womens-studies

Illustration of two women in regency-style dresses standing in a grassy field under a tree. One in green holds a small flower while the other in a patterned red dress leans in closely, suggesting intimacy. In the background, figures work in a field near a distant village.

Before Bridgerton: How a Real-Life Regency Relationship Fascinated the World

Dearest Gentle Reader, Since 2020, Bridgerton has captivated the world with its dramatic costumes, Regency estates, and steamy romances. Executive producer Shonda Rhimes has breathed fresh life into...

Engraving showing a 19th-century royal interior where men in formal dress carry a decorated Christmas tree through a grand room, while other figures look on. The scene depicts an early British royal Christmas celebration, with period clothing, ornate architecture, and a sense of ceremony.

Dinner with Victoria: Recreating the 1894 Christmas Feast with Old American Recipes

Industrial class opulence, stark social inequality, and unmatched global influence, this mixture of power and disparity not only reshaped the political and social world but also left enduring cultural...

From the Library of Congress. Two hand painted images of American women and British soldiers. On left a Quaker woman detains an English General with tea. On right, a woman receives British soldiers on a porch.

"Such women should read, should think, and should act": Women's Special Roles in the American Revolution

In 1780, the newly formed Culper Spy Ring successfully exposed British plans to ambush the French army in Rhode Island. By quickly alerting George Washington to the enemy's plans, the group...

Those They Left Behind: The Hidden Grief of LGBTQ+ Loss in 19th and Early 20th Century Obituaries and Poetry

Scottish poet Thomas Campbell wrote, "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." While each life is unique, some experiences and emotions—such as fear, excitement, love, and loss—are universal...

Black and white photograph of a group of suffragettes and supporters gathered at Union Square, New York, dated February 16, 1908. The central women are smiling and dressed in winter coats and elaborate hats, holding flowers and pamphlets, surrounded by a crowd of men in bowler hats. The image has a handwritten caption at the bottom: "Suffragettes at Union Sq. 2/16/08."

"Moving Forward Together!": Amplifying Women's History and Experiences

Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations -National Women’s History Alliance 2025 Women’s History Month theme Researchers will uncover diverse voices to build historical...

A vintage illustrated movie poster for Venus of the South Seas, starring Annette Kellerman. The artwork features a woman with a flowing white headscarf and a shimmering mermaid-like tail, gracefully floating in an underwater scene. The background showcases a vibrant green ocean with glowing pearls or bubbles, while waves and sailing ships appear above the water's surface. The title is prominently displayed in bold white lettering.

"The Diving Venus": Annette Kellerman, a Beautiful Example of Female Athleticism

Annette Kellerman (1886–1975) made waves both in and out of the water. Known for her physique, Kellerman challenged societal norms by encouraging women to swim—in comfortable swimwear. She helped make...

Photograph of Susanna Salter in 1887. She has light skin, high cheekbones, and a serious expression. Her hair is neatly pulled back with curls framing her forehead. She is dressed in a high-collared dark dress adorned with a brooch at the collar and a decorative chain. The background is softly faded, highlighting her face and attire. Image: Kansas Historical Society, Wikimedia

"Come west, young woman, come west!" Susanna Salter and her unlikely rise to first woman U.S. mayor

In 1776, early women's rights advocate Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, future President John Adams, urging him to "Remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your...

Photo of Zitkála-Šá, Sioux Indian and activist, circa 1898. Photographer, Gertrude Käsebier. National Museum of American History

"She is one of the best representations of the educated Indian": Zitkála-Šá and her Early Years

Zitkála-Šá (February 22, 1876 – January 26, 1938) was an extraordinary woman of many things and many names. She was a Yankton Dakota adorned with the Indigenous name Zitkála-Šá which translates to...

Portrait of Nellie Bly (ca. 1890). Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2010631213/>.

Nellie Bly and the 'Stunt Girls' that Smashed Barriers in Turn-of-the-Century Journalism

Legendary investigative journalist Nellie Bly (born Elizabeth Jane Cochran) died more than 100 years ago. Bly's legacy shaped both the lives of women and the field of journalism. After her death...

Boxing mail -- N.Y. Post Office (LOC). Bain News Service, publisher. [between ca. 1914 and ca. 1915].

Birth Control – "...a vice upon which relentless war shall be declared." The Society for the Suppression of Vice and the Comstock Act

The Comstock Act (or Law), enacted on March 3, 1873, was formally titled "Act for the Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use" thereby, according to...

Celebrating Women's History Month: Perspectives from Historical Primary Sources

Celebrate Women’s History Month with a look back through the Readex blog archive featuring articles from Readex digitized primary source collections. Read on to discover and celebrate the...

Trenton Evening Times. February 18, 1911

“Shed Underwear Says Suffragist": Fashion as Social Commentary in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries

A recent journey into the Readex archives reveals just how much clothing and fashion informed social, political, religious, and health opinions and commentaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries...

Nerves of Steal: Cassie Chadwick, “Patron Saint of Confidence Women”

Like many bank robbers, Cassie Chadwick proffered a note to her victims. Early in her criminal career, when she was just 22 years old, that elegant, imaginative note simply stated that because she was...

Mauricia de Tiers and Her Sensational Dip of Death: The Fearless Young Frenchwoman who Thrilled Americans in the Early 20th Century

L’Auto Bolide is the very latest, the most startling thing in the world of loop-the-loop. It is an achievement formidable, thrilling, marvellous—the sort of thing that makes the beholder stop...

Mother Shipton. [oil on panel, c. 1830] Gift from Mary Allott, 1997. The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate.

'The Messenger Should Not Be Hanged': The Enduring Mystery of Mother Shipton, England’s Most Famous Prophet

That there were witches in the olden times is true, else the Bible fights against shadows: for it tells us not once but many times that there were witches. According to printed sources dating to the...

A black-and-white photograph from 1917 depicting a group of women suffragists picketing outside the White House in Washington, D.C. The women are holding banners advocating for women's right to vote. The image captures the determination and peaceful protest of the suffrage movement during that era.

Women’s Suffrage in the U.S.: The Long Fight for Passage of the 19th Amendment

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on the account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by...

‘Mild as the Harmless Lamb’: Instructions on Conduct for Females

Among several common themes in early books for children, instruction in conduct recurs frequently. Searching American Children’s Books, 1654-1819, a new Readex database, whether using Suggested...

Ashea Wabe is seen here as Little Egypt, in one of a series of photos by Benjamin Falk. 1890s.

Hoochie Coochie: The Lure of the Forbidden Belly Dance in Victorian America

“It was downright indecent. I saw women go out after the creatures had begun what they call their dance. I did not stay it through. I just couldn’t.” (1) (A woman’s indignant account of her visit to...

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