Searching for Alice Paul
March 26, 2009
by Alison
|(Editor’s note: We are pleased to present this guest post by Ali, one of our regular commenters on The New Agenda blog. Thank you, Ali!)
Who is Alice Paul? I didn’t know until a few years ago when I watched Iron Jawed Angels for the first time. I couldn’t believe that I had never heard of this amazing woman but I assumed it was just me. Everyone else must know her story, right? Wrong. After asking countless friends, family members and acquaintances “Who is Alice Paul?” only one person answered in the affirmative. This includes friends who graduated from prestigious women’s universities, American Studies majors as well as K-12 teachers like myself.
What’s wrong with this picture? We all know about Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Cesar Chavez and the Japanese internment camps. So where is Alice Paul? Where is Women’s History? And why is it kept out of the curriculum?
After reading Anna Belle’s inspiring essay series, “What Every Woman Should Know,” I have decided that this has got to change and we have to start teaching Women’s History — starting with young children. So I went searching for Women’s History picture books.
Well, I never found a great Alice Paul book but I did find more than I expected. Check out these three great titles about inspiring 18th Century American women:
Before reading Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon, I had only a vague idea that something “feminist” happened in Seneca Falls. This book is a great introduction for children as well as adults. Stone does a great job of bringing to life the story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who led this historic meeting in New York, initiating the first serious discussion on a woman’s right to vote. Stone manages to convey Stanton’s “chutzpah” as she stands up against sexual bigotry throughout her life. The bright illustrations are also fun. If kids and teachers get a chance to read this book they will fall in love with Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
When Harriet Met Sojourner, by Catherine Clinton and illustrated by Shane W. Evans, compares and contrasts two brave 18th century African American women who fought for freedom. Clinton emphasizes their differences. Sojourner Truth: tall, strong, older with a booming voice that delivered great speeches about women’s rights and African American freedom. Harriet Tubman: petite, younger, calm and collected, with an “iron nerve.” Most famous for her work with the Underground Railroad, Tubman also worked as a spy for the Union during the Civil War. But this book is not only informative. Kids will also be inspired by how the characters of these women, different as they were, contributed to their greatness.
Rough, Tough Charley by Verla Kay and illustrated by Adam Gustavson is a book about the first woman to vote in the United States. In her signature “cryptic rhyme,” Kay vividly describes the life of Charley Parkhurst, an 18th century stagecoach driver who “chews and spits… swears and even hits.” Parkhurst was well known for his apt control over horses and his safe, swift rides. But wait, isn’t this book about the first woman to vote in the United States? SPOILER….. Charley Parkhurst was a woman. A woman who lived her life enjoying the freedoms of a white 18th century man — including the right to vote. Children will love the surprise ending.
So, now what? There are indeed a few good Women’s History picture books out there, but what to do? This conversation doesn’t have to end in book admiration. Here are a few things we can do to get these stories out there:
1. Talk. I had a great time talking with my community bookstores and library about Women’s History Month and my search for children’s books. Again, not many knew about Alice Paul but they were interested! And through conversation, research and a few special orders we found some great books, and in one case even inspired a Women’s History display to go up. Perhaps by talking we can encourage our libraries, bookstores and schools to pay greater attention to Women’s History Month – and beyond!
2. Give. Want to donate to your local library? Give a copy of “Elizabeth Leads the Way.” Parent-Teacher Night? Bring a gift of “Rough, Tough Charley” or “When Harriet Met Sojourner.” Teachers love a nice shiny current book with a good story and they will use it. Your niece graduates kindergarten? Get her something inspiring.
3. Ask. What’s missing in Women’s History materials? Well, I’m still searching for a great picture book about Alice Paul. So what can we do to fill in the gaps? Email publishers and children’s book authors, many of whom have their own websites. Who is going to write the first Alice Paul picture book for kids? Let’s ask and perhaps we’ll find out.
4. Organize. Want to see a women’s history celebration or activity at your local library, school or community center? Get involved!
