From 1953 to 1981, a silver-haired woman walked over 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. Crossing the United States seven times with nothing more than a toothbrush, some pamphlets, and a navy sweatshirt, she vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." Leading a fairly ordinary life up through young adulthood, Mildred Norman Ryder died at 72 as "Peace Pilgrim": a woman who transformed everyone and everything along her path. This weekend, her hometown of Egg Harbor, New Jersey will celebrate her life and legacy in honor of her birthday on July 18.
