| Abstract |
"Frances Willard (1839-1898) was one of the most prominent American social reformers of the late nineteenth century. This biography explores Willard's life, her contributions as a reformer, and her broader legacy as a women's rights activist in the United States. As the long-time president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), Willard built a national and international movement of women that campaigned for prohibition. Emphasizing what she called "Do Everything" reform, Willard became a central figure in campaigns supporting woman suffrage, economic justice, Christian socialism, and numerous other reforms during the Gilded Age. A devout Methodist, Willard helped shape predominant religious currents of the late nineteenth century, including being an important figure in the rise of the social gospel movement in American Protestantism. In addition to chronicling Willard's life, the biography examines ways that Willard crafted a distinctive culture of women's leadership not fully explored by other scholars. Despite her enormous fame during her lifetime, the book examines reasons why Willard's legacy has been eclipsed by subsequent twentieth-century women reformers"-- Provided by publisher. |
