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University Of Wisconsin-Madison / Reuters
Gerda Lerner founded the women's studies program at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, which in 1972 became the first to offer a graduate degree in women's history.
MILWAUKEE -- Gerda Lerner, a pioneer in the field of women's history and a founding member of the National Organization for Women, has died. She was 92.
Credited with founding the nation's first graduate program in women's history, Lerner died peacefully Wednesday at an assisted-living facility in Madison, Wis., her son said.
"She was always a very strong-willed and opinionated woman," Dan Lerner recalled. "I think those are the hallmarks of great people, people that have strong points of view and firmly held convictions."
The former professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison wrote several books in the field of women's history, including her 1986 work "The Creation of Patriarchy" and her 1994 volume "The Creation of Feminist Consciousness." She also edited "Black Women in White America," one of the first books to document the struggles and contributions of black women in American history.
After obtaining her doctorate at New York's Columbia University in 1966, Lerner went on to found the women's studies program at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, which in 1972 became the first to offer a graduate degree in women's history.
Lerner later moved to Madison, where she helped establish a doctoral program in women's history at the University of Wisconsin.
Imprisoned by Nazis
She was born into a privileged Jewish family in Vienna, Austria, in 1920. When the Nazis rose to power, she was imprisoned and spent her 18th birthday behind bars, in a cell with two other young women who had been arrested for political work. Jailers restricted rations for Jews, but the gentile women shared their food with her.
"They taught me how to survive," Lerner wrote in "Fireweed: a Political Autobiography." "Everything I needed to get through the rest of my life I learned in jail in those six weeks."
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She said the experience taught her how society can manipulate people. It was a lesson she saw reinforced in American academia by history professors who taught as though the only figures worth studying were men.
"When I was faced with noticing that half the population has no history, and I was told that that's normal, I was able to resist the pressure" to accept that conclusion, she told the Wisconsin Academic Review in 2002.
After arriving in the United States from Europe, she married filmmaker Carl Lerner and collaborated with him in writing the 1964 civil rights-era film "Black Like Me," based on the 1961 best-selling book by John Howard Griffin.
The couple were involved in activism that ranged from attempting to unionize the film industry to working in the civil rights movement.
Carl Lerner died in 1973, and Gerda Lerner moved in 1980 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she established a doctorate program in women's history. She retired from the university in 1991.
When asked how she developed such a strong sense of justice and fairness, she told the Wisconsin Academy Review that the feeling started in childhood. She recalled watching her mother drop items on the floor and walk away, leaving servants to clean up her mess.
"I wanted the world to be a just and fair place, and it obviously wasn't — and that disturbed me right from the beginning," she said.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
No big loss.just another activist.
And just where would you be if not for activists? Perhaps George Washington should never have stepped forward. Maybe Jesus should have never preached the gospel. Perhaps Susan B. Anthony should never have fought for the right of women to vote. Exactly what have you done to change the world? How many books have you authored? How many college curriculums have you developed? What contributions have you made to society? You dismiss and denigrate the life of a woman who achieved greatness in her lifetime while you wallow in hate for women and those who step forward to lead others on a path to a better tomorrow. First, achieve something and then, perhaps, you will earn the credentials to validly criticize others.
I have achieved something and that is the right to speak freely. i have achieved this by keeping a job that pays my share in taxes that funds programs that help the needy and less fortunate.therefore that has given me the credentials to validly criticize others.
Pretty edgy comment AgaintTheGrains. Makes me wonder what people will say in your passing eulogy:
"Just another...what did he do again? Oh, no big loss."
While you do have the right to speak freely, others also have the right to speak freely and call you out for your frankly unfunny comments. Grow up. All your supposed charity doesn't surpass the fact that this woman helped found one of the biggest professional historical societies in America and has given numerous people empowerment through education. Your comment is completely unfair, but her quote has never rang truer:
"I wanted the world to be a just and fair place, and it obviously wasn't — and that disturbed me right from the beginning."
People like you are truly disturbing.
and when she died, the world is still the same as it was when she found it. her activism didnt nothing for the world as a whole.
as for my eulogy, dont care.
I do my job as a man,husband and father. i dont try to please others or the world for a pat on the back.
When i leave this world knowing i did my job as man,husband and father, then im happy with that. my family will say what they will.
Threatened by strong women much AgainstTheGrains?
As the father you want to be remembered as "doing his job", if Ms Lerner was your daughter would you feel her life's accomplishments were in your words, no big loss?
