''Woman's Journal'' was an American

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...

periodical published from 1870 to 1931. It was founded in 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts, by

Lucy Stone Lucy Stone (August 13, 1818 – October 18, 1893) was an American orator, abolitionist and suffragist who was a vocal advocate for and organizer promoting rights for women. In 1847, Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a colle ...

and her husband

Henry Browne Blackwell Henry Browne Blackwell (May 4, 1825 – September 7, 1909), was an American advocate for social and economic reform. He was one of the founders of the Republican Party and the American Woman Suffrage Association. He published ''Woman's Jour ...

as a weekly newspaper. In 1917 it was purchased by Carrie Chapman Catt's Leslie Woman Suffrage Commission and merged with ''

The Woman Voter ''The Woman Voter'' was a monthly Suffragette, suffragist journal published in New York City by the Woman Suffrage Party (WSP). It ran between 1910 and 1917. The first editor was Mary Ritter Beard. Beard created a suffragist publication which was ...

'' and ''National Suffrage News'' to become known as ''The Woman Citizen''. It served as the official organ of the

National American Woman Suffrage Association The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was an organization formed on February 18, 1890, to advocate in favor of women's suffrage in the United States. It was created by the merger of two existing organizations, the National ...

until 1920, when the organization was reformed as the League of Women Voters, and the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed granting women the right to vote. Publication of ''Woman Citizen'' slowed from weekly, to bi-weekly, to monthly. In 1927, it was renamed ''The Woman's Journal''. It ceased publication in June 1931.

History

''Woman's Journal'' was founded in 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts, by

and her husband

as a weekly newspaper. The new paper incorporated

Mary A. Livermore Mary Livermore (born Mary Ashton Rice; December 19, 1820May 23, 1905) was an American journalist, abolitionist, and advocate of women's rights. Her printed volumes included: ''Thirty Years Too Late,'' first published in 1847 as a prize temperance ...

's ''The Agitator'', as well as a lesser known periodical called the ''Woman's Advocate''. The works of Ohioan comedy writer

Rosella Rice Rosella Rice (11 August 1827 – 6 June 1888) was an American author, poet, and lecturer born in Perrysville, Ohio. She was known for her direct and energetic comedy writing, her nature poems, and her vivid descriptions of folklore figure John " ...

, whose poems mythologized the figure of Johnny Appleseed, were published in ''Woman's Journal''. The first issue was published on January 8, on the two-year anniversary of the first issue of Susan B. Anthony's ''

The Revolution A revolution is a drastic political change that usually occurs relatively quickly. For revolutions which affect society, culture, and technology more than political systems, see social revolution. Revolution may also refer to: Aviation *Warner ...

''. Stone and Blackwell served as editors, with assistance from Livermore. Julia Ward Howe edited from 1872 to 1879.

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 ...

, daughter of Stone and Blackwell, began editing in 1883 and took over as sole editor after her father's death in 1909, continuing until 1917. Contributors included

Antoinette Brown Blackwell Antoinette Louisa Brown, later Antoinette Brown Blackwell (May 20, 1825 – November 5, 1921), was the first woman to be ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister in the United States. She was a well-versed public speaker on the paramount iss ...

, Mary Johnston,

Stephen S. Wise Stephen Samuel Wise (March 17, 1874 – April 19, 1949) was an early 20th-century American Reform rabbi and Zionist leader in the Progressive Era. Born in Budapest, he was an infant when his family immigrated to New York. He followed his father ...

Zona Gale Zona Gale, also known by her married name, Zona Gale Breese (August 26, 1874 – December 27, 1938), was an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. She became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1921. The close r ...

, Florence Kelley,

Witter Bynner Harold Witter Bynner (August 10, 1881 – June 1, 1968), also known by the pen name Emanuel Morgan, was an American poet and translator. He was known for his long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and association with other literary figures ther ...

Ben B. Lindsey Benjamin Barr Lindsey (November 25, 1869 – March 26, 1943) was an American judge and social reformer based in Denver during the Progressive Era. Early life Benjamin Barr Lindsey was born in Jackson, Tennessee, to former Confederate captain ...

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

Harriet Clisby Harriet Clisby (31 August 1830 – 30 April 1931) was an English physician, women's rights activist, and founder of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. Early life Harriet Jemima Winifred Clisby was born in St. James's, L ...

and

Caroline Bartlett Crane Caroline Bartlett Crane (August 17, 1858 – March 24, 1935) was an American Unitarian minister, suffragist, civic reformer, educator and journalist. She was known as "America's housekeeper" for her efforts to improve urban sanitation.Renee Zi ...

William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was a prominent American Christian, abolitionist, journalist, suffragist, and social reformer. He is best known for his widely read antislavery newspaper '' The Liberator'', which he found ...

was a frequent contributor. Around 1887, headquarters were located in Boston on Park Street. ''Woman's Journal'' refused to carry advertisements for

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

, or

drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...

. In 1910, ''Woman's Journal'' absorbed ''Progress'', the official organ of the

(NAWSA). Until 1912, it served in that capacity, at which point it was renamed ''Woman's Journal and Suffrage News''. By 1915, circulation had reached 27,634, up from 2,328 in 1909.

''The Woman Citizen''

In 1917, ''Woman's Journal'' was purchased by Carrie Chapman Catt's Leslie Woman Suffrage Commission for $50,000, and merged with ''

'', the official journal of the

Woman Suffrage Party The Woman Suffrage Party (WSP) was a New York city political organization dedicated to women's suffrage. It was founded in New York by Carrie Chapman Catt at the Convention of Disfranchised Women in 1909. WSP called itself "a political union of exi ...

of New York City, and NAWSA's ''National Suffrage News'' to become known as ''The Woman Citizen''. It served as NAWSA's official organ until 1920, when NAWSA was reformed as the

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

, and the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed ensuring women's right to vote. The editor-in-chief of ''The Woman Citizen'' was Rose Emmet Young;

was a contributing editor. Every U.S. Congress member was given a free subscription to the journal. It covered issues such as child labor in addition to women's suffrage. After women won the right to vote, the journal's focus shifted to political education for women. One of the aims of the League of Women Voters was to demonstrate its continued political power, now in the form of large numbers of newly enfranchised voters, and to soften its image in the eyes of women who were wary of radical politics. To that end, the journal courted middle-class female readers. It editorialized in support of the Maternity and Infancy Act of 1921, which was the first major legislation to be passed after the full enfranchisement of women. Readers were urged to support the Act by writing to their representatives and talking to their neighbors about it; one article included step-by-step instructions for finding out the names and addresses of their legislators. Publication of ''Woman Citizen'' slowed from weekly, to bi-weekly, to monthly. In 1927, it was renamed ''The Woman's Journal''. It ceased publication in June 1931.

Notes

Bibliography

* Ryan, Agnes E
''The Torch Bearer: A Look Forward and Back at the Woman's Journal, the Organ of the Woman's Movement''
1916. National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection, Library of Congress

External links

Editorial cartoons from ''Woman's Journal and Suffrage News''
in the Social Welfare History Image Portal, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
''Woman's Journal'' in the Harvard University Library
*
The Woman Citizen
' in the Social Welfare History Image Portal, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries {{Authority control 19th century in Boston Defunct women's magazines published in the United States History of women's rights in the United States Feminist magazines Magazines established in 1870 Magazines disestablished in 1931 Magazines published in Boston

History

''The Woman Citizen''

See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links