Remembering Inez: The Last Campaign of Inez Milholland, Suffrage Martyr

Gr 9 Up—When a friend spoke at suffragist Inez Milholland's funeral in 1916, she said that Inez "is one around whom legends will grow up." In her time, certainly, Milholland was a celebrity. Young, beautiful, rich, and articulate, she was a passionate and active proponent of women's suffrage. Somehow, her name is lesser known compared with her predecessors, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and her contemporary Alice Paul. Even though Milholland died when she was 30, her contributions to the cause of women's suffrage are immeasurable. This slim volume consists largely of articles, speeches, and resolutions from issues of the magazine The Suffragist, all of which concern Milholland's background, character, beliefs, and work. The excerpts are accessible to modern-day readers, being largely devoid of the stiff, formal language common in writings of the day. Cooney's introduction provides ballast to the laudatory articles, pointing out aspects of Milholland's life that were controversial, especially her advocacy of socialism and free love. In addition, Cooney describes in brief the political clime of the nation, couching Milholland's attitudes and actions in a larger historical context. The illustrations consist of black-and-white archival photos. The well-curated images depict suffragist promotional materials of the day and Milholland and other women participating in protests.