Award-winning journalist and CBS News senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell attended Georgetown University, where she met her husband, restaurateur Geoff Tracy — owner of the DC restaurant Chef Geoff’s. The couple and their three children have a home in DC.
O’Donnell’s new book, We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America, out February 24, explores unsung American women who changed the course of history in their fight for freedom. She has also been named the emcee of America’s Ball for the Mall on May 7, the DC gala that officially kicks off the country’s 250th anniversary celebration.
What inspired you to write We the Women?
We the Women was inspired by a simple but startling realization: Women have been the most consistent force for change in American history, yet that truth is largely absent from the way our history is taught. I did not grow up learning that women organized revolutions, documented injustices, built institutions, and pushed this country — again and again — closer to its ideals. This book began as an effort to change that.
The idea took shape a few years ago as I started thinking about how America should mark its 250th birthday. Anniversaries invite reflection, but they also demand honesty. And I couldn’t think of a more meaningful way to commemorate the nation’s founding than by telling the stories of the women who fought to make the values outlined in the Declaration of Independence matter for everyone.
Did anything surprise you while you were writing it?
Just about everything was a surprise. At every turn in the process, we uncovered new research to add to our storytelling. I can’t tell you how many times I went into a deeper rabbit hole just by finding out new details of previously untold historical information. The hardest part was deciding which women to include. Many women throughout history exemplify America’s values, and we couldn’t possibly write about all of them.
Who have been your female role models and sources of inspiration over the years?
I dedicate my new book to “My mother and my daughters, and for the women in history who remind us that nothing is impossible.” I think we are all searching for purpose, meaning, and inspiration. Life’s journey is challenging, and I hope my new book gives people hope.
My grandmother’s journey gives me hope. Mary Teresa Monaghan O’Kane was the oldest girl of nine children, a Catholic living in Protestant-controlled Northern Ireland. She started working at the age of 12 in a linen factory in Belfast, traveling through barbed wire every day, not to school, but to a job to support her family. She never made it past the eighth grade, but she was smart enough to know she had to leave Northern Ireland. She came to America all by herself in 1930. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I remember the courage and grit of my grandmother to set out and make a better life for her family.
Are you excited to be named the emcee of the America’s Ball for the Mall celebration?
Yes! It is going to be a great event. In my opinion there are few places in this country as spectacular as the National Mall. I’ve lived in Washington, DC, for decades and I still find myself awestruck when I walk past the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument with the U.S. Capitol in the distance.
Are there any NoVA spots where you like to eat, shop, or visit?
It may not be surprising that I am a frequent visitor of Dulles Airport. Once I am through security, I like to go to my husband’s restaurant, Chef Geoff’s.
What’s your family’s favorite local museum?
We love the Smithsonian National Zoo.
How has your time in DC shaped your life and career?
The best thing I ever did was to attend Georgetown University. I met my husband, Geoff Tracy, in school, and he has always been my No. 1 cheerleader in life. The older I get, I realize you have to find a partner in life that will help you realize your dreams. As I like to say, “The quality of your life depends on the quality of your relationships.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Feature image of Norah O’Donnell by Al Drago
This story originally ran in our February issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
