Women Make History

For too long, women’s stories have been hidden in the shadows of history, viewed only through the lens of our husbands, brothers, fathers, or sons. Today, the landscape is changing. As more women stand up, speak out, sing out, others are beginning to listen.

My passion for feminist history isn’t a battle cry, but rather a celebration of courage, strength, and resilience. The more I learn about the women on whose shoulders we stand, the more relevant their lives and their examples become. The women’s movement hasn’t been shaped by a few, but by many, mostly ordinary women who, while tending children and farms, while struggling to gain an education or an income, have stepped up in creative ways to bring about extraordinary change for all.

Sharing these stories is the impetus behind my newsletter, Women Make History: Stories we should have learned in school. It’s also the reason behind my essays, interviews, and the book I’m writing about Mary Ware Dennett.

The Prophets: Mary Ware Dennett

Sharon’s Smithsonian article about Dennett is quoted in this story by The Free Press senior editor, Emily Yoffee. Read the whole article here.

Sharon recently appeared on Professor Buzzkill's History podcast for Woman Crush Wednesday to talk about Mary Ware Dennett. You can listen to the show here on the website, or download it to listen later.

You can also find Professor Buzzkill on all your favorite podcast apps!

Artist. Writer. Suffragist. Champion of Free Speech. Advocate for Honesty in Sex Education. Meet Mary Ware Dennett (1872-1947)

Join Sharon in an engaging discussion with historian Dr. Helen Frink about the amazing legacy and lasting impact of the incredible Mary Ware Dennett.

The original event took place: October 27, 2020

I married into Dennett's family and she quickly became part of mine. It began by reading her most private letters that had been stored in steamer trunks.

In 1929 in a landmark trial, Mary Ware Dennett's sex-education pamphlet for teens was declared "obscene" by the U.S. government.

As a child, Mary had one ambition: make the world a better place through her artwork. See some examples of what she created.

At Joanna Dennett's house, sorting her library and vast collection of books that belonged to her grandmother, Mary Ware Dennett.

You asked. We made it happen.

Shop Women Make History merch now.

Check out our collection of six mugs and the book bag in three sizes. During Women’s History Month, $1 from the sale of each will be donated to fund women’s health research.

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Sharon Spaulding

Sharon Spaulding is an historian and researcher who specializes in the life and times of Mary Ware Dennett (1872-1947). The curator of Dennett's family archives, Spaulding is at work on a book about Dennett. In 2020, Time magazine included Dennett as one of the most important women in American history.

Spaulding received a grant from Radcliffe College’s Schlesinger Library to support her work. Her journalism has appeared in MsMagazine.com, Smithsonian, New Hampshire Magazine, BOLD, and others. She lives near Salt Lake City with her husband and two dogs.

Sharon is available to delight audiences with the forgotten stories of remarkable women or the history of the suffrage and reproductive rights movements of the early 20th century. Click here to contact Sharon.