''The Socialist Woman'' (1907–1914) was a monthly magazine edited by Josephine Conger-Kaneko. Its aim was to educate women about

socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

by discussing women's issues from a socialist standpoint. It was renamed ''The Progressive Woman'' in 1909 and ''The Coming Nation'' in 1913. Its contributors included Socialist Party activist

Kate Richards O'Hare Carrie Katherine "Kate" Richards O'Hare (March 26, 1876 – January 10, 1948) was an American Socialist Party activist, editor, and orator best known for her controversial imprisonment during World War I. Biography Early years Carrie Katherin ...

, suffragist

Alice Stone Blackwell Alice Stone Blackwell (September 14, 1857 – March 15, 1950) was an American feminist, suffragist, journalist, radical socialist, and human rights advocate. Early life and education Blackwell was born in East Orange, New Jersey to Henry Browne ...

, orator

Eugene V. Debs Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialism, socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five times the candidate ...

, poet

Ella Wheeler Wilcox Ella Wheeler Wilcox (November 5, 1850October 30, 1919) was an American author and poet. Her works include the collection '' Poems of Passion'' and the poem "Solitude", which contains the lines "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you ...

, and other notable writers and activists.

History

Josephine Conger-Kaneko founded ''The Socialist Woman'' when she was living in Chicago, home of the national office of the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

. When she published the first issue in June 1907, she had only 26 subscribers. At the time, only about 2,000 women belonged to the male-dominated Socialist Party, and party leaders made little effort to welcome women or address their concerns. Conger-Kaneko believed that women were essential to the success of the socialist movement, and set out to educate women about socialism by creating a magazine that would appeal to a female audience:

''The Socialist Woman'' exists for the sole purpose of bringing women into touch with the Socialist idea. We intend to make this paper a forum for the discussion of problems that lie closest to women's lives, from the Socialist standpoint.

Both Conger-Kaneko and her husband, Kiichi Kaneko, were feminists who supported the

women's suffrage movement Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to gran ...

, and the magazine reflected their views. Conger wrote editorials, poetry, and news articles about socialism and women's rights. Before his death in 1909, Kaneko co-edited the magazine and contributed essays on women's issues around the world. Many noted activists and writers contributed to the magazine, including Socialist Party activist

, suffragist

, union leader

, and poet

, among others. The magazine received no funding from the Socialist Party, and supplemented its subscription fees by carrying advertisements for books, periodicals, anti-Catholic tracts, hair tonics,

patent medicines A patent medicine, sometimes called a proprietary medicine, is an over-the-counter (nonprescription) medicine or medicinal preparation that is typically protected and advertised by a trademark and trade name (and sometimes a patent) and claimed ...

, and the like. Conger-Kaneko wanted to reach as broad an audience as possible, and she often printed articles by suffragists whether they were socialists or not. Racial equality and issues such as lynching were rarely mentioned, however, and contributors often displayed the casual racism that was common among American whites at the time. In 1908, Conger-Kaneko and her husband moved to

Girard, Kansas Girard is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,496. History Girard was founded in the spring of 1868, in opposition to Crawfordsville, and named af ...

. The '' Appeal to Reason'', a socialist newspaper for which she had edited a women's column, was based in Girard, and its publishing house agreed to produce ''The Socialist Woman'' free of charge. The move freed Conger-Kaneko to focus more of her attention on editing, and over the next year she made several changes designed to bring in new readers. She began publishing fictional stories as well as news, and published special issues devoted to teachers,

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture *Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...

, and

child labor Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such e ...

''The Progressive Woman''

Hoping to reach new readers, Conger-Kaneko changed the magazine's name to ''The Progressive Woman'' in March 1909. The change had the desired result, and by 1910 ''The Progressive Woman'' had between 12,000 and 15,000 subscribers, reaching readers as far away as Japan, Australia, China, Mexico, Canada, and Sweden. Special issues sold as many as 18,000 copies. In 1910 she published a controversial issue on "white slavery" (

forced prostitution Forced prostitution, also known as involuntary prostitution or compulsory prostitution, is prostitution or sexual slavery that takes place as a result of coercion by a third party. The terms "forced prostitution" or "enforced prostitution" ap ...

