Ware

Betty Jean Boggs

Wilma Mankiller

Parks and Durr

Founding the National Organization for Women

Morgan - Feminist Guerrilla Theater

Mainardi - Politics of Housework

Michele Wallace - Black Feminism

Eisenberg - Hard-Hatted Women

Lopez De La Cruz - Organizing the Farm Workers

Faludi - Backlash

Roiphe -  Date Rape

Schlafly - Positive Woman

Handouts

PowerPoint presentation of Feminism in the 50s & 60s

PowerPoint presentation of Feminism in the 60s & 70s

Little Boxes song

Freidan, selection from Feminine Mystique

Video and Film

Fly Girls

Video on Women in WWII

Video on moving to the suburbs

Montgomery Buss Boycott segment

Video segments on women and civil rights movement

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1. The Supreme Court upheld Oregon’s 10 hr. law for women workers. What reasoning did the Court use? (p 76)

2. The Court listed precedents for treating women differently than men. Explain. (p 76)

3. The Court delineated the necessity for protective legislation for protective legislation? (pp 77-78)

4. Why did the sisters decide to homestead? (p 26)

5. Why did Edith say they were “wholly unfitted for the frontier”? (p 26)

6. Why was staking a claim and starting to homestead as “easy as falling off a log?”  (pp 26-27)

7. Describe the “reality of life on the Plains.” (pp 28-29)

8. What became of the person who built the shack on their land? (p 29) Were women more tenacious at remaining on their claimed land according to Ware? (p 25)

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Second selection

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"Suffrage Militant Alice Paul Goes to Jail" by Alice Paul

1. What activities did Paul pursue while in jail?  (pp 111-113)

2. Why did Paul and others go on a hunger strike?  (pp 112-113)

3. Why did Dr. White, Mr. Gardner, Dr. Hickling and Commissioner Gardner examine Paul? What was the purpose of their examination?  (pp 113-114)

4. What did Paul want? What happened to her at the end of their exams?  (pp 113-114)

a. 

b. 

c.

d.

e.

f.

2. What other reasons does Howe give (satirically) against the women's vote?  (pp 102-105)

3. What arguments does Howe give for the women's vote?

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"A Western Suffragist Talks to her Eastern Sisters" Abigail Scott Duniway

1. What arguments does Duniway offer to men who "love women"?  (p 96)

2. What tactics does Duniway advocate in order to convince men?  (p 97)

3. What arguments does Duniway offer for women to convince men to support women's vote?  (pp 96-98)

4. What is Duniway's vision for the new modern society?  (p 98)

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"Alice Hamilton Explores the Dangerous Trades"

1. Alice Hamilton's case histories disproved what myth about lead poisoning?  (p 38)

2. Hamilton says the people she met at Hull House were mainly immigrants. Why did these immigrants come to the U.S.?  (p 39)

3. Why do people stay in dangerous jobs according to Hamilton?  (p 39)

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"Open-Air Meetings: A New Suffrage Tactic" by Florence Luscomb

1. Describe the open air meetings. How many women were speakers? How did they travel? How did they advertise? At what times were the meetings held?  (pp 98-101)

2. What was the purpose of the petitions?  (pp 100-101)

3. Luscomb mentions "admirers". Describe them.  (p 100)

4. Why does she say the meetings were a "splendid success"?  (p 101)

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"The Story of a Glove Maker" by Agnes Nestor

1. What were some of the gains of the glove makers union?  (pp 60-62)

2. How were the female workers paid?  (pp 60-61)

3. Why didn't Agnes Nestor support the piecework system?  (pp 61-62)

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"Working Women" write the Jewish Daily Forward (p. 62-65)

   First selection

1. Describe the immigrant woman's problems on her job?

2. Why didn't the other women testify against the foreman?

3. What was the editor's advice?

   Second selection

1. How was the writer rescued from the fire?

2. What happened to her fianće?

3. What was the editor's advice?

4. In your opinion, what do we learn about the lives of young immigrant women from these sources?

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"A Radical View of Women's Emancipation" by Emma Goldman

