Betty Millard
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth “Betty” Boynton Millard (10 October 1911 - 6 March 2010) was a writer, artist, political activist, philanthropist, and a feminist. She is known for her feminist publication "Woman against Myth", as well as her involvement with the United States Communist Party
in the 1940s and 1950s.
, on October 10, 1911, to a wealthy, conservative family, Millard studied at Barnard College
in New York City in 1932. There she discovered political activism when she marched against the United States' support for Francisco Franco
during the Spanish Civil War
.
, Haley Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony
, Millard was a member of the Congress of American Woman (CAW), an affiliated group of the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). Millard worked to tie the CAW's women's rights agenda to the history of the women's suffrage movement as well as the women's labor movement through her organizing efforts, writing, and educating. Millard was responsible for founding the Los Angeles chapter of the CAW. In Los Angeles, Millard began organizing and teaching classes on American women's history and status. While working with the WIDF, Millard spent two years promoting feminism as well as women's rights in Paris, France, following the Allied victory in World War II
. In addition to advocating for women in France, Millard promoted the rights of women in Italy.
In 1948, Millard produced the influential 24-page feminist pamphlet "Woman against Myth", which analysed the inequality between the sexes. Published by International Publishers and appearing first in her own New Masses
magazine, the work examined and explained the history of the women's movement in the United States, in the socialist movement, and in the USSR. Along with editing New Masses for four years, Millard edited Latin America Today for five years during the mid-1950s. It was a monthly magazine devoted to social and political developments.She was a strong supporter of the campaign of Cheddi Jagan
, said to have ties to the Soviet Union, for prime minister of British Guiana
. Millard left the party towards the end of the 1950s. She nevertheless continued to be politically active through her efforts to gain the release from prison of David Siqueiros
, Mexican Communist Party member and social realist painter and also through her efforts to end the Vietnam War.
Betty Millard died on March 6, 2010, at her home in New York City.
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
in the 1940s and 1950s.
Early life
Born in Highland Park, IllinoisHighland Park, Illinois
Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...
, on October 10, 1911, to a wealthy, conservative family, Millard studied at Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
in New York City in 1932. There she discovered political activism when she marched against the United States' support for Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Feminism and political activism
Alongside Nora Stanton BarneyNora Stanton Blatch Barney
Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was an American civil engineer, architect, and suffragist.-Early life:...
, Haley Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
, Millard was a member of the Congress of American Woman (CAW), an affiliated group of the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). Millard worked to tie the CAW's women's rights agenda to the history of the women's suffrage movement as well as the women's labor movement through her organizing efforts, writing, and educating. Millard was responsible for founding the Los Angeles chapter of the CAW. In Los Angeles, Millard began organizing and teaching classes on American women's history and status. While working with the WIDF, Millard spent two years promoting feminism as well as women's rights in Paris, France, following the Allied victory in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In addition to advocating for women in France, Millard promoted the rights of women in Italy.
In 1948, Millard produced the influential 24-page feminist pamphlet "Woman against Myth", which analysed the inequality between the sexes. Published by International Publishers and appearing first in her own New Masses
The New Masses
The "New Masses" was a prominent American Marxist publication edited by Walt Carmon, briefly by Whittaker Chambers, and primarily by Michael Gold, Granville Hicks, and Joseph Freeman....
magazine, the work examined and explained the history of the women's movement in the United States, in the socialist movement, and in the USSR. Along with editing New Masses for four years, Millard edited Latin America Today for five years during the mid-1950s. It was a monthly magazine devoted to social and political developments.She was a strong supporter of the campaign of Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Berret Jagan was a Guyanese politician who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997.- Biography :The son of ethnic Indian sugar plantation workers, Jagan...
, said to have ties to the Soviet Union, for prime minister of British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
. Millard left the party towards the end of the 1950s. She nevertheless continued to be politically active through her efforts to gain the release from prison of David Siqueiros
David Alfaro Siqueiros
José David Alfaro Siqueiros was a social realist painter, known for his large murals in fresco that helped establish the Mexican Mural Renaissance, together with works by Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, and also a member of the Mexican Communist Party who participated in an...
, Mexican Communist Party member and social realist painter and also through her efforts to end the Vietnam War.
Later years
In the 1990s, Millard became an advocate for gay and lesbian rights. She openly affirmed her own lesbianism. Around the same time, Millard was drawn towards environmental issues. She became a philanthropist through her wealthy family inheritance and would donate to progressive, LGBT, and environmental organizations.Betty Millard died on March 6, 2010, at her home in New York City.