As a college for women, Bennett College is showcasing alumnae stories that are unique or pioneering throughout Women’s History Month. I saw this interesting snippet of history from my alma mater on Facebook the other day.

Hideko Tamura Snider

Hideko Tamura Snider or “Decco,” which is what her Bennett sisters affectionately call her, is a Bennett graduate of 1956.

Can you believe that this Bennett Belle is a survivor of an atomic bomb?! At ten-years-old, Decco was laying in her bed with a stomachache when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Her mother, who had gone to work, was killed instantly. Poor Decco should have missed the bombing altogether because children had been evacuated for safety; however, a day before the attack, Decco had a toothache and her mother requested her return to the city.

While attending a United Methodist high school in Hiroshima, Decco met Rev. James Robinson, a New York pastor. She told him of her desire to become a Christian leader and he immediately suggested Bennett College in the United States. And the rest is history…

Today, Decco speaks out about creating a “nuclear-free world.” She is also the author of One Sunny Day: A Child’s Memories of Hiroshima.

From Bennett College for Women

To learn more about Bennett College and its phenomenal women and history, visit http://www.bennett.edu or follow @bennettcollege on Twitter.