The Feminist Papers: From Adam s to de Beauvoir Edited, with Introductory Essays and a New Preface, by Alice S. Rossi Northeastern University Press Boston First Northeastern University Press edition 1988 Copyright © 1973 by Alice S. Rossi Columbia University Press edition published October 1973 Bantam Books edition published 1974, 5 printings through July 1978 All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publ ication Data The Feminist papers. Reprint. Originally published: New York : Columbia University Press, 1973. Bibliography: p. 1. Women—History—Modern period, 1600- —Sources. 2. Women's rights—History—Sources. 3. Feminism— History—Sources. I. Rossi, Alice S., 1922- HQ1154.F4457 1988 305.4'2'09 88-5257 ISBN 1-55553-028-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) Printed and bound by Halliday Lithograph, Hanover, Massachusetts. The paper is Glatfelter Offset B-16, an acid-free sheet. MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 92 91 90 89 88 5 4 3 2 1 For my mother and daughters Excerpts from Adams Family Correspondence, Vol. 1: December 1761-May 1776, edited by L. H. Butterfield. CopyHght © 1963 by Massachusetts Historical Society. Reprinted by permission of the Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Excerpts from "The Subjection of Women," by John Stuart Mill. From Essays on Sex Equality, edited by A. Rossi. Copyright © 1970 by The University of Chicago Press. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of The University of Chicago Press. Excerpts from Elizabeth Cady Stanton: As Revealed in Her Letters, Diary and Reminiscences, edited by Theodore Stanton and Harriet Stanton Blatch. Copyright 1922 by Harper and Row Publishers, Inc., and reprinted with their permission. Excerpts from Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State by Friedrich Engels. Copyright 1942 by International Publishers and reprinted with their permission. Excerpts from My Fight for Birth Control by Margaret Sanger. Copyright 1931 by M. Sanger. Reprinted by permission of Grant Sanger, M.D. Excerpts from Woman and the New Race by Margaret Sanger. Copyright 1920 by Brentano's Inc. Reprinted by permission of Grant Sanger, M.D. Excerpts from A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. Copyright 1929 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.; renewed 1957, by Leonard Woolf. Reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., and The Hogarth Press, Ltd., London. Excerpts from Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies by Margaret Mead. Copyright 1935, 1950 by Margaret Mead; renewed 1963 by Margaret Mead. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow & Co., Inc. Excerpts from The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, translated and edited by H. M. Parshley. Copyright 1952 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., the Estate of Simone de Beauvoir, and Jonathan Cape Ltd., London. Portions of "Prestige from the Other Sex" are reprinted from Alice S. Rossi's Introduction to Essays on Sex Equality, edited by A. Rossi. Copyright © 1970 by The University of Chicago Press. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of The University of Chicago Press. Contents Preface: Feminist Lives and Works ix Preface to the 1988 Edition xxi Part 1—Reason Shall Set Us Free: Feminism and the Enlightenment Perspective 1 Introduction: Analysis versus Action 3 "Remember the Ladies": Abigail Adams vs. John Adams 7 Selected Letters from the Adams Family Correspondence 8 Away from Puddings and Garments: Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820) 16 Judith Sargent Murray: On the Equality of the Sexes 18 Champion of Womankind: Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) 25 Mary Wollstonecraft: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 40 Woman of Action: Frances Wright (1795-1852) 86 Frances Wright: Education 100 Frances Wright: Of Free Enquiry 108 The First Woman Sociologist: Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) 118 Harriet Martineau: Society in America 125 The Making of a Cosmopolitan Humanist: Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) 144 Margaret Fuller: The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men. Woman versus Women 158 Prestige from the Other Sex: John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) 183 John Stuart Mill: The Subjection of Women 196 Part 2—Pioneers on a Moral Crusade: Feminism and Status Politics 239 Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman's Movement in America 241 VI CONTENTS From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimke (1792- 1873) and Angelina Grimke (1805-1879) 282 Angelina Grimke: Appeal to the Christian Woman of the South 296 Sarah Grimke: Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Women 306 Angelina Grimke: Letters to Catherine Beecher 319 The Blackwell Clan 323 Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell: Medicine as a Profession for Women 346 Antoinette Brown Blackwell: Sex and Evolution 356 A Feminist Friendship: Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) and Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) 378 Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Motherhood 396 Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Introduction to The Woman's Bible 401 Along the Suffrage Trail 407 Selections from the History of Woman Suffrage 413 Seneca Falls Convention 413 Reminiscences of Emily Collins 421 The Akron Convention 426 The Newport Convention 429 The Kansas Campaign of 1867 430 Political Equality for Women 458 Part 3—Bread Comes First 471 Introduction: Feminism and Class Polities 472 Marriage and Property: Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) 478 Friedrich Engels: The Origin of the Family 480 Working-Class Socialist: August Bebel (1840-1913) 496 August Bebel: Woman and Socialism 497 Red Emma on Women: Emma Goldman (1869-1940) 506 Emma Goldman: The Tragedy of Woman's Emancipation 508 The Right to One's Body: Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) 517 Margaret Sanger: My Fight For Birth Control 522 Margaret Sanger: Birth Control—A Parent's Problem or Woman's? 533 Beware the State: Suzanne LaFollette (b. 1893) 537 Suzanne LaFollette: Concerning Women 541 The "Militant Madonna": Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) 566 Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Women and Economics 572 CONTENTS vu Pioneer on the Urban Frontier: Jane Addams (1860- 1935) 599 Jane Addams: Utilization of Women in City Government 604 Part 4—Sex Is a Many-Sided Thing 613 Introduction: Feminism and Intellectual Complexity 614 Guineas and Locks: Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) 622 Virginia Woolf: A Room of One's Own 627 Cultural'Stretch: Margaret Mead (b. 1901) 653 Margaret Mead: Sex and Temperament 658 A Not-So Rebellious "Other": Simone de Beauvoir (b. 1908) 672 Simone de Beauvoir: The Second Sex 674 References 707 List of Figures Figure 1 Life-Lines of Major Writers and Activists covered in this volume XV Figure 2 Central New York State: Route of Erie Canal and Towns and Cities that Figured in 19th century reform movements 243 Figure 3 Sociometry of Women's Movement Leaders in Nineteenth Century 2 76 Figure 4 Life Line of the Blackwell Sibling Set and In-Laws 324 Figure 5 The Blackwell Genealogy 326