Women Philosophers Volume I : Education and Activism in Nineteenth-Century America

Illuminating a significant moment in the development of both American and feminist philosophical history, this book explores the pioneering thought of the women in the early American Idealist movement and outgrowths of it in the late-nineteenth century. Dorothy Rogers specifically examines the ideas of women who entered philosophical discourse through education and social activism. She begins by discussing innovative educators, some of whom were members of the influential Idealist movement in St. Louis, Missouri in the eighteen-sixties and seventies. She then looks at the ideas and impact of women who were independent scholars and social and political activists. Throughout the volume, Rogers explores how Idealist thought developed, matured, and was transformed over time – across lines of race, culture, and socio-economic class. Several of the women discussed were ardent feminists and activists: Mary Church Terrell, Anna C. Brackett, Grace C. Bibb, Ana Roqué, Ellen M. Mitchell, Lucia Ames Mead, Jane Addams, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Luisa Capetillo. By providing exciting new insights into the work of these early women philosophers and introducing the next generation of women who shared the same ideals and influences, Rogers deftly elucidates the genealogy of women's thought as it developed across North America. Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 6 Preface and acknowlegments 7 About the cover 13 Chapter 1: Introduction: Women, Diversity, and Philosophyin North America 16 The Project 16 Criteria for Inclusion 20 Historical Context 26 The Origins of Philosophical Idealism in North America 29 Women in This Volume 33 Chapter 2: Pedagogy, Philosophy, and “Spiritual Motherhood”: Susan Blow, Mary Church Terrell, Josephine Silone Yates, Emma Johnson Goulette 38 Introduction 38 Conclusion 80 Chapter 3: Feminist Philosophers/Educators: Anna Brackett, Grace Bibb,Fanny Jackson Coppin, Ana Roqué 82 Anna Callender Brackett 84 Grace C. Bibb 97 Fanny Jackson Coppin 103 “Hints” on Teaching 109 Cultural Insights in Africa 112 Women and Culture/Difference in Canada 115 Normal Schools and Feminist Pedagogy in Mexico 118 Ana Roqué de Duprey 121 Conclusion 124 Chapter 4: Audacious Women!—Four Independent Scholars: Margaret Mercer, Maria Stewart, Pauline Johnson, Ellen Mitchell 126 Margaret Mercer 129 Maria Stewart 140 Pauline Johnson 147 Ellen Mitchell 154 Conclusion 161 Chapter 5: Feminist Activists/Theorists: Lucia Ames Mead, Jane Addams,Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Luisa Capetillo 164 Lucia Ames Mead 167 Jane Addams 177 Ida B. Wells-Barnett 180 Luisa Capetillo 198 Conclusion 202 Chapter 1 206 Chapter 2 207 Chapter 3 216 Chapter 4 225 Chapter 5 231 Manuscript Collections 244 Notes 206 Chapter 1 206 Chapter 2 207 Chapter 3 216 Chapter 4 225 Chapter 5 231 References 236 Index 246 "Illuminating a significant moment in the development of both American and feminist philosophical history, this study explores the experience and work of the women of the early American idealist movement. Beginning in St. Louis, Missouri in 1858, it became more influential as women joined and contributed to its development. Many of these women were pioneers in education and were expanding women's role in it as teachers and scholars. Some were also ardent feminists. Chief among them were Susan E. Blow, Anna C. Brackett, Grace C. Bibb, Ellen M. Mitchell, Lucia Ames Mead, Caroline E. Sherman, and May Wright Sewall. Providing new insights into the work of the core group of women thinkers, this volume includes new information about women who became associated with the movement as it expanded and developed offshoots in other parts of the nation. This includes the origins of the philosophical-idealist roots of their pacifist thought and activism, apparent in their writings and speeches, and the neo-Hegelian movement."-- Provided by publisher "This book traces the career development and influence on American intellectual life of the first twenty women to earn a PhD in philosophy in the United States. Rogers explores the factors that led these women to pursue careers in academic philosophy, examines the ideas they developed, and evaluates the impact they had on the academic and social worlds they inhabited. This volume investigates not only the success stories of such women as Eliza Ritchie, Julia Gulliver, and Christine Ladd-Franklin, to name a few, but also the policies and practices that made it difficult or impossible for others to succeed"-- Provided by publisher