Posted
on August 26, 2016
It's
so wonderfully appropriate that Zona Gale was born on August 26
(1874), because eventually, on her 46th birthday, the 19th
Amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote. These
days, August 26 is Women's Equality Day (see links to write-ups
below!).
It's
wonderfully appropriate because author Zona Gale worked hard for
women's rights: She was an active member of the National Women's
Party and a member of the executive committee of the Lucy Stone
League. She lobbied – a lot - for the Wisconsin Equal Rights Law.
A
year after Gale (and other American women) finally won the right to
vote, she won something no other woman had won before: the Pulitzer
Prize for Drama.
Gale
was highly educated. At a time when most people didn't go to
university, she earned a Bachelor of Literature degree and a Master's
degree.
Zona
Gale wrote novels, short stories, plays, a smattering of poetry, and
some non-fiction. One of the biggest non-fiction projects she
undertook was writing a biography of Frank Miller, the founder of the
famous Mission Inn Hotel in Riverside, California. That hotel is only
about half an hour away, and well worth a visit – especially at
Christmas time.
Gale
didn't get married until she was 54 years old – an unusual
circumstance that is likely the result of a lot of unusual choices.
I
read in Wikipedia that Gale's activism on behalf of women was spurred
by a problem she often explored in her fiction: “women's frustration at their lack of opportunities.”
Now for a little Zona Gale wisdom:
Also
on this date:
Plan
ahead:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
And
here are my Pinterest boards for:
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