Sisters in Spirit: Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Influence on Early American Feminists Paperback – September 5, 2001

This book was quite fascinating, although it seems to be a revision of the text of an exhibition not an "academic" publication, and the tone is a bit breathless and "gee whiz." The thesis is that early feminist leaders, particularly Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage, were influenced in their ideas by the knowledge they gained in their local communities about the role of women in Iroquois society and possibly by Iroquois women themselves. That kind of equality about property, marriage and divorce, and child custody were completely missing in their own society, and the political power that Iroquois women held must have seemed revolutionary to them. I am now trying to track down this author's biography of Gage: difficult because the copies for sale are beyond my budget and I don't have access to academic interlibrary loan.

Suppressed history of the relationship with the early suffragists and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Nations.

Excellent book, well researched and respectfully treats the first nations people and their society. My 4stars instead of 5 is because the kindle version is truncated mid-sentence in paragraph 1 of the last chapter. We e-readers want it all.

The peace enjoyed by the Haudenosaune because of lhe advancedgovernment

It is very clear upon reading this book that those that were called ‘uncivilized savages’ by white colonists had a much more equal and evolved civilization than the colonists

This is such a eye opening view of the role of the American Indians in influencing women to grow into their power. Sally Wagner is an excellent presenter as we heard her speak at a CFI conference in Buffalo where we also visited the historic sites where these life changing events formed women's lives today. We have to teach our daughters how our advances happened so that they don't take them for granted in the current political climate. We can't allow progress to be turned back. Thanks to Ms Wagner, we have a reference point to pass along.

Striking contrasts of the role of women in Haundenosaunee (Iroquois) society and contemporary American society. The contrast in clothing alone are well worth the price of this otherwise somewhat dry, academic approach to the topic.

Enjoyed this book even though much of the information was not new to me. Because of a book edited by Hallowell, when I was a grad student in archaeology, I was already aware of the influence of the Iroquois on the founders of the United States. The information about the connection to women's rights, however, was new. If you don't know much about the subject this book is well worth reading.