Women's History

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Women's History

Famous Feminists and the History of Feminism

A history of feminism.
Feminist Theorists
"Feminism" is about equality of the sexes, and activism to achieve such equality for women. Not all feminist theorists have agreed about how to achieve that equality and what equality looks like. Here are some of the key writers on feminist theory, key to understanding what feminism has been all about. I've listed them in chronological order so it's easier to see the development of femi…
National Organization for Women
A profile of the National Organization for Women, founded in 1966 to work for women's equality.
Cultural Feminism
A definition and description of cultural feminism, in the context of women's history.
Radical Feminism
A definition and description of radical feminism from the perspective of women's history.
Ms. Magazine
A profile of the feminist Ms. magazine, founded in 1972. Editors have included Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan.
Now We Can Begin
Essay by Crystal Eastman (1920) on where feminism should go, after suffrage was won.
Poll: Greatest Advance in Women's Rights?
Answer the poll, and see what others think: what has been the greatest advance in women's rights, especially in the 20th century?
Betty Friedan Quotes
Selected quotations from the "mother of modern feminism," Betty Friedan.
Camille Paglia Quotations
Select quotes from feminist and feminist critic, Camille Paglia.
Adrienne Rich Quotes
Select quotations from feminist poet Adrienne Rich.
Reading List: Feminism 1980s/1990s
A collection of books representing various trends in feminism in the last two decades of the 20th century.
Books - Rachel Speght, Early Feminist
Rachel Speght was the first woman known to have published a women's rights pamphlet in English under her own name. Here are some works by or about Rachel Speght and her writings.
Internationalizing Feminism in the 19th Century
An introduction, with accompanying primary source documents, on the ways in which British and European ideas influenced America's blossoming feminist ideas in the early 19th century.

Explore Women's History

More from About.com

Women's History

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Women's History
  4. Feminism, Suffrage, Rights
  5. Feminism and Feminists

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.