LETTER: ALS to Mrs. Hitchcock.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Autograph letter signed “Charlotte Perkins Gilman” to “Mrs. Hitchcock.” 179 W. 76th St [New York]: April 8, 1902; one leaf, folded to make four pages, writing on two sides; slight soiling.
An interesting albeit mysterious letter from Gilman divulging personal content regarding an upcoming meeting with “Mrs. Hitchcock,” as her cousin Julia Gilman suggested the pair meet. She writes, in part, “…I will call on you tomorrow morning, I being allowed to go out freely, with proper precautions, but not feeling that I can ask people in here freely, at present. And even so, if you feel nervous, just come out and take a walk with me – that will be safe enough.”
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) was an American writer, poet, feminist, and ardent advocate of women's suffrage. Many of her writings, both fiction and non-fiction, are still read and considered relevant today, including most notably her satirical poetry collection satirical In This World (1893) and her semi-autobiographical short story The Yellow Wallpaper (1890), which portrays a woman suffering from mental illness after three months of being closeted in a room by her husband for the sake of her health. Gilman said her intentions behind the piece were to change perceptions of women's autonomy, and depict how a lack of it is detrimental to one’s mental and emotional wellbeing; she wrote the story after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis.
Gilman was also active as a suffragette, representing California in 1896's Suffrage Convention in Washington D.C.; she also published pieces on social change and received notable critical response as a writer and lecturer on economics and women's rights to financial independence. After the birth of her daughter Katherine in 1885, Gilman separated from her husband, a controversial move in the late 19th century, but one seen as necessary for the improvement of her mental health. In 1894, Gilman moved from California to New York City after contacting her cousin Houghton Gilman, a Wall Street attorney. The two became romantically involved and eventually married in 1900, staying together until Houghton's death in 1934.
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