) and nearly lost her mailing privileges. When the ''Appeal to Reason'' reorganized in 1911, she had to look elsewhere for a publisher. She returned to Chicago, where she reached an agreement with the Woman's National Committee (WNC) of the Socialist Party whereby they would provide limited financial support for the magazine.

''The Coming Nation''

In October 1913, she renamed the magazine ''The Coming Nation'', stating that there was no longer any need to target a specifically female audience. (Another magazine by the same name was defunct by that time.) The magazine fell victim to political infighting within the WNC, and its last issue was published in July 1914.

Notable contributors

Ruby Archer Ruby Archer (Ruby Archer Doud or Ruby Archer Gray) (born Kansas City, Missouri, January 28, 1873, died Los Angeles, California, January 23, 1961) was an American poet. She was educated at Kansas City High School and by private tutors. She w ...

J. Mahlon Barnes John Mahlon Barnes (1866–1934) was an American trade union functionary and socialist political activist. Barnes is best remembered as the Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1905 to 1911, during which time he originated the ...

* Winnie Branstetter *

James F. Carey James Francis Carey (August 19, 1867 in Haverhill, Massachusetts Ida Crouch-Hazlett Ida Crouch-Hazlett (born Ida Estelle Crouch, c. 1870 – 1941) was an American political activist prominent in the suffrage and socialist movements. Crouch-Hazlett is best remembered as a prominent orator and organizer for the Socialist Party ...

Floyd Dell Floyd James Dell (June 28, 1887 – July 23, 1969) was an American newspaper and magazine editor, literary critic, novelist, playwright, and poet. Dell has been called "one of the most flamboyant, versatile and influential American Men of Letters ...

* Charles Fremont Dight *

Abigail Scott Duniway Abigail Scott Duniway (October 22, 1834 – October 11, 1915) was an American women's rights advocate, newspaper editor and writer, whose efforts were instrumental in gaining voting rights for women. Biography Abigail S. Duniway was born Abigai ...

Charlotte Perkins Gilman Charlotte Perkins Gilman (; née Perkins; July 3, 1860 – August 17, 1935), also known by her first married name Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was an American humanist, novelist, writer, lecturer, advocate for social reform, and eugenicist. She wa ...

George D. Herron George D. Herron (January 21, 1862 – November 9, 1925) was an American clergyman, lecturer, writer and Christian socialist activist. Herron is best remembered as a leading exponent of the so-called Social Gospel movement and for his highly publ ...

* Gertrude Breslau Hunt * Robert Hunter *

Robert G. Ingersoll Robert Green Ingersoll (; August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899), nicknamed "the Great Agnostic", was an American lawyer, writer, and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, who campaigned in defense of agnosticism. Personal life Robert Inge ...

George Ross Kirkpatrick George Ross "Kirk" Kirkpatrick (February 24, 1867 – March 23, 1937) was an American anti-militarist writer and political activist. He is best remembered as the 1916 Vice Presidential nominee of the Socialist Party of America. He was briefly th ...

Alexandra Kollontai Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai (russian: Алекса́ндра Миха́йловна Коллонта́й, née Domontovich, Домонто́вич; – 9 March 1952) was a Russian revolutionary, politician, diplomat and Theoretician ...

Walter Lanfersiek Walter B. Lanfersiek also known as Walter B. Landell (February 3, 1873 – March 1, 1962) was an American attorney and political activist from Newport, Kentucky. Lanfersiek was the executive secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1913 ...

Lena Morrow Lewis Martha Lena Morrow Lewis (1868-1950) was an American orator, political organizer, journalist, and newspaper editor. An activist in the prohibition, women's suffrage, and socialism, socialist movements, Lewis is best remembered as a top female lead ...

Anna A. Maley Anna Agnes Maley (1872–1918) was an American school teacher, journalist, newspaper editor, and political activist. One of a small number of top female leaders of the Socialist Party of America during the years prior to World War I, Maley is ...

