Morin profiles eight notable American women who are not officeholders or women "firsts" but, rather, well- and not-so-well-known political activists for specific causes. Abby Kelly Foster "was considered a troublemaker" as she crusaded tirelessly for abolition and then later for the Fifteenth Amendment. As a young woman, temperance leader Frances Willard wrote of her desire to "earn my own living, fight my own battles, and be a felt force in the world." The others include Ida Wells-Barnett, Pauli Murray, and Fannie Lou Hamer from the civil rights arena; Carrie Chapman Catt, a voice for woman suffrage; Molly Dewson, a twentieth-century advocate for women's political voices; and feminist leader Gloria Steinem. The individual vignettes stand well on their own and give a good sense of the times that flavored each woman's crusade. Coverage of contemporary issues is fairly well balanced. An ample selection of black-and-white photographs complements the strong narrative. Report writers will find this an especially good source. Historical events timetable; bibliography.
