Diversity in Our Collections

Interviews with 21 leading women in jazz.

"Elizabeth Catlett was an African American sculptor and graphic artist best known for her depictions of the Black-American experience in the 20th century, which often focused on the female experience." [Wikipedia]

When #MeToo went viral, Janet Gurtler was among the millions of people who began to reflect on her past experiences. Things she had reluctantly accepted-male classmates groping her at recess, harassment at work-came back to her in startling clarity. She needed teens to know what she had not: that no young person should be subject to sexual assault, or made to feel unsafe, less than or degraded. You Too? was born out of that need. By turns thoughtful and explosive, these personal stories encompass a wide range of experiences and serve as a reminder to readers that they, too, have a voice worthy of being heard-and that only by listening and working together can we create change.

A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. 'Dear Ijeawele' is Adichie's letter of response. Here are fifteen suggestions for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can "allow" women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It can start a conversation about what it really means to be a woman today.

"From ESPN journalists whose investigation garnered a Peabody Award, the full devastating story of former physician Larry Nassar's serial abuse of America's elite gymnasts and others, revealing the win-at-all-costs culture in youth athletics and higher education that enabled him"

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space—a powerful, revelatory history essential to our understanding of race, discrimination, and achievement in modern America.

Following in the footsteps of classic feminist manifestos like The Feminine Mystique and Our Bodies, Ourselves, Rage Becomes Her is an eye-opening audiobook for the 21st-century woman: an engaging, accessible credo offering us the tools to re-understand our anger and harness its power to create lasting positive change.

"From Rebecca Traister, the New York Times bestselling author of All the Single Ladies--whom Anne Lamott called "the most brilliant voice on feminism in this country"--comes a vital, incisive exploration into the transformative power of female anger and its ability to transcend into a political movement. In the year 2018, it seems as if women's anger has suddenly erupted into the public conversation."

"From Cecile Richards--the president of Planned Parenthood, daughter of the late Governor Ann Richards, featured speaker at the Women's March on Washington, and "the heroine of the resistance" (Vogue)--comes a story about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice."

"The story of how America's women won the right to vote, adapted for young adult readers"--Publisher

From Snow White to Moana, the animated films of Walt Disney Studios have moved and entertained millions. But few fans know that behind these groundbreaking features was an incredibly influential group of women who fought for respect in an often ruthless male-dominated industry and who have slipped under the radar for decades. Holt shows how these women infiltrated the boys' club of Disney's story and animation departments and used early technologies to create the rich artwork and unforgettable narratives that have become part of the American canon. While battling sexism, domestic abuse, and workplace intimidation, these women also fought to transform the way female characters are depicted to young audiences.

"Abby Wambach has always pushed the limits of what is possible. Named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people of 2015, the iconic soccer player captured the nation's heart when she led her team to its recent World Cup Championship. Admired for her fearlessness and passion, Abby is a vocal advocate for women's rights and equal opportunity, pushing to translate the success of her team to the real world. She has become a heavily requested speaker to a wide a range of audiences, from college students to executives at Fortune 500 companies. In Forward, Abby recounts her own decisions, wins, losses, and the pivotal moments that helped her become the world class athlete and leader she is today. Wambach's book goes beyond the soccer field to reveal a soulful person grappling universal questions about how we can live our best lives, and become our truest selves. Written with honesty and heart, Forward is an inspiring blueprint for individual growth and rousing call to action"-- Provided by publisher

A reissue of the 1963 text which sparked the feminist movement through its analysis of the changing role and status of women, with a new introduction that addresses the issues women face two generations after "The Feminine Mystique" was first published.

"A hilarious, tough, and tender story collection pressurized by grief, sexual longing, the spectrum of gender, and girls with muscle."-- Provided by publisher.

"A collection of essays taking aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement, arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women"--Provided by publisher.

"In this engaging and highly accessible compendium for young readers and aspiring power brokers, Virginia Senator Janet Howell and her daughter-in-law Theresa Howell spotlight the careers of fifty American women in politics -- and inspire readers to make a difference. With foreword by Hillary Rodham Clinton."--Amazon.

This biography highlights the life and accomplishments of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Readers learn about Ocasio-Cortez's early life, her beginnings in politics volunteering for Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy, and Bernie Sanders, and her election to the US Congress from New York.

Whether feared, admired, or desired, the 'gold digger' appears almost everywhere gender, sexuality, class, and race collide. This work reveals the assumptions and disputes around women's sexual agency in American life, shedding new light on the cultural and legal forces underpinning romantic, sexual, and marital relationships.

Full-tilt, hardcore, down-home, and groundbreaking, the women of country music speak volumes with every song. From Maybelle Carter to Dolly Parton, k.d. lang to Taylor Swift—these artists provided pivot points, truths, and doses of courage for women writers at every stage of their lives. Whether it's Rosanne Cash eulogizing June Carter Cash or a seventeen-year-old Taylor Swift considering the golden glimmer of another precocious superstar, Brenda Lee, it's the humanity beneath the music that resonates.

