Suffragette Primer, A., or, A Wink to the Wise.
[Suffrage]. Gray, Mary Richards. A Suffragette Primer or, A Wink to the Wise. [Los Angeles, 1911].
First edition. 8vo (5 x 7-1/4”); stiff light brown wrappers (sewn) with cover design by Nell Brooker Maynew in orange, black and green; with illustrations by Clara Margaret Cronenwett; protective glassine wrapper; bit of the lower foretip lacking; one or two short tears; glassine lacks chips at edges and shows overall wear; the pamphlet itself is in lovely, fresh condition; near fine.
A suffragist ABC published shortly after the 1911 California woman suffrage referendum campaign. Gray cites “the very present need of a handy, compact volume, giving in simple language essential facts on voting” as the prompt for her primer. The primer goes from “A” for Anti-Suffragette” (“with Politics she does not fret...”) to “B” for “ballot,” “C” for “caucas,” etc. She deploys a sharp wit against suffrage foes, describing those who opposed the California amendment as of the same class “with your Grandparents”:...”give them the same mingled respect and patronizing affection that you lavish upon the Old Folks.” In contrast, “G” stands for “Good Thing — Woman since the world began.” Apparently the primer was privately printed and accordingly OCLC shows only two locations. Scarce.
(#4934)
Print Inquire
