From Megaphones to Microphones: Speeches of American Women, 1920-1960

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Demonstrates the public activism of women between gaining the right to vote and second waves of feminism in the 1960s. Until recently, scholars assumed that women "stopped speaking" after they won the vote in 1920 and did not reenter political life until the second wave of feminism began in the 1960s. Nothing could be further from the truth. While national attention did dissipate after 1920, women did not retreat from political and civic life. Rather, after winning the vote, women's public activism shifted from a single-issue agenda to the myriad social problems and public issues that faced the nation. As such, women began to take their place in the public square as political actors in their own rights rather than strictly campaigning for a "women's issue." This anthology documents women's activism during this period by introducing heretofore unpublished public speeches that address a wide array of debated topics including child labor, international relations, nuclear disarmament, consumerism, feminism and anti-feminism, social welfare, family life, war, and the environment. Some speeches were delivered in legislative forums, others at schools, churches, business meetings, and media events; still others before national political organizations. To ensure diversity, the volume features speakers of different ages, races, classes, ethnicities, geographic regions, and political persuasions. The volume editors include short biographical introductions as well as historical context for each selection.

Reviews

[A]cademics and independent scholars interested in social movements, rhetoric or women's history will want the book for their personal collections....It will be a valuable text in many courses in rhetoric and public address or women's studies. Even more important for spreading the word that women did not fall silent upon earning universal suffrage in the U.S. in 1920, this valuable book should become a part of reference collections in libraries at many levels: junior and senior high schools; colleges and universities; public libraries.-Women and Language
This wonderful and unique collection of speeches by women presents not only issues vital to women over a 40-year period but a history of American thought. It answers the question, what did women say once they got the vote What is clear is that what they said is rich with multiracial and multicultural voices, the less familiar speakers as well as the better known often groundbreakers in their actions and words....Highly recommended. Libraries serving all levels of higher education and the general public.-Choice
"Academics and independent scholars interested in social movements, rhetoric or women's history will want the book for their personal collections....It will be a valuable text in many courses in rhetoric and public address or women's studies. Even more important for spreading the word that women did not fall silent upon earning universal suffrage in the U.S. in 1920, this valuable book should become a part of reference collections in libraries at many levels: junior and senior high schools; colleges and universities; public libraries."-Women and Language
"This wonderful and unique collection of speeches by women presents not only issues vital to women over a 40-year period but a history of American thought. It answers the question, what did women say once they got the vote What is clear is that what they said is rich with multiracial and multicultural voices, the less familiar speakers as well as the better known often groundbreakers in their actions and words....Highly recommended. Libraries serving all levels of higher education and the general public."-Choice
"[A]cademics and independent scholars interested in social movements, rhetoric or women's history will want the book for their personal collections....It will be a valuable text in many courses in rhetoric and public address or women's studies. Even more important for spreading the word that women did not fall silent upon earning universal suffrage in the U.S. in 1920, this valuable book should become a part of reference collections in libraries at many levels: junior and senior high schools; colleges and universities; public libraries."-Women and Language

Author Bio

SANDRA J. SARKELA is Professor of English and Communication at the State University of New York, Potsdam. SUSAN MALLON ROSS is Associate Professor of English and Communication at the State University of New York, Potsdam. MARGARET A. LOWE is Assistant Professor of History at Bridgewater State College.