Groundswell: Grassroots Feminist Activism in Postwar America

Traditionally, the history of modern American Feminism and Women'¬"s Activism has been relayed through "waves" of events, individuals, and milestones. While this approach is common, and works on a basic level of understanding, it fails to access the roots of how the Women'¬"s Movement, like Civil Rights, built its primary foundations with local communities and individuals. Groundswell: Grassroots Feminist Activism in Postwar Americaoffers a grassroots perspective on the post-1960 movement for women'¬"s equality and liberation. Author Stephanie Gilmore traces the histories of feminist activism in three different locations '¬ ; Memphis, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; and San Francisco, California '¬ ; and explores how feminist identity, strategies, and goals are shaped by geographical location. Departing from the usual conversation about the national icons and events of second wave feminism, Groundswellfocuses in on local histories, and asks the questions that can only be answered on the micro level: What did they do? Why did they do it? Who joined? Who did not? Moving away from the East Coast centers of New York and Boston, Gilmore shows us a more diverse history of feminism, showing how social and political change was made from the ground up.