Theresa Malkiel Theresa Serber Malkiel (1 May 1874 – 17 November 1949) was an American labor activist, suffragist, and educator. She was the first woman to rise from factory work to leadership in the Socialist party. Her 1910 novel, ''The Diary of a Shirtwaist ...

Mila Tupper Maynard Mila Tupper Maynard (née Mila Frances Tupper; January 26, 1864 – November 12, 1926) was an American Unitarian minister, writer, social reformer and suffragist. She is thought to have been the first female minister in Nevada. Early years Born ...

Octave Mirbeau Octave Mirbeau (16 February 1848 – 16 February 1917) was a French novelist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, journalist and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, whilst still appealing to the ...

Dora Montefiore Dorothy Frances Montefiore (; 20 December 1851 – 21 December 1933), known as Dora Montefiore, was an English-Australian women's suffragist, socialist, poet, and autobiographer. Early life Born Dorothy Frances Fuller at Kenley Manor near Cou ...

* Caroline Nelson * Pauline M. Newman *

Peter Rosegger Peter Rosegger (original ''Roßegger'') (31 July 1843 – 26 June 1918) was an Austrian writer and poet from Krieglach in the province of Styria. He was a son of a mountain farmer and grew up in the woodlands and mountains of Alpl. Rosegger (or R ...

Charles Edward Russell Charles Edward Russell (September 25, 1860 in Davenport, Iowa – April 23, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) was an American journalist, opinion columnist, newspaper editor, and political activist. The author of a number of books of biography and socia ...

Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

May Wood Simons May Wood Simons (May 10, 1876 – December 3, 1948) was an American socialist writer, editor, teacher and economist .Mari Jo Buhle, ''Women and American Socialism, 1870-1920.'' Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1981; pp. 166–169. She de ...

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American writer, muckraker, political activist and the 1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of California who wrote nearly 100 books and other works in seve ...

* Langdon Smith *

Rose Pastor Stokes Rose Harriet Pastor Stokes (née Wieslander; July 18, 1879 – June 20, 1933) was an American socialist activist, writer, birth control advocate, and feminist. She was a figure of some public notoriety after her 1905 marriage to Episcopalian mill ...

M. Carey Thomas Martha Carey Thomas (January 2, 1857 – December 2, 1935) was an American educator, suffragist, and linguist. She was the second president of Bryn Mawr College, a women's liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Biography Early life ...

* Lester F. Ward * Fred D. Warren *

J. A. Wayland Julius Augustus Wayland (April 26, 1854 – November 10, 1912) was a Midwestern United States, Midwestern US socialist during the Progressive Era. He is most noted for publishing ''Appeal to Reason (newspaper), Appeal to Reason'', a socialist publ ...

Clara Zetkin Clara Zetkin (; ; ''née'' Eißner ; 5 July 1857 – 20 June 1933) was a German Marxist theorist, communist activist, and advocate for women's rights. Until 1917, she was active in the Social Democratic Party of Germany. She then joined the ...

Image gallery

Image:The Socialist Woman magazine cover March 1908.jpg, Cover of ''The Socialist Woman'', March 1908, featuring the family of

Toshihiko Sakai was a Japanese socialist, writer, and historian. He is also known by the pen name . He is also known for his translation with Shūsui Kōtoku. Biography Sakai was born as the third son to a samurai class family in what is now Miyako, Fukuoka. ...

. Image:The Progressive Woman magazine cover October 1909.jpg, Cover of ''The Progressive Woman'', October 1909, featuring

. Image:Cartoon on the cover of The Progressive Woman March 1912.jpg, Cartoon in ''The Progressive Woman'', March 1912. Image:Cartoon in the Coming Nation December 1913.jpg, Cartoon in ''The Coming Nation'', December 1913.

References

External links

Full text of issues from 1908–1913
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Socialist Woman, The Monthly magazines published in the United States Defunct political magazines published in the United States Defunct women's magazines published in the United States Feminist magazines Magazines established in 1907 Magazines disestablished in 1914 Magazines published in Chicago Socialist magazines Socialist Party of America publications