Don't feed the troll. If the article was about the passing of someone who was instrumental in advancing black, Asian, Jewish, <insert minority here> knowledge and equality, the comments would be the same. Some people are so threatened by those who don't fit their outdated idea of how "it should be" that they can't help but lash out and try to minimize the significance of the person's work and life.
While I agree that it is useless to argue with a fool, I feel very strongly about this matter. I am very proud of this woman and her accomplishments. She did not do the things she did for a "pat on the back." She did them to show women they are important, have made (and continue to make) valuable contributions to our world, and that it is not right to ignore anyone because they are female.
I am very glad everyone spoke up and offered AgainstTheGrains a different look at his attitude and his own blindness to the truth. I am especially appreciative of anyone who can hold their temper in the face of ignorance and bigotry and offer a valid, wise and eloquent counterpoint (kudos Sirrom).
As for AgainstTheGrains, you have not "achieved the right to speak freely." You have the right to express your opinion along with everyone else because you live in a country that secured that right for you long ago through activism.
Wow...really? Talk about the ugly side of America. What a complete idiot. I mostly feel sad for people of your lot. You must be a very unhappy person to be so ill spirited.
AgainstTheGrains
No, YOU have not "achieved the right to speak freely".
Past activists, whom you so despise, achieved that for you.
Again(s)tTheGrain - your putzy comment is what holds back a great many people and causes. Thanks to the ones who did speak out and were heard, you are able to enjoy (as well as the women in your family) a great deal that (men) take for granted.
Arguing with a fool makes two.
I like that, Janine.
What kind of tunnel vision do you have to think this? Laughable.
May Gerda Lerner rest in peace. I must say that her movement, work and writings are
a good legacy and I hope it’s not been in vain. I'd like to see a complete
reversal of roles of men and women and it almost looks as though we're headed
in that direction even though Gerda Lerner really just wanted equality. With a
man at home as support for the women to leave home each day and go conquer the
world so she can better provide for her family seems like a bit of a fantasy. I
think it was recognized back in biblical times that the woman was much better
suited for the role of home supported who supported her man so he could be more
competitive in the work force. But I'm sure woman were took advantage of in
such a role and Gerda Lerner brought this to our attention. Now woman and men
share a family life and home responsibilities with more equality, but I think
this relationship comes with a price, leaving both with less full support and
reducing the ability to be at his or hers utmost readiness. Now if man was to
support a woman fully, as if total role reversal I do believe a woman could
make remarkable progress, I think we all should give it a go, get tax credit
for the experiment to make it affordable at the onset.
Againsthegrains, the world is hardly the same place as it was when Gerda found it. The 1950s for women were kinda like a gentler and kinder Talliban society. Today, more women are graduating from college, law school and medical school. In general, there is more economic, educational, and reproductive freedom for women today than "yesterday." Also freedom of speech about violence against women. That was quite acceptable back in the days, ya know. Thank those who made the world better for your wife, your daughter, your granddaughter, your mother. Do your job as a man, and I don't mean an 8-5 job.
you're an @!$%#! kinder gentler talliban... I bet you're one of those idiots that compares everyone to Hitler... my mother grew up in the 50s and she misses those days with a fondness like so many others do... like her three sisters... you're a @!$%#in' retard!!!
oh, yes... there was no free speech either... God you are a dumb, dumb person... who told you this @!$%#? let me guess... a college professor???
more of both sexes go to college today, that's why a bachelors degree is almost worthless... IDIOT!
That's the scary thing about the internet. More idiots can find each other. LOL
She sounds like an AMAZING woman who lived a full life. RIP Gerda, i thank you for your contributions
baby killer!
see above LOL again
The United States was blessed the day Gerda was released from the wrath of her captors; making her way to pave a path for the freedom of women! Reading the article above, I believe she was a just, fair and driven woman that wanted equality for the less known and notariety for all women.
Blessings to her family,
Debbie Sirosky
One of these days we will get to the point where we can call her a pioneer for American history. Just like some day we will call Obama the 44th President instead of focusing on his being the first black (at least partly) president.
Meaning: we'll call people Americans first, their accomplishments second and their race, gender, religion, etc won't be considered.
Admirable concept, sjacobs, but given the nature of human beings, I doubt that it will ever happen.
Let me clarify. I think Obama is a lousy President, not because of the color of his skin, but rather because his policies are reckless and dangerous. This is the other side of the objective to judge people on the sum of their actions as opposed to their gender, race, etc.