1. Why does Goldman criticize what she calls, "external emancipation"? i.e., most of the goals of the women's movement of her day.  (pp 90-92)

2. Why has women's emancipation so far "failed to achieve its goal"?  (pp 90-91)

3. Why do so many emancipated women prefer marriage?  (pp 91-92)

4. Goldman says that "inner regeneration," a "woman's soul", is where true emancipation begins. Explain.
   (p 92)

5. Finally, Goldman describes more of what the demand for equal rights entails. Explain.  (p 92)

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"Anxious Mothers Write the Children's Bureau"

1. What types of questions did women ask the Children's Bureau in their correspondence?

2. How did the Children's Bureau help these women?

3. Some of the correspondents describe difficulties that they experience with doctors. Explain.

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"A Feminist Challenge to the Privatized Home" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

1. Describe Gilman's vision of new living arrangements.  (pp 79-80)

2. Why does Gilman believe that people would eventually go to the communal area for eating their food?
   (p 80)

3. Why does Gilman argue that there would be less cleaning to do in her new arrangement?  (p 80)

4. Gilman lists other arguments for these new living arrangements. State her arguments.  (pp 80-81)

5. Why will this new arrangement help women in particular?  (pp 80-81)

6. Do you agree with her conclusion on page 81? Why or why not?

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"New Voters" by Carrie Chapman Catt

1. According to Catt what should women start to do if they "really want women's vote to count", now that they have the vote? What problems does she anticipate?  (pp 121-122)

2. According to Catt, what are the issues before women? What problems or issues should be addressed?
   (p 122)

3. To whom should the women look to as leaders?  (p 122)

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"Epiphany over Birth Control" by Margaret Sanger

1. What were the problems associated with using condoms or withdrawal for birth control according to Sanger?  (p 86)

2. Sanger discusses the problems of those people living below 14th Street. Explain. Why was returning to the district "a recurring nightmare".  (pp 86-88)

3. What was the story of Mrs. Sachs? (pp 87-88)

4. What was the doctor's response to Mrs. Sachs' question about how to prevent pregnancy?  (p 88)

5. What brought Sanger to decide to work for dissemination of birth control?  (pp 88-89)

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"American Women Ask Eleanor Roosevelt for Help" (p. 149-153)

1. Analyze the letters sent to Mrs. Roosevelt (June 14, 1934; January 2, 1935; January 19, 1934; February 4, 1935; February 19, 1935. For each letter answer the following:

 

a.  Why did the correspondent write Mrs. Roosevelt?

 

 

b.  What does the letter tell us about life during the Depression? What does the

     letter tell us about the particular concerns and problems for women during the

     Depression?

 

 

c.  What does the letter tell us about the writer's perceptions concerning Mrs.

     Roosevelt?

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"Women and Labor Militancy" by Genora Johnson Dollinger

1. Describe how Genora Dollinger got involved with the GM strike.  (pp 166-167)

2. What was her background in the labor movement and with labor issues?  (pp 166-167)

3. What did Dollinger do to help the UAW organizers?  (pp 167-170)

4. What was Dolllinger's role in mobilizing women? What did she and the women of the "Brigade" do?
   (pp 167-170)

5. Describe the tactics that the women of the Brigade used with the police?  (pp 169-170)

6. Describe Dollinger's life after the strike was settled.  (pp 170)

7. What happened to the "Brigade" after the strike was settled? What was the union's attitude toward the women after the strike was completed?  (p 170)

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"A Mexican-American Childhood during the Depression" by Charlotta Sliva Martin

1. What observations can you make about the impact of the Depression on the author, her family and her community?  (pp 162-164)

2. Silvas stated that her part of town "could be considered a barrio but to me it was lovely environment." Explain what she meant by that description?  (p 164)

3. Describe Silvas' life after she finished High School.  (p 165)

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"Balancing Work and Family" Betty Jeanne Boggs  (pp 208-211)

1. What was "traditional" about Betty Jeanne Boggs' story?

2. What was not traditional about her life?

3. Ware states that women made up 29% of the labor force in 1950 and 35% of the labor force in 1960. Do you think Boggs was "typical" of the women who worked in the postwar period? Explain. (p 208)

