In the Public Interest: The League of Women Voters, 1920-1970

(Hardback)

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When the 19th Amendment became law on August 26, 1920, women as newly enfranchised voters entered an era of political rights and responsibilities for which, as a subordinate class, they were unprepared. This book details the vital role played by The League of Women Voters as a force in shaping the political participation of American women from 1920 to 1970. From its beginnings, the league, a major surviving offspring of the women's suffrage movement, exemplified the nonpartisanship, political skills, lobbying methods, and grass-roots organizational capabilities previously employed in winning the vote for women. During its early years, the league devised the strategies for capturing the energies and ideals of the suffrage movement and directing them to broadly defined goals of social reform and good government. To achieve these ends, the league learned to work through political institutions at all levels: local and state governments, the three branches of Federal government, and both political parties. Young shows how the league implemented these strategies and, in the process, developed methods of political education and provided political experience that strengthened American democracy by contributing to the growth of thousands of citizens.

Reviews

.,."As Young explains, over the years the League chose not to identify itself so much as a feminist organization than as a political-action group. As the title of the book reflects, the League acted 'in the public interest' rather than on behalf of women in particular. Nevertheless Young successfully shows how this group worked to make the political sphere accessible and meaningful to women. The integral role of the League of Women Voters in fostering women's political education and participation in a variety of areas outside the traditional domestic sphere guarantees its prominent status in the history of the women's movement."-The Maryland Historian
...As Young explains, over the years the League chose not to identify itself so much as a feminist organization than as a political-action group. As the title of the book reflects, the League acted 'in the public interest' rather than on behalf of women in particular. Nevertheless Young successfully shows how this group worked to make the political sphere accessible and meaningful to women. The integral role of the League of Women Voters in fostering women's political education and participation in a variety of areas outside the traditional domestic sphere guarantees its prominent status in the history of the women's movement.-The Maryland Historian
This detailed, scholarly work describes the interaction of the League of Women Voters from its inception in 1920 up to and through the Nixon administration. The book consists of a dense, narrative history, focusing primarily on the actions of the league's leadership. The efforts of the league to remain nonpartisan constitute an important recurring theme, as does the league's informal specialization' in the field of foreign affairs. Particularly impressive are the descriptions of the league's tactical adaptations to a changing political environment. The authors have provided an invaluable chronology of the league's first half century. Little attempt is made at analysis or evaluation, but the accounts of events make this an important historical reference.-Library Journal
..."As Young explains, over the years the League chose not to identify itself so much as a feminist organization than as a political-action group. As the title of the book reflects, the League acted 'in the public interest' rather than on behalf of women in particular. Nevertheless Young successfully shows how this group worked to make the political sphere accessible and meaningful to women. The integral role of the League of Women Voters in fostering women's political education and participation in a variety of areas outside the traditional domestic sphere guarantees its prominent status in the history of the women's movement."-The Maryland Historian
"This detailed, scholarly work describes the interaction of the League of Women Voters from its inception in 1920 up to and through the Nixon administration. The book consists of a dense, narrative history, focusing primarily on the actions of the league's leadership. The efforts of the league to remain nonpartisan constitute an important recurring theme, as does the league's informal specialization' in the field of foreign affairs. Particularly impressive are the descriptions of the league's tactical adaptations to a changing political environment. The authors have provided an invaluable chronology of the league's first half century. Little attempt is made at analysis or evaluation, but the accounts of events make this an important historical reference."-Library Journal

Author Bio

LOUISE M. YOUNG was a freelance writer and historian and Professor Emeritus of The American University. She played a major role in the deposition of the League's records in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress, negotiating the transfer of the documents and processing them for use. Young has spoken on women's issues and published articles in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Journal of Politics, and Quarterly Journal of Accessions. Her previously published books include Thomas Carlyle and the Art of History, and Understanding Politics: A Practical Guide for Women.