Books to Read on Women’s Equality Day

Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells by Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells was a seminal figure in the fight for equality one hundred years ago, championing both women’s suffrage and civil rights. Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells is a gripping memoir that traverses both personal and private aspects of her life: we see Ida as a mother, as a teacher, as a journalist, as one of the most influential activists of her time and beyond. Also, earlier this summer we chatted with Michelle Duster, a writer and the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, about her ancestor’s legacy. Watch the fascinating virtual author talk here.

Why They Marched: Untold Stories of the Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by Susan Ware

Big names associated with women’s suffrage like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton do, of course, get their recognition in Susan Ware’s collection of brief biographies, but most of the names are not as well-known. Ware writes a historical account of the fight for women’s rights that is expansive and colorful, transcending the white-washed version of the struggle many of us are familiar with. Read her book for more insight into the stories of many miraculous women and why each of them marched for women’s rights.

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the author of the iconic short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” was a utopian feminist who used her writing to examine the ways in which women were treated unfairly and stripped of their autonomy. In Herland, Charlotte Perkins Gilman imagines a world where women are free from the oppressive patriarchy, as they live in a community that is solely inhabited by women. What unfolds is an ideal society free from conflict, until the men arrive.

The Black Unicorn: Poems by Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde pursued women’s equality through poetry and personal essays. As a Black woman and a lesbian, she wrote from an intersectional perspective and addressed how far there was left to go to true equality. In The Black Unicorn, Lorde reveals all the nuances and dualities of womanhood, all the challenges and the irrefutable beauty in being a mother, a child, a warrior, and a lover. Her words still resonate today.

Born Criminal: Matilda Joslyn Gage, Radical Suffragist by Angelica Shirley Carpenter

Matilda Joslyn Gage was a radical suffragist who pushed for equality—she did not limit her view of equality by gender, race, religion, or any other factor. And she pushed for rights far beyond votes for women. Angelica Shirley Carpenter’s book examines Gage’s radical views and her undeserved obscurity compared to her counterparts. Read Born Criminal to discover a name that should have never been forgotten.

For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange

Ntozake Shange was a Black feminist who wrote about the experiences of women of color in America, revealing the still-present lapse in equality decades after the ratification of the 19th amendment. Her most well-known and acclaimed work, a “choreopoem” called For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, is comprised of colorful, sorrowful, poignant poems spoken from intertwining perspectives. It is a must read for those who see themselves in the words and those who don’t.

More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth’s More Than Enough is a success story of glass ceilings shattered and barriers broken. But, of course, her rise to success in the editing world did not come without struggle. This inspiring memoir details the turbulent yet inspiring journey of a young Black woman who, despite odds being stacked against her, proved that she is more than enough.

Ain’t I a Woman? by bell hooks

bell hooks has been one of the most prominent voices of feminism for decades, weaving together the intricacies of race, gender, and class into her intersectional work. Her book Ain’t I a Woman? borrows its title from the speech by Sojourner Truth—another woman well worth reading about today. Read hooks’ book for an examination of how racism and sexism impact Black women, spanning from the women’s suffrage movement a hundred years ago to the civil rights movement of the 1970s.

The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss

Elaine Weiss’ nonfiction book is an account of the final stretch of the fight for women’s suffrage that places the reader right in the sweltering heat of that August a hundred years ago. The Woman’s Hour wields a sense of immediacy, a tense but ultimately triumphant moment in history rising up off the page like all the people who were there—the suffragists, the opposers, the powerful women who used their voices and the men who supported the fight—are in the room with you.

She the People: A Graphic History of Uprisings, Breakdowns, Setbacks, Revolts, and Enduring Hope on the Unfinished Road to Women’s Equality by Jen Deaderick

Jen Deaderick’s words come together with Rita Sapunor’s illustrations to divulge a graphic narrative that focuses on the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment that was initially written not long after the ratification of the 19th but still remains to be officially recognized today. She the People is funny and illuminating and important. Jen Deaderick delves into the past and spotlights the present, reminding us that the fight for equality is ongoing.

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote and Insisted on Equality for All by Martha Jones

Keep an eye out for Martha Jones’ forthcoming book Vanguard. It is the history of the important role Black women played in achieving equality and securing their right to vote, a battle that was far different from their white counterparts. The book is expected to be released September 8, 2020.