4. Boggs had concerns about things that related to her children. Explain.  (pp 255-257)

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"Desegregating the University of Georgia, 1961" by Charlayne Hunter-Gault

1. Describe the "riot" that occurred on the second night of Charlayne's stay in the dorm?  (pp 270-272)

2. Were any people there "supportive" of Charlayne? Explain.

3. What was the demeanor and attitude of many of the girls in her dorm?  (pp 271-272)

4. How would you describe Charlayne? What was she like, in your opinion?

5. What was the outcome of that violence on the second day of her stay?  (pp 272-273)

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"Founding the National Organization for Women, 1966"

1. According to its statement of purpose, why was NOW organized?  (p 238)

2. Changes in society give even more reason for women to receive equal status. Explain.  (pp 238-239)

3. The statement claims that the women has declined in America. What examples did it list? (pp 238-240)

4. What was NOW's opinion concerning the implementation of Title VII to the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

5. NOW's statement of purpose delineated what the organization "believed". List the "demands" of the organization. (pp 239-240)

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"Feminist Guerrilla Theater, 1968"

1. Describe how the Radical Women of New York planned to protest the Miss America Pageant.
   (pp 241-242)

2. List the reasons that they delineated for disliking the Miss America Pageant. (pp 242-243)

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"Houston, 1977"

1. What were the main agenda points developed at the National Women’s Conference, Houston 1977? (Declaration of American Women) (pp 262-264)

2. What did they "demand," ask, or pledge? (p 264)

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"Politics of Housework" by Pat Mainardi

1. What was Mainardi's list of "dirty chores?" (p 244)

2. Why is housework patriarchal according to Mainardi?  (pp 245-246)

3. List the reasons why typical "housework" division of labor is an example of the problems of women in American society.  (pp 245-26)

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"A Different View of Women's Nature" from The Power of the Positive Woman by Phyllis Schlafly

1. What criticism does Schlafly give of the "women's liberation movement"?  (pp 265-267)

2. Schlafly discusses "dogmas" of the women's liberation movement. What are they and what is her criticism of these dogmas?  (pp 265-267)

3. How does Schlafly contrast the "positive woman" with the "dogmas" of the women's movement?
   (pp 265-267)

4. Schlafly highlights differences between men and women. What are they according to Schlafly?
   (pp 265-267)

5. How do most women achieve true fulfillment according to Schlafly? (p 267)

6. Peg wrote, "I wish I could end this story on a good lesbian feminist note..." But she could not. Explain.  (p 362)

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"Organizing the Farm Workers" Jessie Lopez De La Cruz

1. What did Jessie Lopez De La Cruz do as an organizer for the union? What did she tell the other women about the union and about farm work?  (pp 283-285)

2. She said, "it was very hard being a woman organizer."  Explain. (p 285)

3. Would you call Jessie Lopez De La Cruz a leader? Why or why not?  (pp 283-285)

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"A More Personal View of Black Feminism" by Michelle Wallace

1. How does Michelle describe her experience as a black woman before 1969? Was there any evolution or change in her perspective? How did both the civil rights and black power movements impact her?
   (pp 258-259)

2. Describe her experiences at Howard University?  (pp 259-260)

3. She became a feminist at City College. Describe the changes in her attitude and actions. What was the result on campus?  (pp 260-261)

4. How did her black friends react to her description of herself as a black feminist?  (pp 261-262)

5. She formed a black consciousness-raising group. Was it successful?  (pp 261-262)

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"Hard-Hatted Women" by Susan Eisenberg

1. What did she like about construction?  (pp 279-282)

2. What helped her succeed in a non-traditional occupation? (Sources of support?)  (pp 278-281)

3. What were the challenges that she faced?  (pp 279-282)

4. In what ways did Eisenberg forge new territory for women in the electrical trade?  (pp 281-282)

5. Eisenberg alludes to some rewards that came with the occupation. Explain.

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"Coming Out" by Margaret Cruikshank

