Wikipedia

Notable American Women, 1607–1950

(Redirected from Notable American Women, 1607-1950; A Biographical Dictionary)

Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary is a three-volume biographical dictionary published in 1971. Its origins lay in 1957 when Radcliffe College librarians, archivists, and professors began researching the need for a version of the Dictionary of American Biography dedicated solely to women.[1]: xi 

Significance

edit

Notable American Women was the first major modern reference book of women's biographies, although the genre was common in earlier eras, such as the 1804 A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women Of Every Age and Country by Matilda Betham.[1] It appeared when Women's studies in U.S. universities had created great interest in understanding women's past.[2] Upon its publication it was viewed by scholars as a magnificent contribution to understanding the role of women in U.S. history.[3]

Writing of the changes in perspective on biography inspired by Notable American Women, 1607–1950 Susan Ware observed, "1,359 entries showed the range and depth of women’s contributions to American life, a pointed correction to women’s near-total exclusion from existing biographical dictionaries at the time and a dramatic spur to further research."[4]

Updates

edit

Notable American Women: The Modern Period : a Biographical Dictionary updated the set for subjects who died between 1951 and 1976. The work for the fourth volume was a joint project of Radcliffe College and Harvard University Press funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and edited by Barbara Sicherman and Carol Hurd Green.[2][5]

In 2004 volume 5 was issued: Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century.[6] The fifth volume in the series and was edited by historian Susan Ware who was assisted by Stacy Braukman. The women who were included had to have died prior to 2000. The volume differed from its predecessors because first ladies were not automatically included. Fame was not a factor, rather those chosen for inclusion had to have been influential or have contributed innovations or pioneering work in their area of expertise in their era.[7]

Reception

edit

A 1973 review of Notable American Women, 1607-1950 by Mary Elizabeth Massey in The American Historical Review describes the work as "the most scholarly of all female reference works yet published", and notes, "As might be expected in a work of this kind, special attention is given to political activists, feminists, and suffragists, but the opponents of feminism and woman suffrage have not been ignored."[8] In a 1973 review for The William and Mary Quarterly, Barbara Welter writes, "Although white middle-class women who were reformers and authors predominate, women of other ethnic groups, holding diverse occupations, also appear. The sources consulted for even the most obscure of the lives are impressive - manuscripts, archives, collateral accounts, as well as exhaustive secondary material."[9]

Accordng to Marjorie F. Gutheim in a review for New England Quarterly, "There is someone here to interest everyone. If the longest articles seem a bit overpowering, or the more familiar ones too well known, turn to Mary Peck Butterworth, counterfeiter of colonial days; Margaret Hardenbrook Philipse, who carried on a mercantile business in her maiden name [...]; Kate Kennedy, who in the late 1860's fought for "equal pay for equal work"; Ellen Demorest who developed paper dress patterns; Alice Kober who helped decipher Linear B; Ida Lewis, a lighthouse keeper renowned for her rescues; Annie Peck, the mountain climber; Ann Eliza Young, a disaffected wife of Brigham Young; Emma Edmonds who served for two years in the Army of the Potomac disguised as a man."[10]

In a review of the fifth volume, Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing The Twentieth Century, P. Palmer writes for Choice Reviews, "The entries emphasize achievement rather than fame. Ware selected knowledgeable authors to write the alphabetically arranged, signed entries; e.g., Ruth Bader Ginsburg writes about Burnita Shelton Matthews, the Mississippi native who was the first woman to become a lifetenured federal trial court judge. Throughout the work, writing is balanced and detailed."[11] A review in The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education states "Often historical compendiums assembled by white historians and editors tend to shortchange the contributions of members of minority groups. But this is not the case in the publication of Notable American Women", and 69 of the 442 biographies in the fifth volume are Black women, including "Black women from the fields of art, literature, sports, music, government, and entertainment", as well as "some of the most notable black women educators of the period".[12] In a review for Feminist Collections, Mary Hitchcock writes, "One potential drawback to the structure of the books in this series is that without a comprehensive index to all the volumes, it could prove time-consuming to locate an entry for a particular woman if one is not certain when she died. Overall, however, the series and this volume in particular are very valuable resources, providing useful information about women whose lives might be glossed over or ignored completely by more general biographical dictionaries."[13]