The author describes her experiences as a young Vietnamese immigrant, highlighting her family's move from their war-torn home to the United States in graphic novel format.

"The first African American to head a branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL), Regina Andrews led an extraordinary life. Allied with W.E.B. Du Bois, she fought for promotion and equal pay against entrenched sexism and racism. Andrews also played a key role in the Harlem Renaissance, supporting writers and intellectuals with dedicated workspace at her 135th Street Branch Library." [from publisher's description]

"A trauma revolution is quietly sweeping social services in the United States. For women who have experienced domestic violence, proving that you are a "good victim" is no longer enough when navigating these institutions. Women must also show that they are recovering, as if domestic violence were a disease: they must show that they are transforming from "victims" into "survivors." Through archival research, life story interviews, and participation observation, The Politics of Surviving shows that "becoming" a survivor is full of contradictions, perils, politics, and pleasures. Using an intersectional lens, Paige L. Sweet reveals how the idea of "resilience" and being a "survivor" can become a coercive force in women's lives. With nuance and compassion, The Politics of Surviving wrestles with questions about the gendered nature of the welfare state, the unintended consequences of feminist mobilizations for these programs, and the women who are left behind by the limited forms of citizenship we offer them"-- Provided by publisher.

history of the twentieth-century feminists who fought for the rights of women, workers, and the poor, both in the United States and abroadFor the Many presents an inspiring look at how US women and their global allies pushed the nation and the world toward justice and greater equality for all.

n the 1970s, the divorce rate in the United States doubled, and longtime homemakers suddenly found themselves at risk of poverty, not only because their husband's job was their sole source of income, but also because their insurance, retirement, and credit worthiness were all tied to their spouse's employment. Divorce, American Style examines how newly divorced women and policymakers responded to the crisis that rising divorce rates created for American society. The book contests the frequent claim that marriage has become a more flexible legal status over time. Enduring ideas about marriage and the family continue to have a powerful effect on the structure of a wide range of social programs in the United States.

"Grass is a powerful anti-war graphic novel, offering up firsthand the life story of a Korean girl named Okseon Lee who was forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese Imperial Army during the second World War - a disputed chapter in 20th century Asian history. Beginning in Lee's childhood, Grass shows the leadup to World War II from a child's vulnerable perspective, detailing how one person experienced the Japanese occupation and the widespread suffering it entailed for ordinary Korean folk. Keum Suk Gendry-Kim emphasizes Lee's strength in overcoming the many forms of adversity she experienced. Grass is painted in a black ink that flows with lavish details of the beautiful fields and farmland of Korea and uses heavy brushwork on the somber interiors of Lee's memories. The cartoonist Gendry-Kim's interviews with Lee become an integral part of Grass, forming the heart and architecture of this powerful nonfiction graphic novel and offering a holistic view of how Lee's wartime suffering changed her. Grass is a landmark graphic novel that makes personal the desperate cost of war and the importance of peace."-- Provided by publisher

Provides an illustrated biography of Hannah Arendt, one of the most prominent philosophers of the twentieth century, a hero of political thought, and a complex, controversial, deeply flawed, and courageous woman. Her intelligence and "virulent truth telling" led her to insights into the human condition, and her experience continues to shine a light on how to live as an individual and a public citizen in troubled times. --Adapted from publisher description

This book is an adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl into a graphic version, featuring direct quotations from Frank's diary. This book is the only graphic biography of the diary that has been authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation--Adapted from publisher's description.

Presents in graphic novel format the life of a Jewish girl growing up in Poland during the 1940s, describing how the Nazi persecution led to the deaths of her parents, while she and her brothers survived the war by hiding in the neighboring forest.

"A graphic biography of the pioneering, free-spirited Mother of Modern Dance. In 1899, performing in the drawing rooms of London's elite, Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) was already laying the foundations for modern dance. Her performances were visceral, free-flowing, and expressive; she danced barefoot. The 22-year-old from California was shattering the conventions of traditional ballet and, in doing so, enchanting high society. In Isadora, Julie Birmant and Clement Oubrerie capture the astonishing life and scandalous times of the so-called Mother of Modern Dance from her arrival in Europe to her tragic death in 1927. This extraordinary graphic novel spans Duncan's meetings with Auguste Rodin and Loie Fuller, her dazzling on-stage career, and the development of a style of dance--inspired by natural forms and Greek sculpture--that would become her enduring legacy."--Provided by publisher.

