Annie M. Alexander: Paleontologist and Silent Benefactor
An unsung patron of science whose deep pockets and passion for exploring led to the founding of two influential natural history museums.
How St. Louis Domestic Workers Fought Exploitation
Without many legal protections under the New Deal, Black women organized through the local Urban League.
How Women Lost Status in Saloons
During World War I, anti-vice crusaders marked women who liked the nightlife as shady. You can tell by the way men started talking about them.
James Tiptree Jr. and Joanna Russ: Sci-Fi Pen Pals
The two feminist authors corresponded about writing and romance, especially after Tiptree's true identity leaked.
Ione Quinby, Chicago’s Underappreciated “Girl Reporter”
She started off as a "stunt" journalist and moved into covering stories about women and crime in the Roaring Twenties.
The Forgotten Craze of Women’s Endurance Walking
Hardy athletes called pedestriennes wowed the sporting world of the nineteenth century. They also shocked guardians of propriety.
What Does It Mean to Be a Matriarchy?
Using the definition that European theorists invented in the nineteenth century may not work for every society, like the Khasi.
How Scientists Became Advocates for Birth Control
The fight to gain scientists' support for the birth control movement proved a turning point in contraceptive science—and led to a research revolution.
Harriet Taylor Mill, At Last
When you're married to John Stuart Mill, whatever you do or say may be held against you. And so it was.
Diane di Prima
The Italian American poet and artist's “willingness to speak” about what was culturally unspeakable was a liberation.