Women included in Volumes 1-3

edit

Abolitionists

edit

Actresses and Theatre Managers

edit

Anthropologists and Folklorists

edit

Architects and Interior Decorators

edit

Art Collectors and Patrons

edit

Art Critics and Historians

edit

Art Educators

edit

Astronomers

edit

Authors (by literary period)

edit

1607-1820

edit

1821-1860

edit

1861-1900

edit

1900-1950

edit

Biologists

edit

Botanists and Horticulturists

edit

Chemists and Physicists

edit

Children's Authors

edit

Circus Performers

edit

Civil War Figures

edit

Classicists

edit

College Administrators

edit

Composers

edit

Dancers

edit

Educational Reformers

edit

Educators of the Handicapped

edit

Explorers and Travelers

edit

Feminists

edit

Film Actresses and Directors

edit

Geographer and Geologists

edit

Hawaiian Nobility

edit

Health Reform Advocates

edit

Heroines

edit

Historians

edit

Historical Preservationists

edit

Home Economists

edit

Illustrators

edit

Indian Captives

edit

Indian Reform Advocates

edit

Indian Women

edit

Inventors

edit

Kindergartners

edit

Labor Leaders

edit

Labor Reformers

edit

Lawyers

edit

Lecturers and Orators

edit

Librarians

edit

Literary Scholars

edit

Magazine Editors

edit

Mathematicians

edit

Ministers and Evangelists

edit

Missionaries

edit

Missionary Society Leaders

edit

Mormon Women

edit

Music Educators and Patrons

edit

Naturalists

edit

Negro Women

edit

Newspaperwomen

edit

Performing Musicians

edit

Nurses

edit

Painters

edit

Peace Advocates

edit

Performing Musicians

edit

Philanthropists

edit

Philosophers

edit

Photographer

edit

Physicians

edit

Political Figures

edit

Advisers and Appointees

edit

Congresswomen and Senators

edit

Other Elected Officials

edit

Party Workers

edit

Propagandists

edit

Printmakers

edit

Prison Reformers

edit

Psychologists

edit

Religious Educators

edit

Religious Founders and Leaders

edit

See also Ministers and Evangelists; Missionaries

School Founders and Administrators

edit

Sculptors

edit

Settlement House Leaders

edit

Social and Civic Reformers

edit

See also Health Reform Advocates; Laborers; Settlement House Leaders

Social Economists

edit

Social Leaders

edit

Social Workers

edit

Socialists and Radicals

edit

Temperance Advocates

edit

Suffragists

edit

Temperance Advocates

edit

Translators

edit

Welfare Work Leaders

edit

See also Social Workers

Wives of the Presidents

edit

Women's Club Leaders

edit

Women included in Volume 4

edit

Agriculture and Rural Life

edit

Anthropology and Folklore

edit

Architecture

edit

See also Landscape Architecture

Art

edit

See also Photography

Astronomy

edit

Aviation

edit

Biology

edit

Birth Control

edit

Chemistry

edit

See also Medicine: Researchers; Nutrition

Botany

edit

Broadcasting

edit

Children's Literature

edit

Civil Liberties

edit

Civil Rights

edit

Classics and Archaeology

edit

Community Affairs

edit

Conservation

edit

Cookery

edit

Dance

edit

Demography

edit

Economics

edit

Education

edit

College Founders and Administrators

edit

School Founders and Administrators

edit

Writers and Researchers

edit

Other

edit

See also Physical Education

Engineering and Industrial Design

edit

Entertainment

edit

Exploration

edit

Fashion

edit

Feminism

edit

Film

edit

Geology

edit

Government and politics

edit

Appointees

edit

Congresswomen

edit

Other Elected Officials

edit

Party Workers and Officials

edit

Wives of Presidents

edit

History

edit

Home Economics

edit

Housing Reform

edit

Journalism

edit

Labor

edit

Landscape Architecture

edit

Law

edit

Librarianship

edit

Literature

edit

Editors and Publishers

edit

Scholars

edit

Translators

edit

Writers

edit

Magazine and Journal Editing

edit

Mathematics

edit

Medicine

edit

Physicians

edit

Researchers

edit

Military

edit

Music

edit

Nursing

edit

Nutrition

edit

Peace

edit

Penology and Criminology

edit

Philanthropy

edit

Philosophy

edit

Photography

edit

Physical Education

edit

Physics

edit

Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis

edit

Public Health

edit

Religion

edit

Settlements

edit

Socialism and Radicalism

edit

Social Reform

edit

Social Research

edit

Social Welfare

edit

Social Work

edit

Sociology

edit

Sports

edit

Suffrage

edit

Antisuffrage

edit

Temperance and Prohibition

edit

Prohibition Repeal

edit

Theater

edit

Women's Organizations

edit

American Association of University Women

edit

League of Women Voters

edit

National Association of Colored Women

edit

National Council of Negro Women

edit

National Federation of Business and Professional Women

edit

National Woman's Party

edit

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

edit

Women's Trade Union League

edit

YWCA

edit

Other

edit

Women included in Volume 5

edit

Advertising/Public Relations

edit

Anthropology/Folklore

edit

Archaeology/Classics

edit

Architecture

edit

Art

edit

Art Collectors/Dealers

edit

Astronomy

edit

Aviation

edit

Biochemistry

edit

Biology

edit

Birth Control/Family Planning

edit

Botany

edit

Business/Entrepreneurship

edit

Chemistry

edit

Child Advocacy/Education

edit

Children's Literature

edit

Civil Rights

edit

El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Española

edit

Mexican American Political Association

edit

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

edit

Southern Christian Leadership Council

edit

Southern Conference on Human Welfare

edit

Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee

edit

Community Activism/Local Government

edit

Computer Science

edit

See Mathematics

Conservation/Environmentalism

edit

Conservatism

edit

Consumer Affairs

edit

Crafts/Decorative Arts

edit

Dance

edit

Economics

edit

Education: General

edit

Engineering/Technology

edit

English/Literary Theory

edit

Fashion/Textile Design

edit

Feminism

edit

Film

edit

Food

edit

Gardening

edit

Government: Appointed Officials (State and Federal)