1. What did Margaret mean by "I had no expectation at all, when I began to spend time with Mary, that I could love her"?  (p 304)

2. Peg wrote, "I wish I could end this story on a good lesbian feminist note..." But she could not. Explain.  (p 307)

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"Who Stole Feminism?" by Christina Hoff Sommers

1. Explain Sommers' academic background and experience.  (pp 340-341)

2. What does Sommers mean by the term "gender feminist"?  (pp 340-341)

3. Describe Sommers' criticism of gender feminist pedagogy and women's studies classes. (pp 341-343)

4. Why does Sommers argue against the classroom "ground rules" such as those used in courses at Penn. State University, Rutgers, and the University of Minnesota?   (pp 342-343)

5. Does Ware agree with Sommers? Why or why not?  (pp 340-341 Introduction)

6. Ware states that students can form their own opinion even if they might only be hearing one viewpoint in the classroom. Do you agree? (pp 340-341 Introduction)

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"Date Rape: Hysteria or Epidemic" by Katie Roiphe

1. Roiphe said those crying "date rape" don't stop to "consider the fundamentally sexist images lurking behind their rhetoric".  Explain Roiphe's reasoning. (p 339)

2. What other concerns does Roiphe reveal? What about the definition of date rape, for example, concerns her?  (pp 339-340)

3. What criticism does Roiphe give concerning date rape pamphlets?  (pp 340)

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"The Backlash against Feminism" by Susan Faludi

1. Faludi claims that even though many people say women have "made it" and "are equal" they "have never been more miserable." List Faludi's evidenc of this misery among women.  (p 330)

2. Faludi offers evidence of backlash against feminism. What are some of the things that she offers as signs of a backlash.  (pp 330-331)

3. What are some sources of the backlash against feminism according to Faludi?  (pp 331-332)

4. Is the backlash an organized movement?  (p 332)

5. "Its rhetoric charges feminists with all the crimes it perpetuates."  Explain." (p 333)

"African-American Women Enter the Teaching Profession" by Mamie Garvin Fields

• Describe her experience teaching in Pine Wood School. (pp 40-41)

• What does she mean she wouldn't "go through the kitchen" to get her next teaching job in Charleston County?

• How did she then get the job?  (pp 41-42)

• Describe the new school on St. John's Island. Why did Fields write that the children "had every type of reason for not coming . . . " ? (pp 42-43)

• In what way was Fields different from the previous teacher at the school? How does Fields show her dedication to educating the black community? (pp 42-43)

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"Speaking Out Against Lynching" by Ida Wells

• Wells speaks of the "charge against the Negro." What do you think this "charge" is?   (p 15)

• Why do people hesitate to combat lynching in Wells' opinion?  (p 15)

• What does Wells say to the southern view that no white woman would voluntarily socialize with a black man?  (pp 15-16)

• Do the white men of the south truly practice chivalry as they claim?  (pp 16-17)

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"Women and Progressive Politics" by Mary Ritter Beard

• What reforms did Mary Ritter Beard advocate for bottle fed babies? Why?  (pp 44-45)

• What will be the educational value of the infant milk stations? (pp 44-45)

• What policies did Beard desire for breast fed babies?  (pp 45-46)

• Beard discusses Orange, New Jersey, as an example. Explain what was implemented there.  (p 46)

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"Jane Addams Struggles with the Problem of After College, What?"

• How did Addams choose the house and location of the Settlement?  (p 35)

• What was the purpose of Hull House?  (pp 35-37)

• What services did Addams and the other women from Hull House perform in the neighborhood?
  (pp 36-37)

• Addams said she was "impressed with the curious isolation of many of the immigrants." What did she mean?  (p 37)

• What was the reaction of the neighborhood community to the work of the Settlement House?

