Women of Minnesota: Selected Biographical Essays

by Barbara Stuhler (Editor), Barbara Stuhler (Editor)

In 1977 when few serious historical monographs were devoted solely to women, the Minnesota Historical Society Press published Women of Selected Biographical Essays. Now, twenty years later, the MNHS Press has issued a revised version of this landmark study. Barbara Stuhler and Gretchen Kreuter, the editors of the original book, have added an essay on women's accomplishments over the last two decades, discussing the questions that confront women in the 1990s and highlighting such achievements as the number of judges, business leaders, and sports figures who have risen to prominence. For this new edition the editors updated the list of women in the Minnesota legislature and added brief biographies of another 104 women.

These biographical essays cover women from the early years of Minnesota Territory to the opening days of the feminist movement and educators Harriet E. Bishop, Mary Molloy, Ada Comstock Notestein, Maria Louise Sanford, and Agnes, Henrietta, and Nora Larson; political and labor leaders Anna Dickie Oleson and Eva McDonald Valesh; social worker Catheryne Cooke Gilman; writers Kate Donnelly and Maud Hart Lovelace; editor Jane Grey Swisshelm; librarian Gratia Alta Countryman; peace activist Fanny Brin; philanthropist Alice O'Brien; ethnomusicologist Frances Densmore.

477 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1998

Reviews

[Sue Tincher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was written in 1977, and has a dated feel--defensive of feminism. Each biographical essay is done by a different author--some are better than others. A common theme is that many of the women described within were not able to get as far in their ambitions as they had hoped--a bit of a letdown. But it really opened my eyes as to the obstacles facing women until very recent history--where brilliant, ambitious women were always expected to put husbands and children ahead of their personal ambitions--"Coya, Come Home"--the headlining message from the husband to the first female Minnesotan congressperson--happened in 1958. And I was introduced to a few characters who I really liked--Gratia Countryman, head Minneapolis librarian, Frances Densmore, cataloguer of Native music, and Maud Hart Lovelace, author.