I love this post! Thank you so much, Ali. I’ve been beating this drum forever, and I’m utterly convinced that we need to start teaching kids women’s history from kindergarten or earlier. That’s the key.
Great piece Ali.
My son came home from school and told me that his teacher had let the class write about women or men for Women’s History Month. Turns out my son was the only boy to decide to write about a woman (he picked Sojourner on his own
. My son told his teacher that “mommy is going to be mad at you” about letting the boys write about men and he was right!
So I saw my son’s teacher yesterday and she knew it was coming. First words were – before you ask, the library ran out of books about women since the 4th and 5th grade needs them too so I had to let the kids write about men. I told them I would donate books for next year. And so it goes…
Anna Belle is working on this same thing as well——you two need to hook up!!
Yay! More converts! Unfortunately, this is how we’re going to have to do it. My local chapter of TNA is going to try to spearhead an effort to get a pilot program going in local schools that could be duplicated elsewhere.
Getting this going young is the key. You are right about that.
At my school (which is college level) we had a Women’s History Scavenger Hunt contest, with a $25 VISA gift card reward. There were 20 questions. I have to say, it brought tears to my eyes this morning as I was checking the 40 or so entries we got. This particular hunt would be great for a high school class as well.
Oops, I see that “Unfortunately” sentiment I expressed is not clear. What I mean is that we’ll have to build it. Just like Amy will have to supply adequate books and Ali has to spread the word one person at a time. Until we can generate support for national legislation, we’ll have to work together building this idea.
Donation to libraries.
Scavenger hunts.
Essay contests.
Praise to teachers who ask for compositions, albeit limited resources.
How to extend to whole school?
TNA having a national contest next year?
The article and comments put a smile on my face. Thank you.
Thanks, Violet, Amy and Anna Belle,
You have all inspired me to start getting proactive. Amy, I love hearing your stories about your kids in school. And I love what your son said. That gave me a big smile!
One thing I enjoyed about this small book collecting project is that it fit into the fabric of my life. I am always at the library with my daughter. Always at the bookstore going to their programs and buying “Spot the Dog” books. I am always talking ed talk with other teachers. So this was an easy sort of activism. And some activism can be easy, which I’d like to not forget because a lot of it is REALLY hard.
The other thing that impressed me was that people were really interested. Perhaps a lot of teachers are just like me? I was terribly uninformed about women’s history and so didn’t teach it but now that I am starting to learn, try and stop me! So I’m thinking if educators can just start to know about this stuff….
But what I’d really like to know, is how did this happen? Was women’s history ever part of the curriculum? Was there ever a time when high school grads commonly knew the story of Alice Paul? Did we all of a sudden stop teaching it or did we never teach it? Cause I’m noticing, teachers both young and old do not know this stuff.
Also, love the ideas! Scavenger hunts and contest. Fabulous! And I want to know more…
Great article Ali! Thanks for the link
Important post. Our local library had a great Women’s History Month exhibit. There is the National Women’s History Project in Santa Rosa, CA.
They are a good group to access for books and information about next year’s Women’s History Month.
Ali is not the only one with misgivings about what has happened to Women’s History Month in the US.
Have no fear – it’s going to change…..
Feel free to jump in at any time! After all, without role models how do we expect our girls to want to run for office?
Leave your Response Want an avatar? Get a gravatar!
Community Room
May 8, 2012 at 11:30 am
May 8, 2012 at 9:56 am
May 7, 2012 at 2:04 pm
May 7, 2012 at 1:37 pm
May 7, 2012 at 1:19 pm
April 20, 2012 at 12:57 pm
April 11, 2012 at 4:39 pm
April 6, 2012 at 1:18 pm
BUILD your NETWORK
Our Network of College Women
Protecting our Teenage Girls
We’re in the Media »
Click to see our latest stories in the media
More Stories »Recent Comments
The Latest from our Blog
Archives
Pioneer Mentors
Blogroll
Find us Online
Subscribe Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS)
The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...