"Black Women Plan to Lead Their Race"

• According to Anna Cooper, what contribution could black women offer to help solve the problems of the day?  (pp 12-13)

• Cooper implies that women are especially suited to help solve these problems. Explain.  (p 13)

• Why does Cooper contend that to be a black woman at the close of the 19th century, start of the 20th century "carries a privilege and an opportunity never implied before." Explain.  (p 13)

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"Front Door Lobbying" by Maud Wood Park

• Describe the rules for interviewing members of Congress.  (pp 108-109)

• Summarize the rules for writing reports.  (p 109)

• Summarize the list of "Don'ts."  (pp 109-110)

• Park gave some examples from the meetings and reports. How would you characterize these? Were the women's lobbying efforts successful in your opinion? Why or why not?

"Feminists Debate the Equal Rights Amendment"  - Stevens and Hamilton

• Describe Stevens' arguments in favor of an equal rights amendment. Why does she claim such an amendment is necessary?  (pp 124-125)

• Why do you think she stated, "Of course, no law on earth can compel a woman to take her inheritance, for instance, if she prefers to give it to her brother or to someone else." ?  (p 124)

• What did she write was the goal of the NWP (National Woman's Party)?  (p 124)

• What were Hamilton's arguments against the Equal Rights Amendment?  (pp 125-126)

• How does Hamilton counter the argument that "working women . . . have lost their jobs because of laws prohibiting night work or overtime . . . "  (p 126)

• If not the Equal Rights Amendment, what does Hamilton advocate to advance women's interests, in your opinion?

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"Memoir of Fanny Christine Hill"

• How did Fanny get her job? (pp 195-186)

• She described discrimination in job placement. Explain. What job did she do in the plant? (pp 186-187)

• Did her husband find work after leaving the military service? (p 187)

• What do you learn about women and work during wartime from the document? Does her story "mirror" the experience of other women during wartime? How do you think it differs? (pp 187-188)

• What did her sister mean by "Hitler was the one that got us out of the white folks' kitchen?" (p 219)

"Women in the Armed Forces" -- letters of Marion Stegeman

• Why did Marion join the WASPS? (pp 188-189)

• Did she enjoy the work? How do you know?

• Does she describe any experiences of discrimination? Of sexism?

• What did she do when she left the WASPS? Why?  (p 191)

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"Wartime Women of Los Alamos" by Ruth Marshak

• What was the move like from Ruth's perspective? (pp 202-203)

• She said that in moving "she felt akin to the pioneer women . . . " Why? (p 203)

• Describe the secrecy that Ruth had to maintain. (pp 203-205)

• What hardships and difficulties did the new situation pose for Ruth? Was there a positive side of the move? (pp 202-205)

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"Japanese Relocation" by Monica Sone

• What was Camp Harmony? (pp 198-200)

• Describe the camp and the living arrangements? (pp 198-201)

• Monica's parents tried to make the living arrangements better. Explain. (pp 199-201)

• What was Monica's attitude concerning the forced relocation? (pp 200-201)

"Civil Rights Activists" Rosa Parks and Virginia Foster Durr

• According to Rosa Parks, why didn't she give up her seat on the bus? (pp 221-222)

• What was the Montgomery city ordinance relating to segregation on buses? (pp 222-224)

• Clifford Durr, Mrs. Parks' attorney said she had two ways to approach fighting her arrest.
  Explain. (pp 223-224)

• What was the outcome of the case? How did the case get to the Supreme Court and how did the court rule? (p 224)

• How did the police treat white women who were supporting the boycott? What was the reaction of many white women to the boycott as well as to the plea of the mayor to oppose it? (p 225)

• Rosa Parks said, "A vast deceit went on. Everybody knew everybody else was lying . . . " Explain.
  Give examples of the deception. (pp 224-226)

"Indian Relocation" Wilma Mankiller

• BIA promotional literature showed "smiling Indians" in "big cities." Answer these questions about Wilma Mankiller's experience.
  
  a. Where did the family live before their move? (p 212)
  
  b. Where did they move? (pp 202-203)
  
  c. Why did the parents decide to move? (pp 212-213)
  
  d. How did they get where they were going? (p 213)

• Describe her new home and neighborhood. What was new to her? (p 214)

• Why did she hate school? (p 214)

• Why didn't she believe they had found a "better life?" (p 215)

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