edit

History

edit

Home Economics

edit

See Nutrition

Housing Reform

edit

Journalism

edit

Labor

edit

Law and Judiciary

edit

Librarians/Archivists

edit

Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Science

edit

Medicine: Physicians and Health Care Activists

edit

Military

edit

Museums/Curators

edit

Music: Classical

edit
edit

Nursing

edit

Nutrition/Home Economics

edit

Peace

edit

Penology and Criminology

edit

Philanthropy

edit

Philosophy

edit

Photography

edit

Physics

edit

Political Science

edit

Politics: Elected Officials/Activists/Volunteers

edit

Psychiatry/Psychoanalysis/Psychiatric Social Work

edit

Psychology

edit

Public Health/Women's Health

edit

Publishing/Editing

edit

Radicalism/Socialism

edit

Radio/Television

edit

Religion/Spirituality

edit

Social Work

edit

Socialite/Hostess

edit

Sociology

edit

Sports/Physical Education/Recreation

edit

Theater/Vaudeville/Comedy

edit

Women's Health. See Public Health

Women's Organizations

edit

American Association of University Women

edit

Coalition of Labor Union Women

edit

League of Women Voters

edit

National Consumers' League

edit

National Council of Negro Women

edit

National Federation of Business and Professional Women

edit

National Organization for Women

edit

National Woman's Party

edit

National Women's Political Caucus

edit

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

edit

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

edit

Women Strike for Peace

edit

Women's Trade Union League

edit

Young Women's Christian Association

edit

Other

edit

Writers/Poets

edit

Zoology

edit

Bibliography

edit
  • Notable American Women: a biographical dictionary completing the twentieth century. (2004). Ware, Susan (editor), Stacy Braukman, assistant editor. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Mass. ISBN 067401488X.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b James, Edward T.; James, Janet Wilson; Boyer, Paul S., eds. (1971). Notable American Women, 1607–1950; A Biographical Dictionary. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
  2. ^ a b Sicherman, Barbara; Green, Carol Hurd, eds. (1980). Notable American Women: The Modern Period: A Biographical Dictionary. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-62733-8. OCLC 834112895.
  3. ^ Miller, Roberta Balstad (January 1974). "Women and American history". Women's Studies. 2 (1): 105–113. doi:10.1080/00497878.1974.9978340.
  4. ^ Ware, Susan (Winter 2010). "Writing Women's Lives: One Historian's Perspective". Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 40 (3): 413–435. doi:10.1162/jinh.2010.40.3.413. S2CID 145478898.
  5. ^ Rothman, Sheila M. (September 1981). "Biography as Prescription". Reviews in American History. 9 (3): 415–421. doi:10.2307/2701975. ISSN 0048-7511. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  6. ^ Ware, Susan; Braukman, Stacy Lorraine, eds. (2004). Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01488-6. OCLC 937332808.
  7. ^ Farrell, Joelle (March 27, 2005). "A Woman of Notable Achievement: Susan Ware Helps Shape Women's History". Concord Monitor. Concord, New Hampshire. p. B1, B8. Retrieved 25 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Massey, Mary Elizabeth (1973). "Review of Notable American Women 1607-1950: A Biographical Dictionary. Volume 1, A-F; volume 2, G-O; volume 3, P-Z". The American Historical Review. 78 (1): 144–145. doi:10.2307/1854029. ISSN 0002-8762. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. ^ Welter, Barbara (1973). "Review of Notable American Women, 1607-1950: A Biographical Dictionary". The William and Mary Quarterly. 30 (3): 518–522. doi:10.2307/1918498. ISSN 0043-5597. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  10. ^ Gutheim, Marjorie F. (1972). "Review of Notable American Women, 1607-1950: A Biographical Dictionary". The New England Quarterly. 45 (2): 281–283. doi:10.2307/364762. ISSN 0028-4866. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  11. ^ Palmer, P. (July–August 2005). "Notable American women: a biographical dictionary completing the twentieth century". Choice Reviews. 42 (11/12): 1954, 1956. ProQuest 225797911
  12. ^ "The Esteemed Sisterhood of the Late Twentient Century". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (48): 126–127. 2005. doi:10.2307/25073263. ISSN 1077-3711. ProQuest 195551867
  13. ^ Hitchcock, Mary (Winter 2005). "Susan Ware, ed., Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century". Feminist Collections: a Quarterly of Women's Studies Resources. 26 (2/3). University of Wisconsin: 22. ISSN 0742-7441. ProQuest 221218442
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Notable_American_Women,_1607–1950&oldid=1189809443"