Matilda Joslyn Gage

On March 24, 1826, Matilda Joslyn Gage was born in New York. A prolific writer and activist who contributed to many social causes such as abolition, feminism, Native American rights and religion, but best known for or her contributions to the suffragette movement. These contributions began in 1869 with significant accomplishments including:

• Funding, along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the National Woman Suffrage Association.
• Publishing the National Citizen and Ballot Box, NWSA’s official newspaper from 1878 until 1881.
• Writing The History of Woman Suffrage, along with Stanton and Anthony.
• Funding the Women’s National Liberal Unity.

She encouraged her son-in-law, L. Frank Baum, to write down stories. Gage’s words and writings about how governments and churches have persecuted innocent women throughout the centuries by accusing them of heresy and witchcraft (Woman, Church and State, 1893) inspired his stories, in particular, his most famous work: The Wizard of Oz. Many of Gage’s ideas can be recognized in the themes of the book. He used his mother-in-law’s vivid descriptions of witch-hunting as inspiration for world building, where he created a world where men and women are treated as equals, basic needs are met, contributions are made according to ability, moral principles exist independent of religious institutions, cultural differences are valued, and conflicts are not tolerated. Gage’s views influenced Baum’s portrayal of the strong and independent female characters in the book, as well as his critiques of organized religion. Some authors say, Baum’s character of “the good witch” may have been inspired by her mother-in-law, being Glinda a contraction of good and Matilda.

Matilda has also been the inspiration for the NoMoreMatildas movement. In 1870 she published an essay entitled Woman as Inventor (1870) in which she denounced a social situation in which women scientists receive less credit and recognition for their scientific work than men.

Matilda’s figure not only inspires us but also has taught us the importance of giving credit to those who deserve it. Most of the time we don’t think about the importance of giving credit, do you ever use an image for an article or presentation without credit to the artist that created it? This could be seen as a simple thing, I find something on the Internet so I use it. But this scenario can be extrapolated to other areas such as science or software. Giving credit to someone works means you appreciate that work you can use, you’re giving value to someone else's work so they can gain confidence in that work and receive feedback so they can grow stronger as professionals.

References:

• https://msmagazine.com/2021/03/29/wizard-of-oz-matilda-joslyn-gage-suffrage-feminist/
• https://matildajoslyngage.org/gage-biography
• https://matildajoslyngage.org/about-the-gage-home
• https://www.historynet.com/matilda-josyln-gage-the-unlikely-inspiration-for-the-wizard-of-oz/