"In 1925, the true nature of the Ku Klux Klan was exposed by one woman. This is her story. The members of the Ku Klux Klan once called themselves the knights of the Invisible Empire--an empire that controlled local, state, and federal governments across the United States. The most powerful politicians in the country belonged to the Klan. In 1924, the KKK's Grand Dragon of Indiana, D.C. Stephenson, even famously declared, 'I am the law in Indiana'. The Invisible Empire tells the frightening story of the Klan's rise to power in the 1920s, its ruthless agenda of hate, violence, and corruption--and how everything changed when one woman, Madge Oberholtzer, testified against Stephenson. With her dying breath, Madge exposed the true nature of the Klan and changed the way Americans would see the KKK forever. Madge's story--the cruelty she suffered and the courage she harnessed--is just as powerful and relevant a century later as it was in 1925. Because Madge's name has been largely lost to history, The Invisible Empire is a reminder to new generations of her tragic sacrifice, aiming to keep Madge's memory alive in a new era."--Provided by publisher.

A graphic novel biography of controversial nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century anarchist, atheist, and feminist political activist Emma Goldman.

"Halina Mitchell is half-Filipino, half-American. She's also a native New Yorker--sophisticated, cultured, and confident. On her first visit to the Philippines, she arrives in Manila to reconnect with relatives only to encounter a world of surprises that turn all her assumptions on their head." Provided by the publisher.

"A queer coming-of-age story, complete with secret cigarettes, gross gym teachers, and a lot of church. It’s the early 2000s. Lauren is fifteen, soft-spoken, and ashamed of her body. She’s a devout member of an evangelical church, but when her Bible-thumping parents forbid Lauren to bring evolution textbooks home, she opts to study at her schoolmate Mariah’s house. Mariah has dial-up internet, an absentee mom, and a Wiccan altar—the perfect setting for a study session and sleepover to remember. That evening, Mariah gives Lauren a makeover and the two melt into each other, in what becomes Lauren’s first queer encounter. Afterward, a potent blend of Christian guilt and internalized homophobia causes Lauren to question the experience. Author Jessica Campbell (XTC69) uses frankness and dark humor to articulate Lauren's burgeoning crisis of faith and sexuality. She captures teenage antics and banter with astute comedic style, simultaneously skewering bullies, a culture of slut-shaming, and the devastating impact of religious zealotry. Rave is an instant classic, a coming-of-age story about the secret spaces young women create and the wider social structures that fail them." -- description from publisher's website.

"As graphic artist Rhea Ewing neared college graduation in 2012, they became consumed by a question: What is gender? This obsession sparked a quest in which they eagerly approached both friends and strangers in their quiet Midwestern town for interviews to turn into comics. A decade later, this project has exploded into a sweeping portrait of the intricacies of gender expression, with interviewees from all over the country. Questions such as How do you identify? produced fiercely honest stories of dealing with adolescence, taking hormones, changing pronouns--and how these experiences can differ, depending on culture, race, and religion. Amidst beautifully rendered scenes emerges Ewing's own story of growing up in rural Kentucky, grappling with their identity as a teenager, and ultimately finding themself through art"-- Back cover.

From award-winning novelist Victor LaValle (The Changeling) and illustrator Dietrich Smith (Shaft: Imitation of Life) comes an intense, unflinching story exploring the legacies of love, loss, and vengeance placed firmly in the tense atmosphere and current events of the modern-day United States. When the last descendant of the Frankenstein family loses her only son to a police shooting, she turns to science for her own justice, putting her on a crash course with her family's original monster and his quest to eliminate humanity.

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. In this breathtaking and timely story, Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire."-- Publisher's description.

"Jessica Cruz has done everything right. She's a dedicated student, popular among her classmates, and has a loving family that has done everything they can to give her a better life in the United States. While Jessica is a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, allowing her to go to school and live in the U.S., her parents are undocumented. Jessica usually worries for her parents, but her fears and anxiety escalate as a mayoral candidate with a strong anti-immigration stance runs for office. As the xenophobia in Coast City increases, Jessica begins to debate whether it's worth renewing her status to stay in the U.S., or if her family would be safer and better off moving back to Mexico. And despite her attempts to lean on her friends and family, she finds herself constantly visited by visions of Aztec gods, one pulling her towards hope and the other towards anger. But when her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica finds herself being pulled into an abyss of fear. With her father gone and feeling helpless, Jessica must find her way out of her fears and ultimately become a voice for her community."--Amazon.com.

Music for dance by Cuban-born Tania León, winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Music.

1967 album by the legendary jazz, blues, and R&B musician.

Music by women composers in the Western Classical tradition, including Teresa Carreño, Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, and more.

Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music.

This documentary "looks at the struggles and problems that many of the most famous female conductors in the world have had to face pursuing their chosen profession."

American Women Leaders and Activists, Second Edition offers fascinating coverage of notable American women who have been proven leaders and activists in both the political and social realms.

A collection of digital archives related to Women's history.