Dreamers of a New Day, By Sheila Rowbotham
Feminist pioneers without a plinth
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sheila Rowbotham's revealing account of those who fought tooth- and-nail for women's rights in the early part of the 20th century also goes further back, to show the important debt we owe to fin-de-siècle rebels such as Beatrice Webb, the co-founder of the Fabian Society.
Race also emerges as a factor in the fight for equality in the US, which saw black women's groups emerge from "resistance" movements such as the Church-sponsored Temperance movements. These feminist pioneers may have few statues erected to them in city squares, but Rowbotham shows how crucial they are to the freedoms that women enjoy today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments