This collection of historical documents presents a portrait of American women's lives in the second half of the twentieth century. The book starts with the nation's entry into World War II, and its impact on women's short- and long-term employment prospects. The post war brings social and economic developments and shifting conceptions of gender. The contributions speak to a series of topics: the ideas and changes brought about by the women's movement and other social movements, the challenges to and defense of reproductive rights. The volume's diverse voices include Lilian Smith, Rosa Parks, Dagmar Wilson, Rachel Carson, Betty Friedan, Carol Gilligan, Fannie Lou Hamer, Naomi Wolf, Anita Hill, Erica Jong, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg, among many others. (Fragments) of original documents are accompanied by introductory essays and source reference.