Beloved Women : The Political Lives of Ladonna Harris and Wilma Mankiller by Sarah Eppler Janda download book PDF, TXT, FB2
9780875803722 English 0875803725 "Like white liberal feminists who at times emphasized their distinct power as 'women' as a legitimizing force for their involvement in electoral politics, these 'beloved women' challenged gender constructs in the name of Native American tradition. That understanding is paramount in situating them within the historical and political context to which they belong." Book jacket., In an era when minorities struggled for recognition, LaDonna Harris and Wilma Mankiller furthered the interests of Native Americans and forged a new place for women in politics by astutely playing accepted notions about ethnicity and gender to their own advantage. In Beloved Women, historian Sarah Eppler Janda examines the public identity these two women created for themselves and how, in turn, their respective identities shaped their political fortunes. Moving beyond the conventional role of a 1950s U.S. senator's wife, Harris discovered opportunities to call attention to the inequalities facing Native Americans. A Comanche, Harris founded activist organizations, testified at congressional hearings, and served on scores of federal committees concerning both women and Native Americans. At the same time, by attributing her humanitarian efforts to tribal values, Harris asserted the relevance of Indian beliefs and customs in modern society. During the heyday of the women's rights movement, Mankiller linked feminist ideas to Cherokee tradition. Indian culture, she asserted, esteems women, as proven by the legendary Beloved Woman who fulfills familial expectations yet also assumes political duties. Mankiller adopted this role when she became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985, a position she held for a decade. Harris and Mankiller became national leaders, Janda concludes, in large part because their complex persona--Indian and woman--enabled them to challenge social and political norms., LaDonna Harris, wife of a U.S. Senator, and Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee nation, are arguably the best-known Native American women of the 20th century. Janda examines the ways in which Harris and Mankiller each used to her advantage her identity as an Indian and, more specifically, as a woman. In an era when politically engaged women were considered radical, these two activists attempted to forestall criticism by promoting the belief that native culture esteemed women. As a result, Harris and Mankiller simultaneously furthered the interests of Indians and forged a new place for women in American politics.
9780875803722 English 0875803725 "Like white liberal feminists who at times emphasized their distinct power as 'women' as a legitimizing force for their involvement in electoral politics, these 'beloved women' challenged gender constructs in the name of Native American tradition. That understanding is paramount in situating them within the historical and political context to which they belong." Book jacket., In an era when minorities struggled for recognition, LaDonna Harris and Wilma Mankiller furthered the interests of Native Americans and forged a new place for women in politics by astutely playing accepted notions about ethnicity and gender to their own advantage. In Beloved Women, historian Sarah Eppler Janda examines the public identity these two women created for themselves and how, in turn, their respective identities shaped their political fortunes. Moving beyond the conventional role of a 1950s U.S. senator's wife, Harris discovered opportunities to call attention to the inequalities facing Native Americans. A Comanche, Harris founded activist organizations, testified at congressional hearings, and served on scores of federal committees concerning both women and Native Americans. At the same time, by attributing her humanitarian efforts to tribal values, Harris asserted the relevance of Indian beliefs and customs in modern society. During the heyday of the women's rights movement, Mankiller linked feminist ideas to Cherokee tradition. Indian culture, she asserted, esteems women, as proven by the legendary Beloved Woman who fulfills familial expectations yet also assumes political duties. Mankiller adopted this role when she became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985, a position she held for a decade. Harris and Mankiller became national leaders, Janda concludes, in large part because their complex persona--Indian and woman--enabled them to challenge social and political norms., LaDonna Harris, wife of a U.S. Senator, and Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee nation, are arguably the best-known Native American women of the 20th century. Janda examines the ways in which Harris and Mankiller each used to her advantage her identity as an Indian and, more specifically, as a woman. In an era when politically engaged women were considered radical, these two activists attempted to forestall criticism by promoting the belief that native culture esteemed women. As a result, Harris and Mankiller simultaneously furthered the interests of Indians and forged a new place for women in American politics.