Alice Paul was a giant figure on the 20th Century political landscape, whom mainstream history has totally buried, while extolling the work, albeit important, of Susan B. Anthony. While Anthony got women’s rights off the ground, Alice Paul ran the ball to the end zone, and then was forgotten. Her place in American history is the subject of a new book, well researched, called, Alice Paul: Claiming Power.
Once past the opening chapters that describe her Quaker upbringing, which are a bit slow reading, we see her radicalization process in the UK early in the 1900s. Gandhi saw her speak back than and learned from her tactics. She was a true radical with a velvet glove and political savvy that got her amazing results.
If you are into working for political change, here’s a book to read that can make you understand how to achieve your goals. Persistence and organizational skills, along with an ability to roust people to take action.
5 stars.
Alice Paul: Claiming Power by J.D Zahniser and Ameila R. Fry. The Oxford Press.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Alice Paul, political action, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Want to learn to change the world? Idea #1 – Read this biography
