models, troop leaders and program volunteers.

Low succumbed to breast cancer in 1927 during a time when the words breast and cancer were not used in conversation. Today, October is not only Low’s birth month, but the month devoted to raising awareness about Breast Cancer.

Check out the Story of Juliette Gordon Low here: