Mary W. Dewson | |
|---|---|
 Mary W. Dewson | |
| Born | February 18, 1874 Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | October 21, 1962 (aged 88) Castine, Maine, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Wellesley College (BSW) |
| Occupation | Social Security Board Member |
Mary Williams Dewson (1874–1962) was an American feminist and political activist. After graduating from Wellesley College in 1897, she worked for the Women's Educational and Industrial Union.[1] She became an active member of the National Consumers League (NCL) and received mentorship from Florence Kelley, a famous advocate for social justice feminism and General Secretary of the NCL. Dewson's later role as civic secretary of the Women's City Club of New York (WCCNY) led to her meeting Eleanor Roosevelt, who later convinced Dewson to be more politically active in the Democratic Party. Dewson went on to take over Roosevelt's role as head of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Campaign Committee.[2] Dewson's "Reporter Plan" mobilized thousands of women to spread information about the New Deal legislation and garner support for it. In connection with the Reporter Plan, the Women's Division held regional conferences for women. This movement led to a historically high level of female political participation.[3]
- ^ Ware, Susan (1987). Partner and I: Molly Dewson, Feminism, and New Deal Politics. Yale University Press.
- ^ McGuire, John (Autumn 2004). "Two Feminist Visions: Social Justice Feminism and Equal Rights, 1899-1940". Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. 71 (4). Penn State University Press: 445–478. JSTOR 27778638.
- ^ Gittell, Marilyn; Shtob, Teresa (Spring 1980). "Changing Women's Roles in Political Volunteerism and Reform of the City". Signs. 5 (3). The University of Chicago Press: S67–S78. doi:10.1086/495711. JSTOR 3173807. S2CID 144253797.