Sustaining Feminist Progressivism

During the 1920s and 1930s, New York City’s civic women activists expended the most energy and passion over three campaigns: winning state acceptance of federal funds for improving the health of mothers and babies (the Sheppard-Towner Act), legalizing women’s jury service, and passing laws to protect women wage earners. Using the tactics and networks they had developed during the suffrage movement and working through both partisan and nonpartisan voluntary associations, they led other public policy campaigns, such as legalizing the dissemination of birth control information, repealing national prohibition, and modernizing state government. The stories of these campaigns demonstrate both the possibilities and limitations of New York City women’s efforts to sustain feminist progressive reform after enfranchisement.