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Her Honor: Rosalie Wahl and the Minnesota Women’s Movement
While there is no single hero of the Minnesota women's movement, Rosalie Wahl, the first woman on the Minnesota Supreme Court, changed the way her fellow judges saw the cases they decided. A champion of both women's rights and civil rights, she brought new attention to the problems that faced women impoverished by divorce, women abused by their partners, and others who coped with poverty and discrimination. With sharp intelligence and hard work, Wahl herself had overcome childhood tragedy and a difficult marriage to become a defense attorney, a respected judge, and a mentor to many.
As essential backdrop to Wahl's inspiring story, Lori Sturdevant charts the progress of the women's rights movement in Minnesota and showcases notable leaders on both sides of the aisle. Meet Arvonne Fraser and Emily Anne Staples, founders of the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus; Joan Growe, the first Minnesota woman elected to state office; and many more who paved the way for women's rights in Minnesota. Her Honor is both a powerful record of an era and a tribute to a humble leader.
As essential backdrop to Wahl's inspiring story, Lori Sturdevant charts the progress of the women's rights movement in Minnesota and showcases notable leaders on both sides of the aisle. Meet Arvonne Fraser and Emily Anne Staples, founders of the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus; Joan Growe, the first Minnesota woman elected to state office; and many more who paved the way for women's rights in Minnesota. Her Honor is both a powerful record of an era and a tribute to a humble leader.
268 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 5, 2015
A marvelous piece of history, not only about Rosalie Wahl, but more of the women's movement in Minnesota. If you have a chance to see "Girl from Birch Creek," an hour documentary about her life, with interviews from some of the women mentioned in the book, DO!
The book puts the era I lived through in context for the impact women - some still living - had in preparing the way for "justice for all," and more representation of women in politics. In personal tribute, too,to the late Sandra Gardebring, a North Dakota high school classmate, who was appointed in 1991 to be the fourth woman on Minnesota's Supreme Court, making Minnesota the only state with a majority of women. Many thanks to Rosalie Wahl for breaking the glass ceiling!
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/07/...
The book puts the era I lived through in context for the impact women - some still living - had in preparing the way for "justice for all," and more representation of women in politics. In personal tribute, too,to the late Sandra Gardebring, a North Dakota high school classmate, who was appointed in 1991 to be the fourth woman on Minnesota's Supreme Court, making Minnesota the only state with a majority of women. Many thanks to Rosalie Wahl for breaking the glass ceiling!
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/07/...
October 28, 2014
Lori Sturdevant has done more than craft a biography of a tremendous woman of history, she has chronicled the tireless work of women whose work in the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s, and 90’s blazed trails for so many who followed in their footsteps. Rosalie Wahl was a force to be reckoned with, yet always had a song in her heart. This is a well-researched, treasure trove of facts, photos, and achievements – relevant to anyone with a passion for justice and a love of history.
February 28, 2022
RPL 2022 open books challenge: Minnesota Book Award winner. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never heard of Rosalie Wahl, despite our overlapping lifetimes. This book was very good in parts- the interviews, the history of Circle Pines, the section on Coya Knutson, but overall it was dry and for long stretches simply recitations of who did what and what happened when. Despite a familiarity with the state and some of the significant people, there were just too many people to keep track of.
October 7, 2019
Glad to know this historic personality. Super interesting to read history that occurred in my lifetime. Written with thoroughness and a strongly analytical voice. Happy this book exists to inform and inspire.
November 3, 2016
An interesting presentation of events beginning in the 1970s propelling the women’s movement and social change in Minnesota. Although Rosalie Wahl’s career and her Minnesota Supreme Court appointment are excellent examples of these changes, other women and their careers could have easily reflected the work and reform in Minnesota. Joan Anderson Growe, Phyllis Kahn, and Linda Lee Berglin are three contemporaries of Rosalie Wahl worthy of similar study. These women were significant leaders in Minnesota Women’s Movement as well as individuals striving to develop opportunity for all.