Many people will call me a racist because I do not support Obama. Nothing is could be further from the truth. His ideas are academically pedestrian and realistically impossible.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg should be impeached due to her failure to recuse herself from court cases related to the National Organization of Women, a feminist group for which she once served as president. However, this does not make me anti-women or anti-feminist.
We should be able to disagree with someone without fear of being labeled as anti-this-group, racist, etc.
sjacobs132
I know many people who dislike the president based on his policies, and many who dislike him based on his race. Sometimes it is hard to keep everyone separate. I believe you when you say you're not a racist, although I entirely disagree with your opinions on Obama. (I'm assuming we'd disagree on a lot, but that's the beauty of America. This article is not about politics, so let's not get into it.) It would be nice if we were a post-racial, post-sexist, etc. society, but we are not there yet. And, especially when Ms. Lerner was starting out, we were nowhere near it. After all she was jailed for being Jewish! I admire her. Because of "activists" like her, we are closer to that world you are speaking of. I thank all people who fight injustice for their efforts.
I agree with you Sjacobs. I don't like Obama as a leader either. Because of his politics. And many will attack and call me a racist which nothing could be further from the truth.
ECF, it is hard to keep everyone separate, but I try to go by the person, not their race/nationality/political views. I can disagree with a person, without being disagreeable.
It's a difficult thing to do when it comes to issues such as religion/abortion/race/social status, but we as a people need to work towards that goal. When we can see each other for WHO we are, rather than WHAT we are, we will become a better nation.
I have never been a feminist or a follower of NOW, but I commend Ms. Lerner for much of what she's accomplished, and pray that her family and friends can find peace in fact of knowing her.
"Activist" is not a dirty word.
If it weren't for "activists" (which comes from the word "activity") nothing in this world would ever have been accomplished. Strong individuals like Ms Lerner have made this world a better place for everyone, male or female.
Those short-sighted people who condemn activists forget that they are reaping the rewards of the changes these folks helped cause.
ahhh another communist kook dies who cares?
I bet you're an old geezer. I will be glad when your generation and your brain washed offspring takes a dirt nap.
bauer and the folks on here who make such statements are just trying to get attention.
BTW, "Bauer" is a German name, is it not?
LOL
Where on earth do you get the notion she was a communist? My guess is you don't know what the word means and lob it at anyone you don't like. Like, is President Obama a communist? I've heard that before.
A "communist" is anyone who doesn't share your point of view.
Also interchangeable with "nazi" and "socialist"
/sarc/
A true trailblazer! I read her books in college. For the mean spirited non-intellectuals on here, that's the place that the intellectual elite go to get all that book learning.
I know she screwed up my girl friends head. "I have a masters degree and you don't!""I can do more that you ever think you can, because i'm liberated." I want to blow my brains out when ever she gets on that rant. There is no comeback but to go visit my friends after she leaves. And she hates them because their just so plain and unsophisticated. I have yet to meet any of her friends.
No one screwed up your girlfriend's head but your girlfriend.
Sounds as if she has some issues that have nothing to do with the fact that she has a master's degree.
I'd have to agree with Tina. Your friend needs to feel superior to other people to make up for whatever shortcomings she thinks she has. Stop being friends with her. Why have people around you put you down and make you mad? I had "friends" like that and I stopped seeing them. There are seven billion people on the planet, and I gaurantee you some of them can be better friends than that. Stop calling, emailing, texting her. Don't ever talk to her again. You deserve better friends than that...
Just find yourself a less uppity girl. Eventually she may figure out she is a legend in her mind only. People like that are anchors, male or female. The sooner you cut them loose, the faster and farther you will fly.
Never heard of her...
Why is women's studies, history or whatever even a college course? Exactly what skills will teach you that will translate to gainful employment?
If you want to study women (a popular pastime), fine, just do it on your own dime and not with federal loan subsidies and guarantees.
sjacobs, you're really making me mad. What do you consider "worthy" of studying. I have a BA and an MA in Creative Writing, and you know what? Somehow I'm gainfully employed. Don't tell me my education is worthless. My employer obviously disagrees with you.
More about the woman Gerda Lerner.
I did not know this. There is a good possibility that she knew my late aunt, Sylvia Woods. She was a communist in America for over 50 years.
"Opinionated"...
They tried real hard to not say "Radical"...
Either way her liberal whacked out political views
Women being equal to men is a "radical," "Whacked out" view? I don't know you but you sound like a very old man who is mad we don't live in 1949 anymore and that it is no longer legal to beat your wife.
I read one of her books while in college. I thought she was a brilliant woman and an excellent writer.
Rip