The Woman
Marian de Forest was the visionary whose energy, enthusiasm, and leadership initiated the founding of Zonta International in Buffalo, New York in 1919.  She was also recognized internationally as a playwright and was inducted into the prestigious writers club - The Lyceum of London.  Marian deForest is listed in the Notable Women in American Theater and Who’s Who in America.  In 1998, she was inducted into the Western New York Women’s Hall of Fame. In October 2001, she was inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls. 

Born in Buffalo February 29, 1864, Marian’s schooling began with private tutoring because of an eye injury.  With  extraordinary determination and persistence, she overcame this handicap and graduated from the Buffalo Seminary.  After graduation, she began a career as a reporter, one of the first women in this profession in Western New York.  She was a drama critic and editor of the women’s department at The Buffalo Express for 20 years.  In this capacity she met some of the most celebrated figures of the theatrical and musical world.  The delightful combination of her keen mind and sharp wit made many of them her personal friends.

Her gift of communication was remarkable; she was a woman who used the power of the pen, as well as the persuasion of the podium.  The proceedings of the first national conventions of Zonta are classic examples of a woman leader who presided with a crisp, focused manner and used parliamentary procedure as an expert.

Marian died in February, 1935.  As the world views this remarkable woman through the lens of history her accomplishments are even more significant today.  She was a trailblazer on many fronts; however, Zonta remains the jewel in her crown.  An excerpt from her radio address on the occasion of Zonta’s 15th Anniversary exemplifies her spirit and charisma...”Far reaching is our plan to assemble in Zonta International the women executives of the world, an army of experts who through friendship, understanding, cooperation and good will will become an irresistible force of peace.”

Founder of Zonta
It was during the time as a working woman in a male establishment that Marian and some close friends conceived the idea of an organization that would bring together women in executive positions.  They envisioned a strong network that would help women reach their rightful place in the professions.  She understood how important it was to break through the glass ceiling long before the term was ever used.  On November 8, 1919 she gathered at the Hotel Statler in Buffalo a group of like-minded women who held prominent roles in the professional world.  The nine founding clubs that made up the Confederation of Zonta Clubs were Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, Elmira, Syracuse, Erie, Utica, and  Detroit.  The Confederation later became Zonta International with the incorporation of Toronto in 1927.

Zonta was founded and continues to be, a service organization of executive women working to improve the legal, political, economic and professional status of women.  The group chose Zonta as a name which comes from a Lakota Sioux Indian word that means honest and trustworthy.

In one of her early speeches, Marian explained, “Zonta stands for the highest standards in the business and professional world... seeks cooperation rather than competition and considers the Golden Rule not only good ethics but good business.”  She envisioned Zonta stretching across the country and beyond.  In her own words, “This is the woman’s age and in distant lands and foreign climes women of all nations are rallying to the call... Zonta is given the opportunity of uniting them into one great, glorious whole”.

Playwright
Concurrent with her professional life as a journalist and her involvement with Zonta, Marian’s great love for writing brought her recognition as an accomplished playwright.  In 1912 her first successful play Little Women opened in the Playhouse in New York City.  (It continues playing in 1998).  She traveled with the company to New York City, London and Paris, not only as author, but as publisher and director.  Among her other plays were Erstwhile Susan, Little Women: Letters From the House of Alcott, Mr. Man and a number of unpublished works.  She also collaborated with the novelist, Zona Gale in the production of Friendship Village for radio.  This program ran for four months in a series called “Neighbors” over WEAF, a national broadcasting system.

Marian’s collaboration with Zona Gale exemplified how much she was a woman of the early twentieth century.  She appreciated the far-reaching possibilities of technology.  She envisioned her plays as radio programs (Friendship Village), even movies (Little Women).  She often used the radio to communicate with Zontians.  When publicity for Mr. Man was slow, she encouraged Zonta members to hire a plane and distribute promotional leaflets over Western New York.

Civic Leader - Music Lover
Marian was also the personification of civic dedication and volunteerism, and was recognized as such in the news media.  She was executive secretary of the Board of Women Managers for the Pan American Exposition (1901), served on many Boards including the SPCA and Buffalo Public Library.  She established the Buffalo Musical Foundation in 1924.  Through the latter, and working closely with the School Department of Buffalo, she arranged and promoted symphony concerts for children.  Through her efforts, the children of Buffalo who ordinarily would not have experienced the great orchestras of Boston, Cleveland, Detroit and other cities, had an opportunity to do so.  She once described one of her greatest ambitions “the development among children of an appreciation of good music and plays.”  In 1920 she brought the American Opera Company to Western New York and in the summer of 1932 promoted the first Pop Concert that gave work to unemployed musicians.  It was also in the early 1930’s that she played a major role in the formation of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra which introduced to Buffalo some of the most prominent artists of the day.

Photo of Marian de Forest c. 1901 courtesy of the private collection of S.J.Eck