This book is an interesting study of Minnesota history at a time when the state and the entire country are changing so dramatically. Change is taking place not only politically but also changes are opening the doors for cultural and economic improvement for all. Today we could take some time and remember the lessons the events presented in the 1970s and 1980s. Just as the activists for change learned from earlier work by women in politics, such as Coya Knutson.
In contrast to the earlier work of women and Minnesota politics, specifically Coya Come Home, the Coya Knutson biography, Lori Sturdevant’s work on Rosalie Wahl emphasizes the necessity of creating alliances and working with the political system to achieve change.
Coya Knutson is presented as a firebrand, a political independent that cannot appreciate why she is marginalized for her political opposition to party leadership. In contrast, the activists of the 1970s seem to understand the vital need for alliances and working with the political leadership. Yet, I wonder if the push for social change could have achieved as much were it not for the ground work done by women like Coya Knutson?
Her Honor is an interesting read and provides great insight on the work of women and men in Minnesota in the 1970s to effect so much change in our society. This book, along with Coya Come Home will sit side by side on my books shelves reminding me of the potential and possibilities for change.
This book is an interesting study of Minnesota history at a time when the state and the entire country are changing so dramatically. Change is taking place not only politically but also changes are opening the doors for cultural and economic improvement for all. Today we could take some time and remember the lessons the events presented in the 1970s and 1980s. Just as the activists for change learned from earlier work by women in politics, such as Coya Knutson.
In contrast to the earlier work of women and Minnesota politics, specifically Coya Come Home, the Coya Knutson biography, Lori Sturdevant’s work on Rosalie Wahl emphasizes the necessity of creating alliances and working with the political system to achieve change.
Coya Knutson is presented as a firebrand, a political independent that cannot appreciate why she is marginalized for her political opposition to party leadership. In contrast, the activists of the 1970s seem to understand the vital need for alliances and working with the political leadership. Yet, I wonder if the push for social change could have achieved as much were it not for the ground work done by women like Coya Knutson?
Her Honor is an interesting read and provides great insight on the work of women and men in Minnesota in the 1970s to effect so much change in our society. This book, along with Coya Come Home will sit side by side on my books shelves reminding me of the potential and possibilities for change.
May 13, 2014
I don't read much non-fiction, but this was a pretty spectacular read. It's one part biography, one part history of the modern Minnesota women's movement. It's fairly easy to read, and certainly engaging if you're interested in law, feminism, and/or Minnesota state history. A shame I have to return it - I may have to pick up a copy of my own.
July 14, 2015
A very interesting picture of the first female Minnesota Supreme Court Justice. In addition to focusing on Wahl, it was also very informative about the overall women's movement of the 20th Century, particularly the 1970's. Although anyone would likely enjoy this book, it would be of particular interest to lawyers and more specifically, to graduates of William Mitchell.
May 4, 2016
Learned s of much about the woman we 's movement for equality. Also just how hard these women worked for equality in our courts for all people.
Learned how hard these women worked for equality for women in the work place. Also the worked for equality in our courts for women, minorities and the poor.
Learned how hard these women worked for equality for women in the work place. Also the worked for equality in our courts for women, minorities and the poor.
July 17, 2016
It might look like I didn't like this book since I started it and put it down for so long, but I was waiting to get back to it for a book group and wanted to read it closer to the date of the meeting. Well written and about far more than Rosalie Wahl! Especially interesting to a political animal like me, who did not grow up in MN!
March 6, 2015
Why are biographies I read never just biographies? Also a fair amount of exposition on the feminist movement, some of which I found difficult to place in context of Wahl. Still, a surprisingly good read.
August 26, 2016
Three and a half stars. A lot more interesting than I was expecting; I learned a lot about the history of women lawyers and jurists in Minnesota, including the continuing importance of gender advocacy committees. I'm really looking forward to discussing it with Minnesota Women Lawyer's bookclub.
September 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about Minnesota's Women's Movement and its impact on the legal community and society as a whole.
the-book-to-nowhere-never-finished
September 2, 2017MWL Book Club September 2016
Want to read
July 22, 2016Minnesota Women Lawyers Book Club September 2016.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews