The Rise of the New Woman: The Women’s Movement in America, 1875-1930

Following on her history of the women’s movement in America that took the story to 1876, Jean Matthews’s new book chronicles the changing fortunes and transformations of the organized suffrage movement, from its dismal period of declining numbers and campaign failures to its final victory in the Nineteenth Amendment that brought women the vote. Ms. Matthews’s engaging narrative recaptures the personalities and ideas that characterized the movement in these years. She draws deft portraits and analyzes the intellectual currents―in politics, the economy, sexuality, and social thought―that competed for women’s commitment. And she shows how new leadership and new strategies at last brought success in the long struggle during which many feminist leaders had grown old. The Rise of the New Woman emphasizes the historical contexts, including progressivism, in which the women’s movement operated; the disputes and tensions within the movement itself; and the perennial question of who was to be included and excluded in the quest for women’s rights. It also considers the often baffling aftereffects of the 1920 constitutional victory, when women found themselves wondering what to do next. With 24 black-and-white illustrations. American Ways Series.

“Lively and informative.”―Kirkus Reviews

“Although Matthews frequently paints her historical overview in broad strokes, she nonetheless excels at filling in a fascinating background, giving new insights on lesser-known but equally influential people, facts, and situations.”― Booklist