Presenting Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party -
Famous Female Activists & Artists
For well over a hundred years now many contributions of African American
and Caucasian females have been ignored in our children's textbooks. Information
on female abolitionists and suffragists, in particular, has been left out
of our classrooms, though their involvement in the civil rights movement in
the 19th and early 20th century was considerable. Below you will find one
section of Judy Chicago's book,The Dinner Party (1996), presented in
order to display the fact that many women, both black and white, contributed
a great deal to American culture and the modern-day civil rights movement.
These women with their heroic vision, intelligence, and courage are role models
for contemporary feminists and freedom fighters of all persuasions. Please
click on the internal links below to view the biographical information about
each of the extraordinary women listed. Sojourner Truth's page is listed first
because it includes a link to a beautiful piece of art Ms. Chicago created
specifically for her. In addition, you can read about the history of Ms. Chicago's
art and book, as well as the purpose of this web site, in the preface.
Sojourner Truth (1797 - 1883)
- abolitionist & feminist
Marian
Anderson (1902 - present) - singer & delegate to the U.N.
Josephine
Baker (1906 - 1975) - entertainer
Mary McLeod
Bethune (1875 - 1955) -
college president
Anna Ella
Carroll (1815 - 1893) -
writer & spy
Mary Ann Shad
Cary (1829 - 1892) - lawyer, editor & teacher
Prudence
Crandall (1803 - 1890) -
educator
Milla Granson
(19th c.,) - teacher
Angelina
Grimke (1803 - 1879) - abolitionist
& feminist
Sarah Grimke
(1792 - 1873) - abolitionist
& feminist
Frances
Harper (1825 - 1911) - abolitionist,
feminist & writer
Zora Neale
Hurston (1901 - 1960) - novelist & folklorist
Edmonia Lewis
(1845 - 1890) - sculptor
Bessie Smith
(1894 - 1937) - singer
Maria Stewart
(fl. 1830s) - abolitionist
& educator
Harriet Beecher
Stowe (1811 - 1896) - abolitionist, feminist &
writer
Harriet
Tubman (1826 - 1913) - abolitionist
& feminist
Margaret
Murray Washington (1863 - 1953) - educator
Ida B. Wells
(1862 - 1931) - abolitionist & writer