From the 19th Amendment to Title IX and ERA In Between

Welcome to My Bookshop Storefront

Hi! My name is Nancy B. Kennedy. I'm an author and an affiliate of Bookshop.org, an organization that partners with independent bookstores and book-loving individuals to offer an alternative to mammoth online booksellers. Your purchases through Bookshop.org help support indie bookstores, authors and individuals passionate about creating a vibrant community of readers. Bookshop strives to ensure that local bookstores can remain a vital part of our communities, especially during this time of unprecedented challenges.

The 19th Amendment... the start of it all

In 2022, we're celebrating the 102st anniversary of American women winning the right to vote. (The pandemic obliterated the 100th!) In my book list, The Best Books on Women's Suffrage, I have curated for you a list of books that I've found to be interesting, entertaining and informative about the 72-year fight for the vote, for both adults and children.

In researching my book, "Women Win the Vote! 19 for the 19th Amendment" (Norton Young Readers, 2020), I read about 75 books! Since then, many more books on the topic have been released that widen and deepen our understanding of this epic civil rights battle. In addition to bringing you this list of books, I've been sharing what I learned at my author page on Facebook.

Title IX... the fight for women's equality continues

At the same time, in 2022, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking gender equality law, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. In my book list, The Best Books on Title IX, I've curated for you the books that are informing me and entertaining me this year, both children's and adult books. Keep coming back, as more books are releasing later this year!

Title IX brought equality to institutions and programs receiving federal funds -- everything from Little League to public universities. Educational and sports opportunities were the big winners, with money now available for a wide variety of scholarships and programs. Over the years, Title IX has extended to include protection for women against sexual harassment and sexual assault on college campuses. Follow the ever-expanding reach of Title IX on my blog this year, as I write about the people who muscled the law into being and those who benefitted from it -- or missed its opportunities -- and the issues the law continues to address.

And looking into the future...

Is the women's rights movement incomplete? Some say it is. In 1923, Alice Paul introduced the Equal Rights Amendment, calling it the Lucretia Mott Amendment (like the 19th Amendment was originally the Susan B. Anthony Amendment). She worked for it for the rest of her life, never seeing it to victory. The proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution is intended to erase state and federal laws that discriminate against women; its underlying principle is that sex should not determine the legal rights of men or women. In my list, The Best Books on the ERA, I've curated for you books explaining the intent and the amendment's history.

How Your Purchases Help

When you buy a book through Bookshop.org, the transaction is fulfilled through Bookshop's distributor. A percentage of the sale goes either to the local bookstore of your choosing, or it goes into a pot of money that is distributed evenly among all bookstores participating in Bookshop. As a Bookshop.org affiliate, I receive 10 percent of the sale price when a book is purchased through the three lists at my storefront, "The Best Books on Women's Suffrage," "The Best Books on Title IX," and "The Best Books on the ERA."

In addition to supporting local bookstores, your Bookshop purchase can often be processed more quickly than purchases from booksellers like Amazon, whose fulfillment time has been stretched due to the pressing needs that have arisen due to the coronavirus crisis. Your book will arrive at your doorstep in no time at all!