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Historical Essay

James, Ada Lois (1876-1952)

Suffragist, Social Worker and Reformer
Biography of suffragist, social worker and reformer Ada Lois James.
Historical Essay

Hooper, Jessie Annette Jack [Mrs. Ben Hooper] (1865-1935)

Suffragist and Lecturer
Biography of Jessie Annette Jack Hooper, prominent suffragist in Wisconsin civic reform groups and women's organizations.
Historical Essay

Brown, Olympia 1835-1926

Suffragist and Minister
Biography of suffragist and Universalist minister Olympia Brown, the first female minister in America.
Historical Essay

Stearns, Lutie Eugenia 1866-1943

Librarian, Lecturer, Reformer and Author
Biography of Lutie Eugenia Stearns, librarian, lecturer, reformer and author who helped establish the Wisconsin Free Library Commission.
Historical Essay

Wisconsin Home for Women (Taycheedah Correctional Institution)

Read about the Home for Women, a reformatory for women aged 18 -31, and the State Prison for Women, which became the Taycheedah Correctional Institution.
Historical Essay

Eau Claire's Bawdy Past

The Naughty City
Discover Eau Claire's naughty past as a hub of prostitution for the lumbermen looking to support the world's oldest profession.
Historical Essay

Juliet Severance, Radical Victorian

A Good Mother, a Good Friend and a Good Woman
Discover Juliet Severance, the free-thinking Whitewater physician who was involved with the anti-slavery movement, temperance and women's rights.
Historical Essay

'Rosie the Riveter' Coveralls

Wisconsin Historical Museum Object – Feature Story
Women's coveralls worn by Teresa Kuykendall while working in a factory in Beloit, Wisconsin during World War II. (Museum object #2007.92.1)
Historical Essay

'Kewtie' Woman's Razor

Wisconsin Historical Museum Object – Feature Story
Early woman's "Kewtie" brand razor purchased in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1940s. (Museum object #1976.392.43)
Historical Essay

Woman Suffrage Tunic

Wisconsin Historical Museum Object – Feature Story
Parade tunic worn by Wisconsin suffrage supporter during Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, 1916. (Museum object #1956.1450)
Historical Essay

A Wisconsin Connection to Wounded Knee

The Story of Lost Bird
Discover this harrowing story that brings together a feminist pioneer and the infant her husband found in the aftermath of Wounded Knee.
Historical Essay

Louise Williams

First Woman Notary Public
Discover the story of Wisconsin's first woman notary public Louise Williams who provided legal counsel for southern Wisconsin after the Civil War.
Historical Essay

A League of Their Own

All-American Girls Baseball League Thrives During World War II
The story of the All-American Girls Baseball League that thrilled fans for 12 seasons in cities and towns including Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee.
Historical Essay

Hidden from History: Working Women's Lives

This article provides links to a rich collection of primary documents and photos about ordinary Wisconsin women from the early 20th Century.
Historical Essay

The Woman's Suffrage Movement

How Years of Failure led to Success
Discover the history of suffrage in Wisconsin, and how the state became the first to ratify the 19th amendment after many difficulties.
Historical Essay

The World War II Home Front

The Benefits and Costs of War
Discover how World War II affected daily life in Wisconsin.
Historical Essay

Berger, Meta Schlichting (1873-1944)

This Milwaukee born woman successfully advocated for progressive reforms in the educational system and was influential in the Milwaukee socialist movement.
Historical Essay

Chapelle, Dickey, 1919-1965

Female War Correspondent
Read about the Wisconsin born photojournalist who was one of the first female war correspondents. This article contains a link containing her photography.
Historical Essay

Gale, Zona, 1874-1938

Pulitzer Prize for Drama
This novelist based much of her writings on her hometown of Portage, Wisconsin. She became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Historical Essay

La Follette, Belle Case (1859-1931)

This woman was the wife of "Fighting Bob" La Follette. Read about her influence in politics, specifically in the woman's suffrage and pacifist's movements.

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